{"id":"troubleshooting.dry-run-shows-files-i-dont-want-moved","url":"/faq/troubleshooting/dry-run-shows-files-i-dont-want-moved","category":{"id":"troubleshooting","title":"Troubleshooting & messages"},"subcategory":{"id":"permissions","title":"Permissions and Full Disk Access"},"question":"The rule preview shows files I don't want moved — what should I change?","alt_questions":["dry run shows files i don't want moved","rule preview wrong files","stop a rule moving certain files","adjust rule age storage studio","The Dry Run shows files I don't want moved — what do I do?","Stop a rule moving a certain folder","Rule is too aggressive","Exclude files from a rule","preview shows wrong files","Change a rule so it moves less"],"short_answer":"Edit the rule in Settings → Rules — raise the age, narrow the folder, or turn it off — and preview again. The preview never moves anything.","answer_markdown":"Open **Settings → Rules** and adjust the rule: raise how old a file must be before it qualifies, point it at a narrower folder, or turn the rule off. Then run the preview again to confirm. Changes take effect right away, and the preview never moves anything itself.\n\nRules also skip files you've opened recently, even if they're old, so a file you still use isn't relocated.","answer_html":"

Open Settings → Rules and adjust the rule: raise how old a file must be before it qualifies, point it at a narrower folder, or turn the rule off. Then run the preview again to confirm. Changes take effect right away, and the preview never moves anything itself.

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Rules also skip files you've opened recently, even if they're old, so a file you still use isn't relocated.

","answer_text":"Open Settings → Rules and adjust the rule: raise how old a file must be before it qualifies, point it at a narrower folder, or turn the rule off. Then run the preview again to confirm. Changes take effect right away, and the preview never moves anything itself.\n\nRules also skip files you've opened recently, even if they're old, so a file you still use isn't relocated.","tags":["rules","preview","dry run","edit rules"],"related":[{"id":"troubleshooting.automatic-actions-are-paused","question":"What does \"Automatic actions are paused\" mean?","url":"/faq/troubleshooting/automatic-actions-are-paused"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"The rule preview shows files I don't want moved — what should I change? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Edit the rule in Settings → Rules — raise the age, narrow the folder, or turn it off — and preview again. The preview never moves anything.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Troubleshooting & messages","path":"/faq/troubleshooting/"},{"name":"The rule preview shows files I don't want moved — what should I change?","path":"/faq/troubleshooting/dry-run-shows-files-i-dont-want-moved"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/troubleshooting/dry-run-shows-files-i-dont-want-moved","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"The rule preview shows files I don't want moved — what should I change?","alternateName":["dry run shows files i don't want moved","rule preview wrong files","stop a rule moving certain files","adjust rule age storage studio","The Dry Run shows files I don't want moved — what do I do?","Stop a rule moving a certain folder","Rule is too aggressive","Exclude files from a rule","preview shows wrong files","Change a rule so it moves less"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Open Settings → Rules and adjust the rule: raise how old a file must be before it qualifies, point it at a narrower folder, or turn the rule off. Then run the preview again to confirm. Changes take effect right away, and the preview never moves anything itself.\n\nRules also skip files you've opened recently, even if they're old, so a file you still use isn't relocated.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/troubleshooting/dry-run-shows-files-i-dont-want-moved"}}]},"fragment":"
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Troubleshooting & messages · Permissions and Full Disk Access

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The rule preview shows files I don't want moved — what should I change?

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Short answer: Edit the rule in Settings → Rules — raise the age, narrow the folder, or turn it off — and preview again. The preview never moves anything.

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Open Settings → Rules and adjust the rule: raise how old a file must be before it qualifies, point it at a narrower folder, or turn the rule off. Then run the preview again to confirm. Changes take effect right away, and the preview never moves anything itself.

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Rules also skip files you've opened recently, even if they're old, so a file you still use isn't relocated.

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