{"id":"moving-folders.when-do-automatic-moves-run","url":"/faq/moving-folders/when-do-automatic-moves-run","category":{"id":"moving-folders","title":"Moving folders"},"subcategory":{"id":"rules","title":"Rules and Auto Rules"},"question":"When do automatic moves run?","alt_questions":["What time do rules run?","daily run hour storage studio","Do rules run while I'm working?","Change when automatic moves happen"],"short_answer":"Rules run on a daily schedule, shown in the popover, and only when Quiet Hours allows. In Smart mode Storage Studio holds off while you're active, on low battery or in a meeting. Run Rules Only runs them now.","answer_markdown":"Rules run on a daily schedule — the popover's meta row shows the run hour — and only when Quiet Hours allows. In **Smart** mode (recommended), Storage Studio holds off while you're actively using the Mac, when the battery is below the level you set, or when your camera or microphone is in use.\n\nYou can change the mode in **Settings → Quiet Hours**: **Scheduled** for a fixed daily window, **Smart**, or **Always on**. To run them now instead, use **Run Rules Only**.\n\nSee [settings](/faq/settings/) and [What does Run Rules Only do?](/faq/moving-folders/what-is-run-rules-only)","answer_html":"<p>Rules run on a daily schedule — the popover&#39;s meta row shows the run hour — and only when Quiet Hours allows. In <strong>Smart</strong> mode (recommended), Storage Studio holds off while you&#39;re actively using the Mac, when the battery is below the level you set, or when your camera or microphone is in use.</p>\n<p>You can change the mode in <strong>Settings → Quiet Hours</strong>: <strong>Scheduled</strong> for a fixed daily window, <strong>Smart</strong>, or <strong>Always on</strong>. To run them now instead, use <strong>Run Rules Only</strong>.</p>\n<p>See <a href=\"/faq/settings/\">settings</a> and <a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/what-is-run-rules-only\">What does Run Rules Only do?</a></p>","answer_text":"Rules run on a daily schedule — the popover's meta row shows the run hour — and only when Quiet Hours allows. In Smart mode (recommended), Storage Studio holds off while you're actively using the Mac, when the battery is below the level you set, or when your camera or microphone is in use.\n\nYou can change the mode in Settings → Quiet Hours: Scheduled for a fixed daily window, Smart, or Always on. To run them now instead, use Run Rules Only.\n\nSee settings and What does Run Rules Only do?","tags":["schedule","quiet hours","rules"],"related":[{"id":"moving-folders.what-is-run-rules-only","question":"What does Run Rules Only do?","url":"/faq/moving-folders/what-is-run-rules-only"},{"id":"moving-folders.how-do-i-pause-automatic-moves","question":"How do I pause automatic moves?","url":"/faq/moving-folders/how-do-i-pause-automatic-moves"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"When do automatic moves run? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Rules run on a daily schedule, shown in the popover, and only when Quiet Hours allows. In Smart mode Storage Studio holds off while you're active, on low battery or in a meeting. Run Rules Only runs them now.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Moving folders","path":"/faq/moving-folders/"},{"name":"When do automatic moves run?","path":"/faq/moving-folders/when-do-automatic-moves-run"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/when-do-automatic-moves-run","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"When do automatic moves run?","alternateName":["What time do rules run?","daily run hour storage studio","Do rules run while I'm working?","Change when automatic moves happen"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Rules run on a daily schedule — the popover's meta row shows the run hour — and only when Quiet Hours allows. In Smart mode (recommended), Storage Studio holds off while you're actively using the Mac, when the battery is below the level you set, or when your camera or microphone is in use.\n\nYou can change the mode in Settings → Quiet Hours: Scheduled for a fixed daily window, Smart, or Always on. To run them now instead, use Run Rules Only.\n\nSee settings and What does Run Rules Only do?","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/when-do-automatic-moves-run"}}]},"fragment":"<div class=\"wrap fl-wrap\"><div class=\"fl-layout\"><aside class=\"fl-side\" aria-label=\"FAQ topics\"><details open><summary>All topics</summary><ul class=\"fl-tree\"><li><a href=\"/faq/getting-started/\">Getting started</a> <span>70</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/freeing-space/\">Freeing up space</a> <span>182</span></li><li class=\"fl-open\"><a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/\" aria-current=\"true\">Moving folders</a> <span>144</span><ul><li><a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/#basics\">How moving folders works</a> <span>24</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/#data-parking\">Data Parking (the two-pane mover)</a> <span>37</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/#whats-using-space-moves\">Moving from What&#39;s Using Space</a> <span>3</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/#moving-back\">Moving folders back</a> <span>9</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/#safety-verification\">Safety and verification</a> <span>11</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/#folders-in-use\">Folders