Install & first launch

Storage Studio is a single .app bundle distributed as a notarised universal DMG. There is no installer wizard, no kernel extension, and no background daemon you can't stop.

1. Download the DMG

Grab the latest universal build from storagestudio.techtonic.systems/download/latest.dmg.

The download is roughly 40 MB. It contains a single application bundle, signed and notarised by Apple. Your browser may flag the download briefly while Gatekeeper verifies the signature — that's expected.

2. Drag to /Applications

Open the DMG. Drag Storage Studio.app into the /Applications shortcut shown alongside it. Eject the DMG once the copy completes.

There is no admin password prompt at this stage. You can keep the app in ~/Applications instead if your environment doesn't allow writing to /Applications — both work.

3. Grant Full Disk Access

The first time you launch Storage Studio, macOS will ask for Full Disk Access. This is required so the app can:

• See files outside the Documents folder (otherwise it cannot tier

anything useful)

• Move applications between drives
• Read SMART data from external NVMe drives

Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Full Disk Access, flip the switch next to Storage Studio, then return to the app. The app will detect the new permission on next launch.

4. Run the setup wizard

The four-step wizard:

1. Detect drives. Lists every connected volume and lets you pick

your external NVMe (or any second volume).

1. Pair folders. Pick a folder on your internal SSD and a matching

one on the external drive.

1. Probe rsync. Verifies that GNU rsync 3.x is installed. If

only Apple's bundled rsync is present, the wizard offers a one-line Homebrew command.

1. Dry-run preview. Shows exactly what the first sync would do

before doing it. Confirm to start your 7-day free trial.

If anything fails, the wizard explains what's missing and offers a single retry rather than burying the error in logs.