{"id":"moving-folders.what-should-i-not-move-to-an-external-drive","url":"/faq/moving-folders/what-should-i-not-move-to-an-external-drive","category":{"id":"moving-folders","title":"Moving folders"},"subcategory":{"id":"basics","title":"How moving folders works"},"question":"What should I not move to an external drive?","alt_questions":["Which folders should stay on my Mac?","What is unsafe to relocate?","Can moving the wrong folder break my Mac?","folders you should never move off the startup disk","What shouldn't I put on the fast drive?"],"short_answer":"Keep on your Mac anything you need with the drive unplugged, folders an app is still writing to, browser profiles and app data holding sign-ins, and macOS system folders. What's Using Space only offers a move where it's safe.","answer_markdown":"Keep anything you need when the drive is unplugged, anything an app is writing to right now, and folders that hold an app's sign-ins and settings. Moved files are only reachable while the drive is connected.\n\nIn practice that means:\n\n- **Work you need on the go** if you often travel without the drive.\n- **Folders in active use** — a project mid-build or a folder a sync app is still writing to. Storage Studio checks for recent writes and holds the move.\n- **Browser profiles and app data with sign-ins** — Storage Studio leaves these alone because moving them would sign you out and break when the drive is away.\n- **macOS system folders** — Storage Studio doesn't offer to move them.\n\nWhen in doubt, use **What's Using Space**: it only offers **Move to fast drive** on folders it can move safely.\n\nSee [what happens when the drive is unplugged](/faq/external-drives/)","answer_html":"

Keep anything you need when the drive is unplugged, anything an app is writing to right now, and folders that hold an app's sign-ins and settings. Moved files are only reachable while the drive is connected.

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In practice that means:

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When in doubt, use What's Using Space: it only offers Move to fast drive on folders it can move safely.

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See what happens when the drive is unplugged

","answer_text":"Keep anything you need when the drive is unplugged, anything an app is writing to right now, and folders that hold an app's sign-ins and settings. Moved files are only reachable while the drive is connected.\n\nIn practice that means:\n\n- Work you need on the go if you often travel without the drive.\n- Folders in active use — a project mid-build or a folder a sync app is still writing to. Storage Studio checks for recent writes and holds the move.\n- Browser profiles and app data with sign-ins — Storage Studio leaves these alone because moving them would sign you out and break when the drive is away.\n- macOS system folders — Storage Studio doesn't offer to move them.\n\nWhen in doubt, use What's Using Space: it only offers Move to fast drive on folders it can move safely.\n\nSee what happens when the drive is unplugged","tags":["moving folders","safety","what to move"],"related":[{"id":"moving-folders.which-folders-are-worth-moving-to-an-external-drive","question":"Which folders are worth moving to an external drive?","url":"/faq/moving-folders/which-folders-are-worth-moving-to-an-external-drive"},{"id":"moving-folders.why-wont-storage-studio-move-my-browser-folder","question":"Why won't Storage Studio move my browser's folder?","url":"/faq/moving-folders/why-wont-storage-studio-move-my-browser-folder"},{"id":"moving-folders.why-was-my-move-blocked-for-recent-writes","question":"Why was my move blocked because of recent writes?","url":"/faq/moving-folders/why-was-my-move-blocked-for-recent-writes"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"What should I not move to an external drive? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Keep on your Mac anything you need with the drive unplugged, folders an app is still writing to, browser profiles and app data holding sign-ins, and macOS system folders. What's Using Space only offers a move where it's safe.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Moving folders","path":"/faq/moving-folders/"},{"name":"What should I not move to an external drive?","path":"/faq/moving-folders/what-should-i-not-move-to-an-external-drive"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/what-should-i-not-move-to-an-external-drive","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What should I not move to an external drive?","alternateName":["Which folders should stay on my Mac?","What is unsafe to relocate?","Can moving the wrong folder break my Mac?","folders you should never move off the startup disk","What shouldn't I put on the fast drive?"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Keep anything you need when the drive is unplugged, anything an app is writing to right now, and folders that hold an app's sign-ins and settings. Moved files are only reachable while the drive is connected.\n\nIn practice that means:\n\n- Work you need on the go if you often travel without the drive.\n- Folders in active use — a project mid-build or a folder a sync app is still writing to. Storage Studio checks for recent writes and holds the move.\n- Browser profiles and app data with sign-ins — Storage Studio leaves these alone because moving them would sign you out and break when the drive is away.\n- macOS system folders — Storage Studio doesn't offer to move them.\n\nWhen in doubt, use What's Using Space: it only offers Move to fast drive on folders it can move safely.\n\nSee what happens when the drive is unplugged","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/what-should-i-not-move-to-an-external-drive"}}]},"fragment":"
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Moving folders · How moving folders works

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What should I not move to an external drive?

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Short answer: Keep on your Mac anything you need with the drive unplugged, folders an app is still writing to, browser profiles and app data holding sign-ins, and macOS system folders. What's Using Space only offers a move where it's safe.

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Keep anything you need when the drive is unplugged, anything an app is writing to right now, and folders that hold an app's sign-ins and settings. Moved files are only reachable while the drive is connected.

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In practice that means:

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  • Work you need on the go if you often travel without the drive.
  • Folders in active use — a project mid-build or a folder a sync app is still writing to. Storage Studio checks for recent writes and holds the move.
  • Browser profiles and app data with sign-ins — Storage Studio leaves these alone because moving them would sign you out and break when the drive is away.
  • macOS system folders — Storage Studio doesn't offer to move them.
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When in doubt, use What's Using Space: it only offers Move to fast drive on folders it can move safely.

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See what happens when the drive is unplugged

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Last reviewed

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Related questions

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Also available as Markdown and JSON.

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