{
  "schema": "https://storagestudio.us/schema/wiki-page.v1",
  "title": "Access list (ACL)",
  "slug": "glossary-access-list",
  "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary-access-list",
  "markdown_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary-access-list.md",
  "category": "Glossary",
  "category_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary/",
  "tags": [
    "glossary",
    "metadata",
    "external drive"
  ],
  "summary": "An access list (ACL) is a set of extra permission rules on a file or folder, beyond its basic permissions. Storage Studio keeps them only where the drive can hold them.",
  "published_at": "2026-10-01T06:16:05.000Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-01T05:35:54.000Z",
  "headings": [],
  "links_out": [
    {
      "slug": "glossary-apfs",
      "label": "APFS",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary-apfs"
    },
    {
      "slug": "glossary-exfat",
      "label": "exFAT",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary-exfat"
    },
    {
      "slug": "what-a-move-keeps",
      "label": "What a move keeps",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/what-a-move-keeps"
    },
    {
      "slug": "exfat-drives",
      "label": "What to know about exFAT drives",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/exfat-drives"
    }
  ],
  "links_in": [
    {
      "slug": "what-a-move-keeps",
      "title": "What a move keeps",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/what-a-move-keeps"
    },
    {
      "slug": "exfat-drives",
      "title": "What to know about exFAT drives",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/exfat-drives"
    },
    {
      "slug": "glossary-exfat",
      "title": "exFAT",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary-exfat"
    }
  ],
  "diagrams": [],
  "images": [],
  "screenshots_pending": [],
  "faqs": [],
  "text": "An access list , or ACL (access control list), is a set of extra permission rules on a file or folder that go beyond its basic permissions — for example, letting one particular person on the Mac read a folder, or stopping anyone from deleting it. Adding people under Sharing & Permissions in a folder's Get Info window is one way they're created. Most files don't have one, but shared folders and some app folders do. When Storage Studio moves a folder, it keeps access lists if the destination drive can hold them — Mac formats such as APFS can. Some drives, such as exFAT ones, can't store them at all; there, Storage Studio leaves the access lists out rather than letting the whole move fail. The files and their basic permissions still arrive. See also: What a move keeps · What to know about exFAT drives",
  "markdown": "An **access list**, or ACL (access control list), is a set of extra permission rules on a file or folder that go beyond its basic permissions — for example, letting one particular person on the Mac read a folder, or stopping anyone from deleting it. Adding people under **Sharing & Permissions** in a folder's Get Info window is one way they're created.\n\nMost files don't have one, but shared folders and some app folders do.\n\nWhen Storage Studio moves a folder, it keeps access lists if the destination drive can hold them — Mac formats such as [APFS](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary-apfs) can. Some drives, such as [exFAT](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary-exfat) ones, can't store them at all; there, Storage Studio leaves the access lists out rather than letting the whole move fail. The files and their basic permissions still arrive.\n\nSee also: [What a move keeps](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/what-a-move-keeps) · [What to know about exFAT drives](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/exfat-drives)\n"
}