{
  "schema": "https://storagestudio.us/schema/wiki-page.v1",
  "title": "App safety levels",
  "slug": "app-safety-levels",
  "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/app-safety-levels",
  "markdown_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/app-safety-levels.md",
  "category": "Apps",
  "category_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/apps/",
  "tags": [
    "apps",
    "safety",
    "glossary"
  ],
  "summary": "Every app on the Internal tab gets one of four safety badges, Safe, Caveat, Override or Blocked, which decide whether it can be moved and whether you must confirm a known risk first.",
  "published_at": "2026-10-01T05:53:20.000Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-01T05:31:25.000Z",
  "headings": [
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "The four badges",
      "id": "the-four-badges"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "What leads to each badge",
      "id": "what-leads-to-each-badge"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "What the badge doesn't decide",
      "id": "what-the-badge-doesn-t-decide"
    }
  ],
  "links_out": [
    {
      "slug": "the-apps-window",
      "label": "Apps window",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/the-apps-window"
    },
    {
      "slug": "offloading-an-app",
      "label": "Offloading and restoring an app",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/offloading-an-app"
    },
    {
      "slug": "uninstalling-an-app",
      "label": "Uninstalling an app completely",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/uninstalling-an-app"
    },
    {
      "slug": "why-some-apps-cant-be-moved",
      "label": "Why some apps can't be moved",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/why-some-apps-cant-be-moved"
    },
    {
      "slug": "moving-an-app",
      "label": "Moving an app to your external drive",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/moving-an-app"
    },
    {
      "slug": "glossary-app-safety-level",
      "label": "App safety level",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary-app-safety-level"
    }
  ],
  "links_in": [
    {
      "slug": "glossary-app-safety-level",
      "title": "App safety level",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary-app-safety-level"
    },
    {
      "slug": "apps-that-update-or-reinstall-themselves",
      "title": "Apps that update or reinstall themselves",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/apps-that-update-or-reinstall-themselves"
    },
    {
      "slug": "moved-apps-when-the-drive-is-offline",
      "title": "Moved apps when the drive is disconnected",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/moved-apps-when-the-drive-is-offline"
    },
    {
      "slug": "moving-an-app",
      "title": "Moving an app to your external drive",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/moving-an-app"
    },
    {
      "slug": "the-apps-window",
      "title": "The Apps window",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/the-apps-window"
    },
    {
      "slug": "why-some-apps-cant-be-moved",
      "title": "Why some apps can't be moved",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/why-some-apps-cant-be-moved"
    }
  ],
  "diagrams": [
    {
      "kind": "flowchart",
      "caption": "How an app gets its safety badge, checked in this order",
      "outline": "- An app on the Internal tab\n  - leads to Storage Studio, built into macOS, already moved, Apple-signed or open now?\n- Storage Studio, built into macOS, already moved, Apple-signed or open now?\n  - Yes: leads to Blocked\n  - No: leads to Managed by Setapp?\n- Managed by Setapp?\n  - Yes: leads to Blocked\n  - No: leads to Protected install, risky updater, fixed locations or a helper?\n- Protected install, risky updater, fixed locations or a helper?\n  - Yes: leads to Override\n  - No: leads to Permissions, Dock, recent use or an updater to watch?\n- Permissions, Dock, recent use or an updater to watch?\n  - Yes: leads to Caveat\n  - No: leads to Safe\n",
      "source": "%% caption: How an app gets its safety badge, checked in this order\nflowchart TD\n  A[An app on the Internal tab] --> B{Storage Studio, built into macOS, already moved, Apple-signed or open now?}\n  B -->|Yes| X[Blocked]\n  B -->|No| C{Managed by Setapp?}\n  C -->|Yes| X\n  C -->|No| D{Protected install, risky updater, fixed locations or a helper?}\n  D -->|Yes| O[Override]\n  D -->|No| E{Permissions, Dock, recent use or an updater to watch?}\n  E -->|Yes| V[Caveat]\n  E -->|No| S[Safe]"
    }
  ],
  "images": [],
  "screenshots_pending": [
    {
      "alt": "The Apps window on the Internal tab in Demo Mode, showing several rows with Safe, Caveat, Override and Blocked badges and the reason line under each app name",
      "caption": "The four safety badges on the Internal tab"
    }
  ],
  "faqs": [],
  "text": "Before Storage Studio offers to move an app, it checks how the app is installed, how it updates and what else on your Mac depends on its location. The result is one of four badges on the Internal tab of the Apps window : Safe , Caveat , Override or Blocked . The badge decides whether the Move button appears. The four badges Badge What it means Moving Safe (green) No known issues with moving this app Move starts straight away Caveat (orange) Safe to move, with a small side effect worth knowing Move starts straight away Override (red) There's a known risk Override → Move asks you to confirm the specific risk first Blocked (grey) Can't be moved safely No Move button The line under each app's name says why it got its badge, and hovering over the badge shows the same reason. The ? button at the top of the window has a guide to every badge and label. What leads to each badge Blocked — Storage Studio won't move: Storage Studio itself. Apps built into macOS. An app you've already moved. Use the Moved tab to bring it back. Apps signed by Apple, because macOS or the App Store may update them where they were installed. An app that is open right now. Quit it, click Refresh , and the badge is worked out again. Apps managed by Setapp, which re-downloads apps it thinks are missing. Override — you can move it, but only after confirming: The app was installed by macOS or an installer as a protected, system-owned app. Moving it needs your administrator password. The app's updater is known to reinstall apps where they used to be, or Storage Studio can't tell how its updater behaves. The app's own files point to its original location, so parts of it may look in the wrong place after a move. The app uses a helper tool or a background item registered at its original location. Caveat — it moves normally, but: