{"id":"moving-folders.does-moving-a-folder-keep-file-dates-and-tags","url":"/faq/moving-folders/does-moving-a-folder-keep-file-dates-and-tags","category":{"id":"moving-folders","title":"Moving folders"},"subcategory":{"id":"safety-verification","title":"Safety and verification"},"question":"Does moving a folder keep my files' dates, permissions and tags?","alt_questions":["Will moving change my file creation dates?","Are Finder tags kept after a move?","does storage studio preserve metadata","Do modified dates survive moving to the external drive?","Will my files lose their permissions when moved?","Does the move keep extended attributes?","Does moving files with Storage Studio keep their dates, permissions and Finder tags?","Does Storage Studio preserve file metadata?","Will my modified dates change after moving?","Are Finder tags kept when files are relocated?","storage studio metadata preserved","Does moving to an external drive change file permissions?","Is the Locked flag kept when moving?","Do Finder tags and modification dates stay the same when Storage Studio moves a file?","Will my coloured Finder tags be kept after moving?"],"short_answer":"Moves between your Mac and the fast drive keep file contents, names, modification dates, permissions, Finder tags and other extended attributes. A few special attributes, such as Finder's Locked checkbox and custom access-control lists, aren't carried over today.","answer_markdown":"Yes for what most people care about: file contents, names, modification dates, permissions, Finder tags and other extended attributes come across when a folder moves between your Mac and the fast drive. A few special attributes — for example Finder's \"Locked\" checkbox and custom access-control lists — aren't carried over today.\n\nLast-opened dates are best-effort, because macOS itself updates them whenever anything reads a file.\n\nMoving to a cloud account is different: what's kept depends on the service. Most keep the modified date; some keep more. Those limits come from the provider.\n\nIf a file relies on being locked, check it after the move. See [cloud moves](/faq/moving-folders/what-file-details-survive-a-move-to-a-cloud-account).","answer_html":"

Yes for what most people care about: file contents, names, modification dates, permissions, Finder tags and other extended attributes come across when a folder moves between your Mac and the fast drive. A few special attributes — for example Finder's "Locked" checkbox and custom access-control lists — aren't carried over today.

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Last-opened dates are best-effort, because macOS itself updates them whenever anything reads a file.

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Moving to a cloud account is different: what's kept depends on the service. Most keep the modified date; some keep more. Those limits come from the provider.

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If a file relies on being locked, check it after the move. See cloud moves.

","answer_text":"Yes for what most people care about: file contents, names, modification dates, permissions, Finder tags and other extended attributes come across when a folder moves between your Mac and the fast drive. A few special attributes — for example Finder's \"Locked\" checkbox and custom access-control lists — aren't carried over today.\n\nLast-opened dates are best-effort, because macOS itself updates them whenever anything reads a file.\n\nMoving to a cloud account is different: what's kept depends on the service. Most keep the modified date; some keep more. Those limits come from the provider.\n\nIf a file relies on being locked, check it after the move. See cloud moves.","tags":["file dates","finder tags","permissions","moving folders","metadata","dates"],"related":[{"id":"moving-folders.what-file-details-survive-a-move-to-a-cloud-account","question":"Are file dates kept when I move files to a cloud account?","url":"/faq/moving-folders/what-file-details-survive-a-move-to-a-cloud-account"},{"id":"moving-folders.how-does-storage-studio-check-a-move-worked","question":"How does Storage Studio check that a move worked?","url":"/faq/moving-folders/how-does-storage-studio-check-a-move-worked"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Does moving a folder keep my files' dates, permissions and tags? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Moves between your Mac and the fast drive keep file contents, names, modification dates, permissions, Finder tags and other extended attributes. A few special attributes, such as Finder's Locked checkbox and custom access-control lists, aren't carried over today.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Moving folders","path":"/faq/moving-folders/"},{"name":"Does moving a folder keep my files' dates, permissions and tags?","path":"/faq/moving-folders/does-moving-a-folder-keep-file-dates-and-tags"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/does-moving-a-folder-keep-file-dates-and-tags","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Does moving a folder keep my files' dates, permissions and tags?","alternateName":["Will moving change my file creation dates?","Are Finder tags kept after a move?","does storage studio preserve metadata","Do modified dates survive moving to the external drive?","Will my files lose their permissions when moved?","Does the move keep extended attributes?","Does moving files with Storage Studio keep their dates, permissions and Finder tags?","Does Storage Studio preserve file metadata?","Will my modified dates change after moving?","Are Finder tags kept when files are relocated?","storage studio metadata preserved","Does moving to an external drive change file permissions?","Is the Locked flag kept when moving?","Do Finder tags and modification dates stay the same when Storage Studio moves a file?","Will my coloured Finder tags be kept after moving?"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes for what most people care about: file contents, names, modification dates, permissions, Finder tags and other extended attributes come across when a folder moves between your Mac and the fast drive. A few special attributes — for example Finder's \"Locked\" checkbox and custom access-control lists — aren't carried over today.\n\nLast-opened dates are best-effort, because macOS itself updates them whenever anything reads a file.\n\nMoving to a cloud account is different: what's kept depends on the service. Most keep the modified date; some keep more. Those limits come from the provider.\n\nIf a file relies on being locked, check it after the move. See cloud moves.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/does-moving-a-folder-keep-file-dates-and-tags"}}]},"fragment":"
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Moving folders · Safety and verification

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Does moving a folder keep my files' dates, permissions and tags?

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Short answer: Moves between your Mac and the fast drive keep file contents, names, modification dates, permissions, Finder tags and other extended attributes. A few special attributes, such as Finder's Locked checkbox and custom access-control lists, aren't carried over today.

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Yes for what most people care about: file contents, names, modification dates, permissions, Finder tags and other extended attributes come across when a folder moves between your Mac and the fast drive. A few special attributes — for example Finder's "Locked" checkbox and custom access-control lists — aren't carried over today.

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Last-opened dates are best-effort, because macOS itself updates them whenever anything reads a file.

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Moving to a cloud account is different: what's kept depends on the service. Most keep the modified date; some keep more. Those limits come from the provider.

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If a file relies on being locked, check it after the move. See cloud moves.

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Last reviewed

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