{"id":"icloud.can-i-keep-my-photos-library-on-the-storage-studio-drive","url":"/faq/icloud/can-i-keep-my-photos-library-on-the-storage-studio-drive","category":{"id":"icloud","title":"iCloud & iCloud Photos"},"subcategory":{"id":"icloud-photos","title":"iCloud Photos and the Photos library"},"question":"Can I keep my Photos library on the same external drive Storage Studio uses?","alt_questions":["Photos library on Storage Studio fast drive","Share external drive between Photos and Storage Studio","Same SSD for Photos library and relocated folders","Photos library on NVMe drive with Storage Studio"],"short_answer":"Yes. Move the library with Photos' own method and keep it outside Storage Studio's folder on the drive. Keep the drive connected whenever Photos opens, quit Photos before ejecting, and back the library up separately.","answer_markdown":"Yes, the drive can hold both — just move the library yourself using Photos' own method, and keep it outside Storage Studio's own folder on the drive (for example at the top level of the drive). Storage Studio manages only its own folder there and won't touch the library.\n\nThings to keep in mind:\n\n- The drive must be connected whenever you open Photos, or Photos may start a new, empty library.\n- Ejecting the drive while Photos is open can interrupt it — quit Photos first.\n- Back up the library separately; one drive is one copy.\n\nSee [how to move the Photos library](/faq/icloud/how-do-i-move-my-photos-library-to-an-external-drive).","answer_html":"

Yes, the drive can hold both — just move the library yourself using Photos' own method, and keep it outside Storage Studio's own folder on the drive (for example at the top level of the drive). Storage Studio manages only its own folder there and won't touch the library.

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Things to keep in mind:

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See how to move the Photos library.

","answer_text":"Yes, the drive can hold both — just move the library yourself using Photos' own method, and keep it outside Storage Studio's own folder on the drive (for example at the top level of the drive). Storage Studio manages only its own folder there and won't touch the library.\n\nThings to keep in mind:\n\n- The drive must be connected whenever you open Photos, or Photos may start a new, empty library.\n- Ejecting the drive while Photos is open can interrupt it — quit Photos first.\n- Back up the library separately; one drive is one copy.\n\nSee how to move the Photos library.","tags":["photos library","external drive","storage studio drive"],"related":[{"id":"icloud.how-do-i-move-my-photos-library-to-an-external-drive","question":"How do I move my Photos library to an external drive and keep iCloud Photos working?","url":"/faq/icloud/how-do-i-move-my-photos-library-to-an-external-drive"},{"id":"icloud.what-happens-if-the-photos-library-drive-is-unplugged","question":"What happens if my Photos library is on an external drive that isn't plugged in?","url":"/faq/icloud/what-happens-if-the-photos-library-drive-is-unplugged"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Can I keep my Photos library on the same external drive Storage Studio uses? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Yes. Move the library with Photos' own method and keep it outside Storage Studio's folder on the drive. Keep the drive connected whenever Photos opens, quit Photos before ejecting, and back the library up separately.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"iCloud & iCloud Photos","path":"/faq/icloud/"},{"name":"Can I keep my Photos library on the same external drive Storage Studio uses?","path":"/faq/icloud/can-i-keep-my-photos-library-on-the-storage-studio-drive"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/can-i-keep-my-photos-library-on-the-storage-studio-drive","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Can I keep my Photos library on the same external drive Storage Studio uses?","alternateName":["Photos library on Storage Studio fast drive","Share external drive between Photos and Storage Studio","Same SSD for Photos library and relocated folders","Photos library on NVMe drive with Storage Studio"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes, the drive can hold both — just move the library yourself using Photos' own method, and keep it outside Storage Studio's own folder on the drive (for example at the top level of the drive). Storage Studio manages only its own folder there and won't touch the library.\n\nThings to keep in mind:\n\n- The drive must be connected whenever you open Photos, or Photos may start a new, empty library.\n- Ejecting the drive while Photos is open can interrupt it — quit Photos first.\n- Back up the library separately; one drive is one copy.\n\nSee how to move the Photos library.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/can-i-keep-my-photos-library-on-the-storage-studio-drive"}}]},"fragment":"
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iCloud & iCloud Photos · iCloud Photos and the Photos library

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Can I keep my Photos library on the same external drive Storage Studio uses?

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Short answer: Yes. Move the library with Photos' own method and keep it outside Storage Studio's folder on the drive. Keep the drive connected whenever Photos opens, quit Photos before ejecting, and back the library up separately.

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Yes, the drive can hold both — just move the library yourself using Photos' own method, and keep it outside Storage Studio's own folder on the drive (for example at the top level of the drive). Storage Studio manages only its own folder there and won't touch the library.

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Things to keep in mind:

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  • The drive must be connected whenever you open Photos, or Photos may start a new, empty library.
  • Ejecting the drive while Photos is open can interrupt it — quit Photos first.
  • Back up the library separately; one drive is one copy.
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See how to move the Photos library.

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Last reviewed

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Related questions

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