---
id: moving-folders.do-sparse-files-and-disk-images-stay-small-when-moved
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/do-sparse-files-and-disk-images-stay-small-when-moved
category: "Moving folders"
subcategory: "Safety and verification"
question: "Will virtual machine disks and disk images take more space after a move?"
alt_questions:
  - "Do sparse files stay sparse on the external drive?"
  - "VM disk ballooned after moving"
  - "Will a disk image grow to its full size?"
  - "moving virtual machine files storage studio"
  - "pre-allocated database file size after move"
short_answer: "No. Files that only use part of their apparent size — some virtual-machine disks, disk images and pre-allocated databases — stay space-efficient on the fast drive. Shut a virtual machine down before moving its files."
tags: ["virtual machines", "disk images", "space"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/what-does-move-when-closed-mean"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# Will virtual machine disks and disk images take more space after a move?

No — space-efficient files stay efficient. Some virtual-machine disks, disk images and pre-allocated databases only use part of their apparent size, and Storage Studio keeps that efficiency on the fast drive instead of letting them balloon to full size.

One caution for virtual machines: don't move a VM's files while it's running, and remember the VM won't start while the drive is unplugged. Shut the VM down before moving its folder.

See [Can I move a folder an app is using?](https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/what-does-move-when-closed-mean)