macOS may ask again for permissions such as the camera or microphone the first time you open it after the move. Click Allow . It's in your Dock, so its icon may briefly show a placeholder after the move. You used it in the last few days. It updates itself, or was installed in a way that Storage Studio watches so it can redo the move after an update. Safe — none of the above applies. How an app gets its safety badge, checked in this order Flowchart outline: How an app gets its safety badge, checked in this order An app on the Internal tab leads to Storage Studio, built into macOS, already moved, Apple-signed or open now? Storage Studio, built into macOS, already moved, Apple-signed or open now? Yes: leads to Blocked No: leads to Managed by Setapp? Managed by Setapp? Yes: leads to Blocked No: leads to Protected install, risky updater, fixed locations or a helper? Protected install, risky updater, fixed locations or a helper? Yes: leads to Override No: leads to Permissions, Dock, recent use or an updater to watch? Permissions, Dock, recent use or an updater to watch? Yes: leads to Caveat No: leads to Safe What the badge doesn't decide Offload and Uninstall are offered for every app, whatever its badge. They work differently from a move: see Offloading and restoring an app and Uninstalling an app completely . A badge is worked out again every time the window scans your apps, so it follows the app's current state. When a move starts, Storage Studio checks again that the app is still there, isn't already moved and that your drive is ready. If something changed, the move stops and the reason appears at the bottom of the window. Sort the list by Safety to see all the apps you can move freely together. See also: Why some apps can't be moved · Moving an app to your external drive · App safety level",
  "markdown": "Before Storage Studio offers to move an app, it checks how the app is installed, how it updates and what else on your Mac depends on its location. The result is one of four badges on the **Internal** tab of the [Apps window](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/the-apps-window): **Safe**, **Caveat**, **Override** or **Blocked**. The badge decides whether the **Move** button appears.\n\n## The four badges\n\n| Badge | What it means | Moving |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| **Safe** (green) | No known issues with moving this app | **Move** starts straight away |\n| **Caveat** (orange) | Safe to move, with a small side effect worth knowing | **Move** starts straight away |\n| **Override** (red) | There's a known risk | **Override → Move** asks you to confirm the specific risk first |\n| **Blocked** (grey) | Can't be moved safely | No **Move** button |\n\nThe line under each app's name says why it got its badge, and hovering over the badge shows the same reason. The **?** button at the top of the window has a guide to every badge and label.\n\n## What leads to each badge\n\n**Blocked** — Storage Studio won't move:\n\n- Storage Studio itself.\n- Apps built into macOS.\n- An app you've already moved. Use the **Moved** tab to bring it back.\n- Apps signed by Apple, because macOS or the App Store may update them where they were installed.\n- An app that is open right now. Quit it, click **Refresh**, and the badge is worked out again.\n- Apps managed by Setapp, which re-downloads apps it thinks are missing.\n\n**Override** — you can move it, but only after confirming:\n\n- The app was installed by macOS or an installer as a protected, system-owned app. Moving it needs your administrator password.\n- The app's updater is known to reinstall apps where they used to be, or Storage Studio can't tell how its updater behaves.\n- The app's own files point to its original location, so parts of it may look in the wrong place after a move.\n- The app uses a helper tool or a background item registered at its original location.\n\n**Caveat** — it moves normally, but:\n\n- macOS may ask again for permissions such as the camera or microphone the first time you open it after the move. Click **Allow**.\n- It's in your Dock, so its icon may briefly show a placeholder after the move.\n- You used it in the last few days.\n- It updates itself, or was installed in a way that Storage Studio watches so it can redo the move after an update.\n\n**Safe** — none of the above applies.\n\n```mermaid\n%% caption: How an app gets its safety badge, checked in this order\nflowchart TD\n  A[An app on the Internal tab] --> B{Storage Studio, built into macOS, already moved, Apple-signed or open now?}\n  B -->|Yes| X[Blocked]\n  B -->|No| C{Managed by Setapp?}\n  C -->|Yes| X\n  C -->|No| D{Protected install, risky updater, fixed locations or a helper?}\n  D -->|Yes| O[Override]\n  D -->|No| E{Permissions, Dock, recent use or an updater to watch?}\n  E -->|Yes| V[Caveat]\n  E -->|No| S[Safe]\n```\n\n*Flowchart — How an app gets its safety badge, checked in this order. Outline:*\n\n- An app on the Internal tab\n  - leads to Storage Studio, built into macOS, already moved, Apple-signed or open now?\n- Storage Studio, built into macOS, already moved, Apple-signed or open now?\n  - Yes: leads to Blocked\n  - No: leads to Managed by Setapp?\n- Managed by Setapp?\n  - Yes: leads to Blocked\n  - No: leads to Protected install, risky updater, fixed locations or a helper?\n- Protected install, risky updater, fixed locations or a helper?\n  - Yes: leads to Override\n  - No: leads to Permissions, Dock, recent use or an updater to watch?\n- Permissions, Dock, recent use or an updater to watch?\n  - Yes: leads to Caveat\n  - No: leads to Safe\n\n## What the badge doesn't decide\n\n- **Offload** and **Uninstall** are offered for every app, whatever its badge. They work differently from a move: see [Offloading and restoring an app](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/offloading-an-app) and [Uninstalling an app completely](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/uninstalling-an-app).\n- A badge is worked out again every time the window scans your apps, so it follows the app's current state.\n- When a move starts, Storage Studio checks again that the app is still there, isn't already moved and that your drive is ready. If something changed, the move stops and the reason appears at the bottom of the window.\n\nSort the list by **Safety** to see all the apps you can move freely together.\n\nSee also: [Why some apps can't be moved](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/why-some-apps-cant-be-moved) · [Moving an app to your external drive](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/moving-an-app) · [App safety level](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary-app-safety-level)\n"
}