{"id":"getting-started.can-i-install-in-my-home-applications-folder","url":"/faq/getting-started/can-i-install-in-my-home-applications-folder","category":{"id":"getting-started","title":"Getting started"},"subcategory":{"id":"install","title":"Downloading and installing"},"question":"Can I install Storage Studio in my own Applications folder instead of the main one?","alt_questions":["Install Storage Studio without admin rights","Can I put Storage Studio in ~/Applications?","I can't write to /Applications on my work Mac","Install Storage Studio for one user only"],"short_answer":"Yes. If you can't write to the main Applications folder, put Storage Studio in an Applications folder inside your home folder — both work. Keep it in one place so its permissions stay attached.","answer_markdown":"Yes. If your Mac doesn't let you write to the main **Applications** folder — common on managed work Macs — you can keep Storage Studio in the **Applications** folder inside your home folder instead. Both locations work.\n\nTo do it:\n\n1. In Finder, open your home folder (**Go → Home**).\n2. Create a folder named **Applications** if there isn't one.\n3. Drag Storage Studio from the disk image into it and open it from there.\n\nKeep the app in one place once installed, so its permissions (such as Full Disk Access) stay attached to the copy you use.","answer_html":"

Yes. If your Mac doesn't let you write to the main Applications folder — common on managed work Macs — you can keep Storage Studio in the Applications folder inside your home folder instead. Both locations work.

\n

To do it:

\n
  1. In Finder, open your home folder (Go → Home).
  2. Create a folder named Applications if there isn't one.
  3. Drag Storage Studio from the disk image into it and open it from there.
\n

Keep the app in one place once installed, so its permissions (such as Full Disk Access) stay attached to the copy you use.

","answer_text":"Yes. If your Mac doesn't let you write to the main Applications folder — common on managed work Macs — you can keep Storage Studio in the Applications folder inside your home folder instead. Both locations work.\n\nTo do it:\n\n1. In Finder, open your home folder (Go → Home).\n2. Create a folder named Applications if there isn't one.\n3. Drag Storage Studio from the disk image into it and open it from there.\n\nKeep the app in one place once installed, so its permissions (such as Full Disk Access) stay attached to the copy you use.","tags":["install","applications folder"],"related":[{"id":"getting-started.how-do-i-install-storage-studio","question":"How do I install Storage Studio?","url":"/faq/getting-started/how-do-i-install-storage-studio"},{"id":"getting-started.full-disk-access-stopped-working-after-update","question":"Why does Storage Studio say Full Disk Access stopped working after an update?","url":"/faq/getting-started/full-disk-access-stopped-working-after-update"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Can I install Storage Studio in my own Applications folder instead of the main one? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Yes. If you can't write to the main Applications folder, put Storage Studio in an Applications folder inside your home folder — both work. Keep it in one place so its permissions stay attached.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Getting started","path":"/faq/getting-started/"},{"name":"Can I install Storage Studio in my own Applications folder instead of the main one?","path":"/faq/getting-started/can-i-install-in-my-home-applications-folder"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/getting-started/can-i-install-in-my-home-applications-folder","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Can I install Storage Studio in my own Applications folder instead of the main one?","alternateName":["Install Storage Studio without admin rights","Can I put Storage Studio in ~/Applications?","I can't write to /Applications on my work Mac","Install Storage Studio for one user only"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. If your Mac doesn't let you write to the main Applications folder — common on managed work Macs — you can keep Storage Studio in the Applications folder inside your home folder instead. Both locations work.\n\nTo do it:\n\n1. In Finder, open your home folder (Go → Home).\n2. Create a folder named Applications if there isn't one.\n3. Drag Storage Studio from the disk image into it and open it from there.\n\nKeep the app in one place once installed, so its permissions (such as Full Disk Access) stay attached to the copy you use.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/getting-started/can-i-install-in-my-home-applications-folder"}}]},"fragment":"
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Getting started · Downloading and installing

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Can I install Storage Studio in my own Applications folder instead of the main one?

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Short answer: Yes. If you can't write to the main Applications folder, put Storage Studio in an Applications folder inside your home folder — both work. Keep it in one place so its permissions stay attached.

\n

Yes. If your Mac doesn't let you write to the main Applications folder — common on managed work Macs — you can keep Storage Studio in the Applications folder inside your home folder instead. Both locations work.

\n

To do it:

\n
  1. In Finder, open your home folder (Go → Home).
  2. Create a folder named Applications if there isn't one.
  3. Drag Storage Studio from the disk image into it and open it from there.
\n

Keep the app in one place once installed, so its permissions (such as Full Disk Access) stay attached to the copy you use.

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Last reviewed

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Related questions

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Also available as Markdown and JSON.

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