---
id: finder-location.why-is-storage-studios-folder-size-different-from-finders
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/finder-location/why-is-storage-studios-folder-size-different-from-finders
category: "Finding things in Finder"
subcategory: "Finding what was moved"
question: "Why is a folder's size in Storage Studio different from what Finder shows?"
alt_questions:
  - "Folder size doesn't match Finder Get Info"
  - "Storage Studio says bigger than Finder"
  - "Why does Data Parking show a different size?"
  - "size on disk vs size Mac"
  - "What does the ≥ sign before a size mean?"
short_answer: "Storage Studio measures the room a folder really takes on disk, including hidden files at every depth — what you'd get back by moving it. Finder's Get Info shows both size and on-disk figures, and a ≥ means part couldn't be read."
tags: ["folder size", "get info", "finder"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/finder-location/does-moving-a-folder-include-hidden-files", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/finder-location/why-does-get-info-show-a-tiny-size-for-a-moved-folder", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/finder-location/where-does-data-parking-put-things-on-my-drive"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# Why is a folder's size in Storage Studio different from what Finder shows?

Storage Studio measures how much room a folder really takes up on disk, including everything inside it at every depth and any hidden files — the same amount you'd get back by moving it. Finder's **Get Info** shows two figures, the size and the space used on disk, and the two often differ.

Other reasons the numbers can differ:

- A **≥** in front of a size means part of the folder couldn't be read, so it's a minimum.
- A folder still being counted shows a spinner, never zero.
- Moved items count as shortcuts in Finder, so they look tiny there.

If something looks stale, the refresh button re-measures it.