How do I make Auto Rules suggest only and never apply anything on their own?

Q: How do I make Auto Rules suggest only and never apply anything on their own?

In the Auto Rules window, turn on "Suggest only — never apply automatically". Storage Studio will then propose everything, including the safest caches, and wait for your approval. You can also Pause / Resume the background optimisation any time. It only runs while your Mac is idle anyway, and pausing it doesn't remove rules you've already approved. To stop all automatic actions — not just Auto Rules — use Pause in the menu bar popover. See How do I pause automatic moves?

Short answer: Turn on "Suggest only — never apply automatically" in the Auto Rules window, and everything waits for your approval. You can also Pause or Resume the background optimisation any time; Pause in the popover stops all automatic actions.

In the Auto Rules window, turn on "Suggest only — never apply automatically". Storage Studio will then propose everything, including the safest caches, and wait for your approval.

You can also Pause / Resume the background optimisation any time. It only runs while your Mac is idle anyway, and pausing it doesn't remove rules you've already approved.

To stop all automatic actions — not just Auto Rules — use Pause in the menu bar popover.

See How do I pause automatic moves?

Last reviewed October 1, 2026

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How do I make Auto Rules suggest only and never apply anything on their own?

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