A dry run shows files I don't want moved

A dry run is a preview: it lists what the next automatic run would move, and nothing has happened yet. If it shows files you'd rather keep on your Mac, change the rule's age — or raise the floor that applies to every rule — in Settings → Rules, then run the preview again until it only lists what you're happy to move.

What you might see

In the Dry run preview (choose Automatic Moves… in the More menu, then Run preview):

• "WOULD MOVE: …" — an item the next run would move to your external drive.
• "WOULD KEEP (you've opened it recently): …" — an item old enough for the rule but kept because you've used it lately.
• "WOULD DELETE: …" — an item a delete rule would remove, such as old items in the Trash.

You can also run a preview from Preview Next Run (Dry Run) in the More menu, or Dry Run in the Advanced view's popover.

Likely causes

• The rule's age is lower than you'd like. Every rule moves items older than its age.
• The floor is lower than you'd like. The floors in Global overrides set the minimum age for every rule.
• The files haven't been opened in a while, even though you still want them — for example reference material you only look at once a year.

%% caption: Adjusting rules until the preview only shows what you want moved
flowchart TD
  A[Preview lists files you want to keep] --> B[Open Settings, then Rules]
  B --> C{One rule or every rule?}
  C -->|One rule| D[Raise that rule's age]
  C -->|Every rule| E[Raise the floor in Global overrides]
  D --> F[Run the preview again]
  E --> F
  F --> G{Only what you want moved?}
  G -->|Yes| H[Done - changes apply automatically]
  G -->|No| B

How to fix it

1. Open Settings… and choose Rules.
2. Find the rule for that folder under Default & Manual Rules and raise its age. The age is the number of days next to the rule.
3. To make every move rule wait longer, raise Floor — raise all archive ages to at least … days in Global overrides. For delete rules there's a separate floor, and Never delete personal files — only move them skips every delete rule.
4. Run the preview again. There's no save button — "Changes apply automatically".
5. For suggestions Storage Studio added itself, click Review… next to Auto Rules and use Dismiss on any you don't want.

If you don't want anything to move automatically while you decide, pause automatic actions in the Advanced view with Pause. See Pausing or stopping everything.

If something has already moved

Nothing is lost. A moved item leaves a shortcut where it was, so it still opens from its usual place — see The shortcut left behind after a move.

See also: Rules: moving folders automatically · Auto Rules · Dry run · Something's not working: start here