an app is using</a> <span>7</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/#drive-and-interruptions\">Drive disconnects and interrupted moves</a> <span>5</span></li><li class=\"fl-on\"><a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/#rules\">Rules and Auto Rules</a> <span>18</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/#specific-folders\">Moving specific folders</a> <span>14</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/#cloud-destinations\">Moving folders to a cloud account</a> <span>6</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/#messages-and-problems\">Messages and problems</a> <span>10</span></li></ul></li><li><a href=\"/faq/apps/\">Apps</a> <span>146</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/external-drives/\">External drives</a> <span>169</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/finder-location/\">Finding things in Finder</a> <span>70</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/cloud-accounts/\">Cloud accounts</a> <span>158</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/icloud/\">iCloud &amp; iCloud Photos</a> <span>168</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/data-transfers/\">Data Transfers</a> <span>119</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/\">Backups &amp; restore points</a> <span>126</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/delta-drive/\">Delta Drive, Delta Trust &amp; My Drive</a> <span>125</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/bridge-devices/\">Bridge &amp; your devices</a> <span>111</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/duplicates/\">Duplicate files</a> <span>74</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/junk-yard/\">Junk Yard</a> <span>113</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/tuhi-assistant/\">Tuhi, your storage assistant</a> <span>105</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/settings/\">Settings &amp; keep-time</a> <span>88</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/performance-battery/\">Performance &amp; battery</a> <span>62</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/privacy-safety/\">Privacy &amp; safety</a> <span>85</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/licensing-payments/\">Licensing &amp; payments</a> <span>131</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/troubleshooting/\">Troubleshooting &amp; messages</a> <span>180</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/comparisons/\">Comparisons &amp; alternatives</a> <span>75</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/mac-storage-basics/\">Mac storage basics</a> <span>315</span></li></ul></details></aside><div class=\"fl-main\"><nav class=\"fl-crumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\"><ol><li><a href=\"/\">Home</a></li><li><a href=\"/faq/\">FAQ</a></li><li><a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/\">Moving folders</a></li><li aria-current=\"page\">When do automatic moves run?</li></ol></nav>\n<form class=\"fl-search\" action=\"/faq/search\" method=\"get\" role=\"search\" data-fl-search>\n<label class=\"fl-visually-hidden\" for=\"fl-q\">Search the FAQ</label>\n<input id=\"fl-q\" type=\"search\" name=\"q\" value=\"\" placeholder=\"Search 2,816 questions…\" autocomplete=\"off\" spellcheck=\"false\">\n<button type=\"submit\">Search</button>\n<div class=\"fl-suggest\" role=\"listbox\" hidden></div>\n</form>\n<article class=\"fl-entry\">\n<p class=\"eyebrow fl-eyebrow\"><a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/\">Moving folders</a> · <a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/#rules\">Rules and Auto Rules</a></p>\n<h1>When do automatic moves run?</h1>\n<p class=\"fl-short\"><strong>Short answer:</strong> Rules run on a daily schedule, shown in the popover, and only when Quiet Hours allows. In Smart mode Storage Studio holds off while you&#39;re active, on low battery or in a meeting. Run Rules Only runs them now.</p>\n<div class=\"fl-answer\"><p>Rules run on a daily schedule — the popover&#39;s meta row shows the run hour — and only when Quiet Hours allows. In <strong>Smart</strong> mode (recommended), Storage Studio holds off while you&#39;re actively using the Mac, when the battery is below the level you set, or when your camera or microphone is in use.</p>\n<p>You can change the mode in <strong>Settings → Quiet Hours</strong>: <strong>Scheduled</strong> for a fixed daily window, <strong>Smart</strong>, or <strong>Always on</strong>. To run them now instead, use <strong>Run Rules Only</strong>.</p>\n<p>See <a href=\"/faq/settings/\">settings</a> and <a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/what-is-run-rules-only\">What does Run Rules Only do?</a></p></div>\n\n<p class=\"fl-meta\">Last reviewed <time datetime=\"2026-10-01\">October 1, 2026</time></p>\n\n<section class=\"fl-related\"><h2>Related questions</h2><ul><li><a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/what-is-run-rules-only\">What does Run Rules Only do?</a></li><li><a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/how-do-i-pause-automatic-moves\">How do I pause automatic moves?</a></li></ul></section>\n<p class=\"fl-formats\">Also available as <a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/when-do-automatic-moves-run.md\">Markdown</a> and <a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/when-do-automatic-moves-run.json\">JSON</a>.</p>\n</article></div></div></div>"}