{"id":"moving-folders.can-rules-delete-my-personal-files","url":"/faq/moving-folders/can-rules-delete-my-personal-files","category":{"id":"moving-folders","title":"Moving folders"},"subcategory":{"id":"rules","title":"Rules and Auto Rules"},"question":"Can a rule delete my personal files?","alt_questions":["Will rules delete my documents?","Is there a setting to stop deleting?","delete rules storage studio","Do rules only move or also delete?"],"short_answer":"With \"Never delete personal files — only move them\" on (in Settings → Rules → Global overrides), every delete rule is skipped and only rebuildable app caches are cleared. Auto Rules only move personal files, and only after you approve.","answer_markdown":"Not with the default safeguard on. **Settings → Rules → Global overrides** has a master switch, **\"Never delete personal files — only move them\"**, which skips every delete rule. App-cache clean-up still runs, because caches rebuild themselves.\n\nIn Auto Rules, only regenerable caches are ever applied automatically; personal files are only ever moved, and only after you approve. Each rule is colour-coded so you can see its action at a glance: blue for move, red for delete, purple for cache clean-up.\n\nSee [What are Auto Rules?](/faq/moving-folders/what-are-auto-rules)","answer_html":"

Not with the default safeguard on. Settings → Rules → Global overrides has a master switch, "Never delete personal files — only move them", which skips every delete rule. App-cache clean-up still runs, because caches rebuild themselves.

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In Auto Rules, only regenerable caches are ever applied automatically; personal files are only ever moved, and only after you approve. Each rule is colour-coded so you can see its action at a glance: blue for move, red for delete, purple for cache clean-up.

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See What are Auto Rules?

","answer_text":"Not with the default safeguard on. Settings → Rules → Global overrides has a master switch, \"Never delete personal files — only move them\", which skips every delete rule. App-cache clean-up still runs, because caches rebuild themselves.\n\nIn Auto Rules, only regenerable caches are ever applied automatically; personal files are only ever moved, and only after you approve. Each rule is colour-coded so you can see its action at a glance: blue for move, red for delete, purple for cache clean-up.\n\nSee What are Auto Rules?","tags":["rules","delete","personal files"],"related":[{"id":"moving-folders.what-are-auto-rules","question":"What are Auto Rules?","url":"/faq/moving-folders/what-are-auto-rules"},{"id":"moving-folders.what-are-move-rules","question":"What are move rules in Storage Studio?","url":"/faq/moving-folders/what-are-move-rules"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Can a rule delete my personal files? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"With \"Never delete personal files — only move them\" on (in Settings → Rules → Global overrides), every delete rule is skipped and only rebuildable app caches are cleared. Auto Rules only move personal files, and only after you approve.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Moving folders","path":"/faq/moving-folders/"},{"name":"Can a rule delete my personal files?","path":"/faq/moving-folders/can-rules-delete-my-personal-files"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/can-rules-delete-my-personal-files","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Can a rule delete my personal files?","alternateName":["Will rules delete my documents?","Is there a setting to stop deleting?","delete rules storage studio","Do rules only move or also delete?"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Not with the default safeguard on. Settings → Rules → Global overrides has a master switch, \"Never delete personal files — only move them\", which skips every delete rule. App-cache clean-up still runs, because caches rebuild themselves.\n\nIn Auto Rules, only regenerable caches are ever applied automatically; personal files are only ever moved, and only after you approve. Each rule is colour-coded so you can see its action at a glance: blue for move, red for delete, purple for cache clean-up.\n\nSee What are Auto Rules?","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/can-rules-delete-my-personal-files"}}]},"fragment":"
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Moving folders · Rules and Auto Rules

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Can a rule delete my personal files?

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Short answer: With "Never delete personal files — only move them" on (in Settings → Rules → Global overrides), every delete rule is skipped and only rebuildable app caches are cleared. Auto Rules only move personal files, and only after you approve.

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Not with the default safeguard on. Settings → Rules → Global overrides has a master switch, "Never delete personal files — only move them", which skips every delete rule. App-cache clean-up still runs, because caches rebuild themselves.

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In Auto Rules, only regenerable caches are ever applied automatically; personal files are only ever moved, and only after you approve. Each rule is colour-coded so you can see its action at a glance: blue for move, red for delete, purple for cache clean-up.

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See What are Auto Rules?

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Last reviewed

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