{"id":"finder-location.will-sidebar-favorites-and-open-recent-still-work","url":"/faq/finder-location/will-sidebar-favorites-and-open-recent-still-work","category":{"id":"finder-location","title":"Finding things in Finder"},"subcategory":{"id":"opening-files","title":"Opening and using moved files"},"question":"Will my Finder sidebar favourites and apps' Open Recent lists still work after a move?","alt_questions":["Do Finder Favourites break after moving a folder?","Open Recent not working after relocation?","Will recent documents still open after moving to external drive?","sidebar favourite folder moved to external drive","Do bookmarks to moved folders still work?"],"short_answer":"Yes, while the drive is connected — the shortcut sits exactly where the item was, so favourites, Open Recent and saved paths still lead to it. With the drive unplugged they appear but won't open until you reconnect it.","answer_markdown":"Yes, while the drive is connected. Nothing about the original location changes from your point of view — the shortcut sits exactly where the item was — so Finder favourites, **Open Recent** menus, Dock stacks and saved paths all lead to the same place and simply follow it to the drive.\n\nWhen the drive is unplugged, those entries still appear, but opening one fails because the real item isn't reachable. Plug the drive back in and they work again with nothing to fix.\n\nIf you want a folder to stay reachable on the go without the drive, move it back first — see [travelling without your drive](/faq/finder-location/can-i-get-to-moved-files-without-the-drive).","answer_html":"

Yes, while the drive is connected. Nothing about the original location changes from your point of view — the shortcut sits exactly where the item was — so Finder favourites, Open Recent menus, Dock stacks and saved paths all lead to the same place and simply follow it to the drive.

\n

When the drive is unplugged, those entries still appear, but opening one fails because the real item isn't reachable. Plug the drive back in and they work again with nothing to fix.

\n

If you want a folder to stay reachable on the go without the drive, move it back first — see travelling without your drive.

","answer_text":"Yes, while the drive is connected. Nothing about the original location changes from your point of view — the shortcut sits exactly where the item was — so Finder favourites, Open Recent menus, Dock stacks and saved paths all lead to the same place and simply follow it to the drive.\n\nWhen the drive is unplugged, those entries still appear, but opening one fails because the real item isn't reachable. Plug the drive back in and they work again with nothing to fix.\n\nIf you want a folder to stay reachable on the go without the drive, move it back first — see travelling without your drive.","tags":["finder","favorites","open recent"],"related":[{"id":"finder-location.what-happens-to-shortcuts-when-the-drive-is-unplugged","question":"What do moved files look like in Finder when my external drive is unplugged?","url":"/faq/finder-location/what-happens-to-shortcuts-when-the-drive-is-unplugged"},{"id":"finder-location.can-i-get-to-moved-files-without-the-drive","question":"Can I get to files I've moved while I'm away from my external drive?","url":"/faq/finder-location/can-i-get-to-moved-files-without-the-drive"},{"id":"finder-location.do-command-line-tools-and-scripts-follow-shortcuts","question":"Do Terminal, scripts and developer tools work with folders Storage Studio has moved?","url":"/faq/finder-location/do-command-line-tools-and-scripts-follow-shortcuts"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Will my Finder sidebar favourites and apps' Open Recent lists still work after a move? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Yes, while the drive is connected — the shortcut sits exactly where the item was, so favourites, Open Recent and saved paths still lead to it. With the drive unplugged they appear but won't open until you reconnect it.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Finding things in Finder","path":"/faq/finder-location/"},{"name":"Will my Finder sidebar favourites and apps' Open Recent lists still work after a move?","path":"/faq/finder-location/will-sidebar-favorites-and-open-recent-still-work"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/finder-location/will-sidebar-favorites-and-open-recent-still-work","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Will my Finder sidebar favourites and apps' Open Recent lists still work after a move?","alternateName":["Do Finder Favourites break after moving a folder?","Open Recent not working after relocation?","Will recent documents still open after moving to external drive?","sidebar favourite folder moved to external drive","Do bookmarks to moved folders still work?"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes, while the drive is connected. Nothing about the original location changes from your point of view — the shortcut sits exactly where the item was — so Finder favourites, Open Recent menus, Dock stacks and saved paths all lead to the same place and simply follow it to the drive.\n\nWhen the drive is unplugged, those entries still appear, but opening one fails because the real item isn't reachable. Plug the drive back in and they work again with nothing to fix.\n\nIf you want a folder to stay reachable on the go without the drive, move it back first — see travelling without your drive.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/finder-location/will-sidebar-favorites-and-open-recent-still-work"}}]},"fragment":"
\n
\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

Finding things in Finder · Opening and using moved files

\n

Will my Finder sidebar favourites and apps' Open Recent lists still work after a move?

\n

Short answer: Yes, while the drive is connected — the shortcut sits exactly where the item was, so favourites, Open Recent and saved paths still lead to it. With the drive unplugged they appear but won't open until you reconnect it.

\n

Yes, while the drive is connected. Nothing about the original location changes from your point of view — the shortcut sits exactly where the item was — so Finder favourites, Open Recent menus, Dock stacks and saved paths all lead to the same place and simply follow it to the drive.

\n

When the drive is unplugged, those entries still appear, but opening one fails because the real item isn't reachable. Plug the drive back in and they work again with nothing to fix.

\n

If you want a folder to stay reachable on the go without the drive, move it back first — see travelling without your drive.

\n\n

Last reviewed

\n\n

Related questions

\n

Also available as Markdown and JSON.

\n
"}