{"id":"getting-started.what-happens-to-my-files-if-i-uninstall","url":"/faq/getting-started/what-happens-to-my-files-if-i-uninstall","category":{"id":"getting-started","title":"Getting started"},"subcategory":{"id":"quit-uninstall","title":"Quitting, restarting and uninstalling"},"question":"What happens to my moved files if I uninstall Storage Studio?","alt_questions":["Do I lose files when I uninstall Storage Studio?","Uninstall Storage Studio without losing data","Are my files deleted when removing Storage Studio?","Get my folders back before uninstalling","Files left on the external drive after uninstall","What happens to my moved files if I uninstall or stop paying for Storage Studio?","Will I lose my files if my subscription ends?","Are my files held hostage if I stop using Storage Studio?","storage studio cancel what happens to files","Do relocated folders still work after uninstalling?","Does Storage Studio lock my files?"],"short_answer":"Nothing is deleted. Moved files stay on your external drive unless you ask the uninstaller to revert them, and Reset Storage Studio puts everything back on your Mac before it removes anything.","answer_markdown":"Nothing is deleted. Uninstalling never removes your files — anything Storage Studio moved to your external drive stays there.\n\nYou choose whether to bring things back:\n\n- Tick **Revert relocated folders** in the uninstaller to bring moved folders back to your Mac where it can; anything it can't put back stays safely on the drive for you to copy back any time.\n- **Reset Storage Studio…** puts everything it moved back on your Mac *first*, before removing anything.\n\nIf you skip both, moved items stay on the drive and the shortcuts on your Mac keep pointing to them while the drive is connected.","answer_html":"<p>Nothing is deleted. Uninstalling never removes your files — anything Storage Studio moved to your external drive stays there.</p>\n<p>You choose whether to bring things back:</p>\n<ul><li>Tick <strong>Revert relocated folders</strong> in the uninstaller to bring moved folders back to your Mac where it can; anything it can&#39;t put back stays safely on the drive for you to copy back any time.</li><li><strong>Reset Storage Studio…</strong> puts everything it moved back on your Mac <em>first</em>, before removing anything.</li></ul>\n<p>If you skip both, moved items stay on the drive and the shortcuts on your Mac keep pointing to them while the drive is connected.</p>","answer_text":"Nothing is deleted. Uninstalling never removes your files — anything Storage Studio moved to your external drive stays there.\n\nYou choose whether to bring things back:\n\n- Tick Revert relocated folders in the uninstaller to bring moved folders back to your Mac where it can; anything it can't put back stays safely on the drive for you to copy back any time.\n- Reset Storage Studio… puts everything it moved back on your Mac first, before removing anything.\n\nIf you skip both, moved items stay on the drive and the shortcuts on your Mac keep pointing to them while the drive is connected.","tags":["uninstall","files","safety","subscription"],"related":[{"id":"getting-started.how-do-i-uninstall-storage-studio","question":"How do I uninstall Storage Studio?","url":"/faq/getting-started/how-do-i-uninstall-storage-studio"},{"id":"getting-started.what-is-reset-storage-studio","question":"What does Reset Storage Studio do?","url":"/faq/getting-started/what-is-reset-storage-studio"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"What happens to my moved files if I uninstall Storage Studio? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Nothing is deleted. Moved files stay on your external drive unless you ask the uninstaller to revert them, and Reset Storage Studio puts everything back on your Mac before it removes anything.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Getting started","path":"/faq/getting-started/"},{"name":"What happens to my moved files if I uninstall Storage Studio?","path":"/faq/getting-started/what-happens-to-my-files-if-i-uninstall"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/getting-started/what-happens-to-my-files-if-i-uninstall","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What happens to my moved files if I uninstall Storage Studio?","alternateName":["Do I lose files when I uninstall Storage Studio?","Uninstall Storage Studio without losing data","Are my files deleted when removing Storage Studio?","Get my folders back before uninstalling","Files left on the external drive after uninstall","What happens to my moved files if I uninstall or stop paying for Storage Studio?","Will I lose my files if my subscription ends?","Are my files held hostage if I stop using Storage Studio?","storage studio cancel what happens to files","Do relocated folders still work after uninstalling?","Does Storage Studio lock my files?"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Nothing is deleted. Uninstalling never removes your files — anything Storage Studio moved to your external drive stays there.\n\nYou choose whether to bring things back:\n\n- Tick Revert relocated folders in the uninstaller to bring moved folders back to your Mac where it can; anything it can't put back stays safely on the drive for you to copy back any time.\n- Reset Storage Studio… puts everything it moved back on your Mac first, before removing anything.\n\nIf you skip both, moved items stay on the drive and the shortcuts on your Mac keep pointing to them while the drive is connected.