{"id":"moving-folders.what-are-move-rules","url":"/faq/moving-folders/what-are-move-rules","category":{"id":"moving-folders","title":"Moving folders"},"subcategory":{"id":"rules","title":"Rules and Auto Rules"},"question":"What are move rules in Storage Studio?","alt_questions":["How do automatic moves work?","What are Automatic Moves?","Set up an auto-move rule","storage studio rules explained","Can Storage Studio move old files automatically?"],"short_answer":"Move rules move matching files to your fast drive on a schedule, leaving a link so everything still opens. Each rule names a place and an age threshold; you can preview, edit and pause them in Settings → Rules.","answer_markdown":"Move rules tell Storage Studio to move matching files to your fast drive on a schedule, leaving a link behind so everything still opens. Each rule names a place and how old something must be before it's moved.\n\nRules run quietly in the background and hold off while you're busy (see Quiet Hours). You can preview what they'd do, edit their ages, pause them, and see the results in Background Activity.\n\nThere are two kinds: **Default & Manual Rules** — a baseline for every Mac plus any you add yourself — and **Auto Rules**, which Storage Studio builds to fit your Mac. Edit them in **Settings → Rules**.\n\nSee [Auto Rules](/faq/moving-folders/what-are-auto-rules) and [Rules](/manual/auto-rules).","answer_html":"

Move rules tell Storage Studio to move matching files to your fast drive on a schedule, leaving a link behind so everything still opens. Each rule names a place and how old something must be before it's moved.

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Rules run quietly in the background and hold off while you're busy (see Quiet Hours). You can preview what they'd do, edit their ages, pause them, and see the results in Background Activity.

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There are two kinds: Default & Manual Rules — a baseline for every Mac plus any you add yourself — and Auto Rules, which Storage Studio builds to fit your Mac. Edit them in Settings → Rules.

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See Auto Rules and Rules.

","answer_text":"Move rules tell Storage Studio to move matching files to your fast drive on a schedule, leaving a link behind so everything still opens. Each rule names a place and how old something must be before it's moved.\n\nRules run quietly in the background and hold off while you're busy (see Quiet Hours). You can preview what they'd do, edit their ages, pause them, and see the results in Background Activity.\n\nThere are two kinds: Default & Manual Rules — a baseline for every Mac plus any you add yourself — and Auto Rules, which Storage Studio builds to fit your Mac. Edit them in Settings → Rules.\n\nSee Auto Rules and Rules.","tags":["rules","automatic moves","schedule"],"related":[{"id":"moving-folders.what-are-auto-rules","question":"What are Auto Rules?","url":"/faq/moving-folders/what-are-auto-rules"},{"id":"moving-folders.how-do-i-preview-what-rules-will-move","question":"How do I preview what my rules will move before they run?","url":"/faq/moving-folders/how-do-i-preview-what-rules-will-move"},{"id":"moving-folders.how-do-i-change-how-old-files-must-be-before-moving","question":"How do I change how old files must be before a rule moves them?","url":"/faq/moving-folders/how-do-i-change-how-old-files-must-be-before-moving"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"What are move rules in Storage Studio? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Move rules move matching files to your fast drive on a schedule, leaving a link so everything still opens. Each rule names a place and an age threshold; you can preview, edit and pause them in Settings → Rules.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Moving folders","path":"/faq/moving-folders/"},{"name":"What are move rules in Storage Studio?","path":"/faq/moving-folders/what-are-move-rules"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/what-are-move-rules","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What are move rules in Storage Studio?","alternateName":["How do automatic moves work?","What are Automatic Moves?","Set up an auto-move rule","storage studio rules explained","Can Storage Studio move old files automatically?"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Move rules tell Storage Studio to move matching files to your fast drive on a schedule, leaving a link behind so everything still opens. Each rule names a place and how old something must be before it's moved.\n\nRules run quietly in the background and hold off while you're busy (see Quiet Hours). You can preview what they'd do, edit their ages, pause them, and see the results in Background Activity.\n\nThere are two kinds: Default & Manual Rules — a baseline for every Mac plus any you add yourself — and Auto Rules, which Storage Studio builds to fit your Mac. Edit them in Settings → Rules.\n\nSee Auto Rules and Rules.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/what-are-move-rules"}}]},"fragment":"
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Moving folders · Rules and Auto Rules

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What are move rules in Storage Studio?

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Short answer: Move rules move matching files to your fast drive on a schedule, leaving a link so everything still opens. Each rule names a place and an age threshold; you can preview, edit and pause them in Settings → Rules.

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Move rules tell Storage Studio to move matching files to your fast drive on a schedule, leaving a link behind so everything still opens. Each rule names a place and how old something must be before it's moved.

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Rules run quietly in the background and hold off while you're busy (see Quiet Hours). You can preview what they'd do, edit their ages, pause them, and see the results in Background Activity.

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There are two kinds: Default & Manual Rules — a baseline for every Mac plus any you add yourself — and Auto Rules, which Storage Studio builds to fit your Mac. Edit them in Settings → Rules.

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See Auto Rules and Rules.

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