{"id":"moving-folders.how-do-i-get-moved-files-back-without-storage-studio","url":"/faq/moving-folders/how-do-i-get-moved-files-back-without-storage-studio","category":{"id":"moving-folders","title":"Moving folders"},"subcategory":{"id":"moving-back","title":"Moving folders back"},"question":"How do I get moved files back if Storage Studio is no longer installed?","alt_questions":["Restore moved files manually","Copy files back from the fast drive by hand","I uninstalled Storage Studio and need my files back","move back without the app"],"short_answer":"Moved files are ordinary files in your Mac's folder on the drive. Reinstalling and using Move back is easiest; by hand, delete the small links at the original place, copy the folder back from the drive, and check it before removing the drive's copy.","answer_markdown":"Your files are never locked away: they're ordinary files in your Mac's folder on the fast drive. The easiest route is to reinstall Storage Studio and use the one-click move back, which knows where everything came from.\n\nTo do it by hand in Finder:\n\n1. Connect the drive and open Storage Studio's folder for your Mac on it.\n2. Find the folder you want back.\n3. On your Mac, delete the links at the original place (they're tiny — not your data).\n4. Copy the folder from the drive to the original place, and check it opens before deleting the drive's copy.\n\nIf you're still installed but planning to uninstall, the uninstall wizard's **Revert relocated folders** option does this for you. See [Can I undo a folder move?](/faq/moving-folders/can-i-undo-a-folder-move)","answer_html":"

Your files are never locked away: they're ordinary files in your Mac's folder on the fast drive. The easiest route is to reinstall Storage Studio and use the one-click move back, which knows where everything came from.

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To do it by hand in Finder:

\n
  1. Connect the drive and open Storage Studio's folder for your Mac on it.
  2. Find the folder you want back.
  3. On your Mac, delete the links at the original place (they're tiny — not your data).
  4. Copy the folder from the drive to the original place, and check it opens before deleting the drive's copy.
\n

If you're still installed but planning to uninstall, the uninstall wizard's Revert relocated folders option does this for you. See Can I undo a folder move?

","answer_text":"Your files are never locked away: they're ordinary files in your Mac's folder on the fast drive. The easiest route is to reinstall Storage Studio and use the one-click move back, which knows where everything came from.\n\nTo do it by hand in Finder:\n\n1. Connect the drive and open Storage Studio's folder for your Mac on it.\n2. Find the folder you want back.\n3. On your Mac, delete the links at the original place (they're tiny — not your data).\n4. Copy the folder from the drive to the original place, and check it opens before deleting the drive's copy.\n\nIf you're still installed but planning to uninstall, the uninstall wizard's Revert relocated folders option does this for you. See Can I undo a folder move?","tags":["move back","uninstall","manual"],"related":[{"id":"moving-folders.can-i-undo-a-folder-move","question":"Can I undo a folder move?","url":"/faq/moving-folders/can-i-undo-a-folder-move"},{"id":"moving-folders.do-i-need-storage-studio-running-for-moved-folders-to-work","question":"Do moved folders still work if Storage Studio isn't running?","url":"/faq/moving-folders/do-i-need-storage-studio-running-for-moved-folders-to-work"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"How do I get moved files back if Storage Studio is no longer installed? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Moved files are ordinary files in your Mac's folder on the drive. Reinstalling and using Move back is easiest; by hand, delete the small links at the original place, copy the folder back from the drive, and check it before removing the drive's copy.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Moving folders","path":"/faq/moving-folders/"},{"name":"How do I get moved files back if Storage Studio is no longer installed?","path":"/faq/moving-folders/how-do-i-get-moved-files-back-without-storage-studio"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/how-do-i-get-moved-files-back-without-storage-studio","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"How do I get moved files back if Storage Studio is no longer installed?","alternateName":["Restore moved files manually","Copy files back from the fast drive by hand","I uninstalled Storage Studio and need my files back","move back without the app"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Your files are never locked away: they're ordinary files in your Mac's folder on the fast drive. The easiest route is to reinstall Storage Studio and use the one-click move back, which knows where everything came from.\n\nTo do it by hand in Finder:\n\n1. Connect the drive and open Storage Studio's folder for your Mac on it.\n2. Find the folder you want back.\n3. On your Mac, delete the links at the original place (they're tiny — not your data).\n4. Copy the folder from the drive to the original place, and check it opens before deleting the drive's copy.\n\nIf you're still installed but planning to uninstall, the uninstall wizard's Revert relocated folders option does this for you. See Can I undo a folder move?","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/how-do-i-get-moved-files-back-without-storage-studio"}}]},"fragment":"
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Moving folders · Moving folders back

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How do I get moved files back if Storage Studio is no longer installed?

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Short answer: Moved files are ordinary files in your Mac's folder on the drive. Reinstalling and using Move back is easiest; by hand, delete the small links at the original place, copy the folder back from the drive, and check it before removing the drive's copy.

\n

Your files are never locked away: they're ordinary files in your Mac's folder on the fast drive. The easiest route is to reinstall Storage Studio and use the one-click move back, which knows where everything came from.

\n

To do it by hand in Finder:

\n
  1. Connect the drive and open Storage Studio's folder for your Mac on it.
  2. Find the folder you want back.
  3. On your Mac, delete the links at the original place (they're tiny — not your data).
  4. Copy the folder from the drive to the original place, and check it opens before deleting the drive's copy.
\n

If you're still installed but planning to uninstall, the uninstall wizard's Revert relocated folders option does this for you. See Can I undo a folder move?

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