---
id: icloud.can-i-move-my-icloud-drive-folder-to-an-external-drive
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/can-i-move-my-icloud-drive-folder-to-an-external-drive
category: "iCloud & iCloud Photos"
subcategory: "iCloud and external drives"
question: "Can I move my iCloud Drive folder to an external drive?"
alt_questions:
  - "Store iCloud Drive on external SSD"
  - "Change iCloud Drive location Mac"
  - "Move iCloud Drive off my internal disk"
  - "Can Storage Studio relocate iCloud Drive?"
  - "iCloud Drive on external hard drive"
  - "Symlink iCloud Drive to another drive"
short_answer: "Not in a supported way — macOS keeps iCloud Drive on the startup disk, and Storage Studio won't move it. Instead, make iCloud files online-only, turn on Optimize Mac Storage, or keep non-synced folders on the external drive."
tags: ["icloud drive", "external drive", "relocate"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/where-is-icloud-drive-stored-on-my-mac", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/why-dont-storage-studio-rules-move-files-in-icloud-drive"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# Can I move my iCloud Drive folder to an external drive?

Not in a supported way. macOS keeps the iCloud Drive folder on your startup disk, and moving it or replacing it with a shortcut can confuse syncing. Storage Studio deliberately doesn't do it: its automatic rules skip anything inside iCloud Drive, and it never moves an online-only file.

What works instead:

- **Make iCloud files online-only** — tap **Run Tuhi**, or right-click a folder in Finder and choose **Remove Download**. The files stay in iCloud and free local space.
- **Turn on Optimize Mac Storage** in iCloud Drive's settings so macOS frees space automatically.
- **Keep non-synced folders on the external drive** — move big folders that don't need to sync (archives, media projects) out of iCloud Drive and relocate them with Storage Studio's Data Parking.

See [moving folders](https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/).