{"id":"settings.what-can-i-change-in-recycle-vault-settings","url":"/faq/settings/what-can-i-change-in-recycle-vault-settings","category":{"id":"settings","title":"Settings & keep-time"},"subcategory":{"id":"keep-time","title":"Keep-time and retention"},"question":"What can I change in the Recycle Vault settings?","alt_questions":["Recycle Vault settings","Change recycle vault size limit","storage studio vault versions setting","How much of my drive can the Recycle Vault use?"],"short_answer":"In the Recycle Vault's settings you can set how much it may hold on your Mac while the drive is away (5 GB default), versions kept per file (5 default) and its share of the external drive (20% default).","answer_markdown":"Open the Recycle Vault and click its settings button. You can change three limits:\n\n- **Hold up to … GB on this Mac when the drive is away** — 5 GB by default, from 1 to 200 GB.\n- **Keep up to … versions of each file** — 5 by default, from 1 to 50.\n- **Use at most …% of the external drive** — 20% by default, from 5% to 80%.\n\nThe same sheet has a **Where it's kept** section explaining where your removed files are. Recoverable items are kept for about 6 months whatever you choose.","answer_html":"

Open the Recycle Vault and click its settings button. You can change three limits:

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The same sheet has a Where it's kept section explaining where your removed files are. Recoverable items are kept for about 6 months whatever you choose.

","answer_text":"Open the Recycle Vault and click its settings button. You can change three limits:\n\n- Hold up to … GB on this Mac when the drive is away — 5 GB by default, from 1 to 200 GB.\n- Keep up to … versions of each file — 5 by default, from 1 to 50.\n- Use at most …% of the external drive — 20% by default, from 5% to 80%.\n\nThe same sheet has a Where it's kept section explaining where your removed files are. Recoverable items are kept for about 6 months whatever you choose.","tags":["recycle vault","settings","limits"],"related":[{"id":"freeing-space.how-long-does-the-recycle-vault-keep-files","question":"How long does the Recycle Vault keep removed files?","url":"/faq/freeing-space/how-long-does-the-recycle-vault-keep-files"},{"id":"settings.why-does-the-recycle-vault-have-an-on-mac-limit","question":"Why does the Recycle Vault have a size limit on my Mac?","url":"/faq/settings/why-does-the-recycle-vault-have-an-on-mac-limit"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"What can I change in the Recycle Vault settings? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"In the Recycle Vault's settings you can set how much it may hold on your Mac while the drive is away (5 GB default), versions kept per file (5 default) and its share of the external drive (20% default).","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Settings & keep-time","path":"/faq/settings/"},{"name":"What can I change in the Recycle Vault settings?","path":"/faq/settings/what-can-i-change-in-recycle-vault-settings"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/settings/what-can-i-change-in-recycle-vault-settings","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What can I change in the Recycle Vault settings?","alternateName":["Recycle Vault settings","Change recycle vault size limit","storage studio vault versions setting","How much of my drive can the Recycle Vault use?"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Open the Recycle Vault and click its settings button. You can change three limits:\n\n- Hold up to … GB on this Mac when the drive is away — 5 GB by default, from 1 to 200 GB.\n- Keep up to … versions of each file — 5 by default, from 1 to 50.\n- Use at most …% of the external drive — 20% by default, from 5% to 80%.\n\nThe same sheet has a Where it's kept section explaining where your removed files are. Recoverable items are kept for about 6 months whatever you choose.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/settings/what-can-i-change-in-recycle-vault-settings"}}]},"fragment":"
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Settings & keep-time · Keep-time and retention

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What can I change in the Recycle Vault settings?

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Short answer: In the Recycle Vault's settings you can set how much it may hold on your Mac while the drive is away (5 GB default), versions kept per file (5 default) and its share of the external drive (20% default).

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Open the Recycle Vault and click its settings button. You can change three limits:

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  • Hold up to … GB on this Mac when the drive is away — 5 GB by default, from 1 to 200 GB.
  • Keep up to … versions of each file — 5 by default, from 1 to 50.
  • Use at most …% of the external drive — 20% by default, from 5% to 80%.
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The same sheet has a Where it's kept section explaining where your removed files are. Recoverable items are kept for about 6 months whatever you choose.

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Last reviewed

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Related questions

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