{"id":"performance-battery.does-storage-studio-run-faster-when-plugged-in","url":"/faq/performance-battery/does-storage-studio-run-faster-when-plugged-in","category":{"id":"performance-battery","title":"Performance & battery"},"subcategory":{"id":"battery-power","title":"Battery, power and Low Power Mode"},"question":"Does Storage Studio do more when my Mac is plugged in?","alt_questions":["Why does Storage Studio finish faster on mains power?","Does Storage Studio wait for the charger?","storage studio on AC power vs battery","Why didn't the scan run until I plugged in?","Waiting until you're on power — what does it mean?"],"short_answer":"Yes. Plugged in, Storage Studio allows itself a bigger background budget and runs heavier jobs such as full duplicate scans of this Mac; on battery it scales back and leaves those jobs waiting for power.","answer_markdown":"Yes. On mains power Storage Studio gives itself a bigger background budget and allows the jobs that genuinely compete with you for the disk — such as a full duplicate scan of this Mac — to run. On battery it scales its work down and leaves those jobs waiting.\n\nThat's why you may see messages like **\"Waiting until you're on power.\"** in the Duplicates window. Backup sets can also be told to run only on power — they'll show **\"Waiting for power — you asked for backups to run only when plugged in.\"**\n\nNothing is lost by waiting; the work happens the next time you're plugged in and not busy. See [why duplicate scanning is waiting](/faq/duplicates/why-does-the-duplicate-scan-say-waiting).","answer_html":"

Yes. On mains power Storage Studio gives itself a bigger background budget and allows the jobs that genuinely compete with you for the disk — such as a full duplicate scan of this Mac — to run. On battery it scales its work down and leaves those jobs waiting.

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That's why you may see messages like "Waiting until you're on power." in the Duplicates window. Backup sets can also be told to run only on power — they'll show "Waiting for power — you asked for backups to run only when plugged in."

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Nothing is lost by waiting; the work happens the next time you're plugged in and not busy. See why duplicate scanning is waiting.

","answer_text":"Yes. On mains power Storage Studio gives itself a bigger background budget and allows the jobs that genuinely compete with you for the disk — such as a full duplicate scan of this Mac — to run. On battery it scales its work down and leaves those jobs waiting.\n\nThat's why you may see messages like \"Waiting until you're on power.\" in the Duplicates window. Backup sets can also be told to run only on power — they'll show \"Waiting for power — you asked for backups to run only when plugged in.\"\n\nNothing is lost by waiting; the work happens the next time you're plugged in and not busy. See why duplicate scanning is waiting.","tags":["power","battery","background work"],"related":[{"id":"duplicates.why-does-the-duplicate-scan-say-waiting","question":"Why does the duplicate scan say \"Waiting\" and never seem to run?","url":"/faq/duplicates/why-does-the-duplicate-scan-say-waiting"},{"id":"performance-battery.should-i-plug-in-before-a-big-move-or-first-backup","question":"Should I plug in my MacBook before a big move or a first backup?","url":"/faq/performance-battery/should-i-plug-in-before-a-big-move-or-first-backup"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Does Storage Studio do more when my Mac is plugged in? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Yes. Plugged in, Storage Studio allows itself a bigger background budget and runs heavier jobs such as full duplicate scans of this Mac; on battery it scales back and leaves those jobs waiting for power.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Performance & battery","path":"/faq/performance-battery/"},{"name":"Does Storage Studio do more when my Mac is plugged in?","path":"/faq/performance-battery/does-storage-studio-run-faster-when-plugged-in"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/performance-battery/does-storage-studio-run-faster-when-plugged-in","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Does Storage Studio do more when my Mac is plugged in?","alternateName":["Why does Storage Studio finish faster on mains power?","Does Storage Studio wait for the charger?","storage studio on AC power vs battery","Why didn't the scan run until I plugged in?","Waiting until you're on power — what does it mean?"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. On mains power Storage Studio gives itself a bigger background budget and allows the jobs that genuinely compete with you for the disk — such as a full duplicate scan of this Mac — to run. On battery it scales its work down and leaves those jobs waiting.\n\nThat's why you may see messages like \"Waiting until you're on power.\" in the Duplicates window. Backup sets can also be told to run only on power — they'll show \"Waiting for power — you asked for backups to run only when plugged in.\"\n\nNothing is lost by waiting; the work happens the next time you're plugged in and not busy. See why duplicate scanning is waiting.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/performance-battery/does-storage-studio-run-faster-when-plugged-in"}}]},"fragment":"
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Performance & battery · Battery, power and Low Power Mode

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Does Storage Studio do more when my Mac is plugged in?

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Short answer: Yes. Plugged in, Storage Studio allows itself a bigger background budget and runs heavier jobs such as full duplicate scans of this Mac; on battery it scales back and leaves those jobs waiting for power.

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Yes. On mains power Storage Studio gives itself a bigger background budget and allows the jobs that genuinely compete with you for the disk — such as a full duplicate scan of this Mac — to run. On battery it scales its work down and leaves those jobs waiting.

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That's why you may see messages like "Waiting until you're on power." in the Duplicates window. Backup sets can also be told to run only on power — they'll show "Waiting for power — you asked for backups to run only when plugged in."

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Nothing is lost by waiting; the work happens the next time you're plugged in and not busy. See why duplicate scanning is waiting.

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Last reviewed

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Related questions

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