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/getting-started/what-happens-to-my-files-if-i-uninstall"}}]},"fragment":"<div class=\"wrap fl-wrap\"><div class=\"fl-layout\"><aside class=\"fl-side\" aria-label=\"FAQ topics\"><details open><summary>All topics</summary><ul class=\"fl-tree\"><li class=\"fl-open\"><a href=\"/faq/getting-started/\" aria-current=\"true\">Getting started</a> <span>70</span><ul><li><a href=\"/faq/getting-started/#about\">What Storage Studio is</a> <span>7</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/getting-started/#requirements\">What you need</a> <span>3</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/getting-started/#install\">Downloading and installing</a> <span>9</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/getting-started/#first-launch\">First launch and Full Disk Access</a> <span>10</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/getting-started/#setup-wizard\">The setup wizard</a> <span>6</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/getting-started/#finding-your-way\">Finding your way around</a> <span>12</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/getting-started/#updates\">Updates</a> <span>5</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/getting-started/#help-support\">Help, tips and support</a> <span>6</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/getting-started/#notifications\">Notifications</a> <span>2</span></li><li class=\"fl-on\"><a href=\"/faq/getting-started/#quit-uninstall\">Quitting, restarting and uninstalling</a> <span>10</span></li></ul></li><li><a href=\"/faq/freeing-space/\">Freeing up space</a> <span>182</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/\">Moving folders</a> <span>144</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/apps/\">Apps</a> <span>146</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/external-drives/\">External drives</a> <span>169</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/finder-location/\">Finding things in Finder</a> <span>70</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/cloud-accounts/\">Cloud accounts</a> <span>158</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/icloud/\">iCloud &amp; iCloud Photos</a> <span>168</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/data-transfers/\">Data Transfers</a> <span>119</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/\">Backups &amp; restore points</a> <span>126</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/delta-drive/\">Delta Drive, Delta Trust &amp; My Drive</a> <span>125</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/bridge-devices/\">Bridge &amp; your devices</a> <span>111</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/duplicates/\">Duplicate files</a> <span>74</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/junk-yard/\">Junk Yard</a> <span>113</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/tuhi-assistant/\">Tuhi, your storage assistant</a> <span>105</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/settings/\">Settings &amp; keep-time</a> <span>88</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/performance-battery/\">Performance &amp; battery</a> <span>62</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/privacy-safety/\">Privacy &amp; safety</a> <span>85</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/licensing-payments/\">Licensing &amp; payments</a> <span>131</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/troubleshooting/\">Troubleshooting &amp; messages</a> <span>180</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/comparisons/\">Comparisons &amp; alternatives</a> <span>75</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/mac-storage-basics/\">Mac storage basics</a> <span>315</span></li></ul></details></aside><div class=\"fl-main\"><nav class=\"fl-crumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\"><ol><li><a href=\"/\">Home</a></li><li><a href=\"/faq/\">FAQ</a></li><li><a href=\"/faq/getting-started/\">Getting started</a></li><li aria-current=\"page\">What happens to my moved files if I uninstall Storage Studio?</li></ol></nav>\n<form class=\"fl-search\" action=\"/faq/search\" method=\"get\" role=\"search\" data-fl-search>\n<label class=\"fl-visually-hidden\" for=\"fl-q\">Search the FAQ</label>\n<input id=\"fl-q\" type=\"search\" name=\"q\" value=\"\" placeholder=\"Search 2,816 questions…\" autocomplete=\"off\" spellcheck=\"false\">\n<button type=\"submit\">Search</button>\n<div class=\"fl-suggest\" role=\"listbox\" hidden></div>\n</form>\n<article class=\"fl-entry\">\n<p class=\"eyebrow fl-eyebrow\"><a href=\"/faq/getting-started/\">Getting started</a> · <a href=\"/faq/getting-started/#quit-uninstall\">Quitting, restarting and uninstalling</a></p>\n<h1>What happens to my moved files if I uninstall Storage Studio?</h1>\n<p class=\"fl-short\"><strong>Short answer:</strong> Nothing is deleted. Moved files stay on your external drive unless you ask the uninstaller to revert them, and Reset Storage Studio puts everything back on your Mac before it removes anything.</p>\n<div class=\"fl-answer\"><p>Nothing is deleted. Uninstalling never removes your files — anything Storage Studio moved to your external drive stays there.</p>\n<p>You choose whether to bring things back:</p>\n<ul><li>Tick <strong>Revert relocated folders</strong> in the uninstaller to bring moved folders back to your Mac where it can; anything it can&#39;t put back stays safely on the drive for you to copy back any time.</li><li><strong>Reset Storage Studio…</strong> puts everything it moved back on your Mac <em>first</em>, before removing anything.</li></ul>\n<p>If you skip both, moved items stay on the drive and the shortcuts on your Mac keep pointing to them while the drive is connected.</p></div>\n\n<p class=\"fl-meta\">Last reviewed <time datetime=\"2026-10-01\">October 1, 2026</time></p>\n\n<section class=\"fl-related\"><h2>Related questions</h2><ul><li><a href=\"/faq/getting-started/how-do-i-uninstall-storage-studio\">How do I uninstall Storage Studio?</a></li><li><a href=\"/faq/getting-started/what-is-reset-storage-studio\">What does Reset Storage Studio do?</a></li></ul></section>\n<p class=\"fl-formats\">Also available as <a href=\"/faq/getting-started/what-happens-to-my-files-if-i-uninstall.md\">Markdown</a> and <a href=\"/faq/getting-started/what-happens-to-my-files-if-i-uninstall.json\">JSON</a>.</p>\n</article></div></div></div>"}