{"id":"troubleshooting.cant-determine-how-app-is-updated","url":"/faq/troubleshooting/cant-determine-how-app-is-updated","category":{"id":"troubleshooting","title":"Troubleshooting & messages"},"subcategory":{"id":"apps-messages","title":"Moving, offloading and restoring apps"},"question":"What does \"Storage Studio couldn't determine how this app is updated\" mean?","alt_questions":["storage studio couldn't determine how this app is updated relocate with caution","we couldn't tell whether this app has an update waiting","app update method unknown move","is it safe to move app unknown updater"],"short_answer":"Storage Studio couldn't tell how this app updates, so it can't promise updates will work after a move. You can still move it — if an update fails, move it back, update, and move again.","answer_markdown":"Before moving an app, Storage Studio looks at how it updates itself — through the App Store, its own updater, or an installer — because some update methods don't follow an app to an external drive. For this app it couldn't tell, so it can't promise updates will keep working after the move.\n\nYou can still move it. If the app later fails to update, move it back, update it, then move it again. See [moving apps](/faq/apps/).","answer_html":"

Before moving an app, Storage Studio looks at how it updates itself — through the App Store, its own updater, or an installer — because some update methods don't follow an app to an external drive. For this app it couldn't tell, so it can't promise updates will keep working after the move.

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You can still move it. If the app later fails to update, move it back, update it, then move it again. See moving apps.

","answer_text":"Before moving an app, Storage Studio looks at how it updates itself — through the App Store, its own updater, or an installer — because some update methods don't follow an app to an external drive. For this app it couldn't tell, so it can't promise updates will keep working after the move.\n\nYou can still move it. If the app later fails to update, move it back, update it, then move it again. See moving apps.","tags":["apps","updates"],"related":[{"id":"troubleshooting.app-installed-by-macos-password-cancelled","question":"What happens if I cancel the password prompt when moving an app installed by macOS?","url":"/faq/troubleshooting/app-installed-by-macos-password-cancelled"},{"id":"troubleshooting.app-has-update-waiting","question":"Why does Storage Studio say an app has an update waiting to be installed?","url":"/faq/troubleshooting/app-has-update-waiting"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"What does \"Storage Studio couldn't determine how this app is updated\" mean? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Storage Studio couldn't tell how this app updates, so it can't promise updates will work after a move. You can still move it — if an update fails, move it back, update, and move again.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Troubleshooting & messages","path":"/faq/troubleshooting/"},{"name":"What does \"Storage Studio couldn't determine how this app is updated\" mean?","path":"/faq/troubleshooting/cant-determine-how-app-is-updated"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/troubleshooting/cant-determine-how-app-is-updated","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What does \"Storage Studio couldn't determine how this app is updated\" mean?","alternateName":["storage studio couldn't determine how this app is updated relocate with caution","we couldn't tell whether this app has an update waiting","app update method unknown move","is it safe to move app unknown updater"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Before moving an app, Storage Studio looks at how it updates itself — through the App Store, its own updater, or an installer — because some update methods don't follow an app to an external drive. For this app it couldn't tell, so it can't promise updates will keep working after the move.\n\nYou can still move it. If the app later fails to update, move it back, update it, then move it again. See moving apps.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/troubleshooting/cant-determine-how-app-is-updated"}}]},"fragment":"
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Troubleshooting & messages · Moving, offloading and restoring apps

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What does "Storage Studio couldn't determine how this app is updated" mean?

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Short answer: Storage Studio couldn't tell how this app updates, so it can't promise updates will work after a move. You can still move it — if an update fails, move it back, update, and move again.

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Before moving an app, Storage Studio looks at how it updates itself — through the App Store, its own updater, or an installer — because some update methods don't follow an app to an external drive. For this app it couldn't tell, so it can't promise updates will keep working after the move.

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You can still move it. If the app later fails to update, move it back, update it, then move it again. See moving apps.

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