{
  "schema": "https://storagestudio.us/schema/wiki-page.v1",
  "title": "Restore Points",
  "slug": "restore-points",
  "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/restore-points",
  "markdown_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/restore-points.md",
  "category": "Safety & undo",
  "category_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/safety-and-undo/",
  "tags": [
    "restore points",
    "undo",
    "safety",
    "external drive"
  ],
  "summary": "Restore Points record each batch of folders and apps Storage Studio moves, plus its own records and settings, so you can roll a batch back or put Storage Studio's settings back. Your files are never copied into a restore point.",
  "published_at": "2026-10-01T06:18:34.000Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-01T05:37:09.000Z",
  "headings": [
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "What a restore point records",
      "id": "what-a-restore-point-records"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "Rolling back",
      "id": "rolling-back"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "When an item is skipped",
      "id": "when-an-item-is-skipped"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "Restoring Storage Studio's settings",
      "id": "restoring-storage-studio-s-settings"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "How long they're kept",
      "id": "how-long-they-re-kept"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "What restore points don't do",
      "id": "what-restore-points-don-t-do"
    }
  ],
  "links_out": [
    {
      "slug": "offloading-an-app",
      "label": "Offloading and restoring an app",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/offloading-an-app"
    },
    {
      "slug": "recycle-vault",
      "label": "Recycle Vault",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/recycle-vault"
    },
    {
      "slug": "data-backup",
      "label": "Data Backup",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/data-backup"
    },
    {
      "slug": "how-storage-studio-keeps-you-safe",
      "label": "How Storage Studio keeps every change reversible",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/how-storage-studio-keeps-you-safe"
    },
    {
      "slug": "moving-a-folder-back",
      "label": "Moving a folder back",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/moving-a-folder-back"
    },
    {
      "slug": "the-moves-log",
      "label": "The Moves log",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/the-moves-log"
    }
  ],
  "links_in": [
    {
      "slug": "self-backup-of-settings",
      "title": "Backing up Storage Studio's own settings",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/self-backup-of-settings"
    },
    {
      "slug": "how-storage-studio-keeps-you-safe",
      "title": "How Storage Studio keeps every change reversible",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/how-storage-studio-keeps-you-safe"
    },
    {
      "slug": "your-settings-are-encrypted",
      "title": "How Storage Studio protects your settings on this Mac",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/your-settings-are-encrypted"
    },
    {
      "slug": "local-snapshots",
      "title": "Local snapshots",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/local-snapshots"
    },
    {
      "slug": "pausing-and-stopping",
      "title": "Pausing or stopping everything",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/pausing-and-stopping"
    },
    {
      "slug": "restoring-from-the-recycle-vault",
      "title": "Restoring something from the Recycle Vault",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/restoring-from-the-recycle-vault"
    },
    {
      "slug": "reviewing-a-clear-up",
      "title": "Reviewing, stopping and checking a clear-up",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/reviewing-a-clear-up"
    },
    {
      "slug": "self-healing",
      "title": "Self-healing",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/self-healing"
    },
    {
      "slug": "smart-care",
      "title": "Smart Care",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/smart-care"
    },
    {
      "slug": "recycle-vault",
      "title": "The Recycle Vault",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/recycle-vault"
    }
  ],
  "diagrams": [
    {
      "kind": "flowchart",
      "caption": "What happens when you roll back a batch",
      "outline": "- Roll Back Last Batch\n  - leads to A preview lists anything that will be skipped\n- A preview lists anything that will be skipped\n  - leads to You click Roll back\n- You click Roll back\n  - leads to Take the next item, newest first\n- Take the next item, newest first\n  - leads to Is something new at its original spot?\n- Is something new at its original spot?\n  - Yes: leads to Skip it and say why\n  - No: leads to Copy it back to this Mac\n- Skip it and say why\n  - leads to More items?\n- Copy it back to this Mac\n  - leads to Did the copy check out?\n- Did the copy check out?\n  - Yes: leads to Remove the copy on the external drive\n  - No: leads to Leave both where they are\n- Remove the copy on the external drive\n  - leads to More items?\n- Leave both where they are\n  - leads to More items?\n- More items?\n  - Yes: leads to Take the next item, newest first\n  - No: leads to Done - a summary says what came back\n",
      "source": "%% caption: What happens when you roll back a batch\nflowchart TD\n  A[Roll Back Last Batch] --> B[A preview lists anything that will be skipped]\n  B --> C{You click Roll back}\n  C --> D[Take the next item, newest first]\n  D --> E{Is something new at its original spot?}\n  E -->|Yes| F[Skip it and say why]\n  E -->|No| G[Copy it back to this Mac]\n  G --> H{Did the copy check out?}\n  H -->|Yes| I[Remove the copy on the external drive]\n  H -->|No| J[Leave both where they are]\n  F --> K{More items?}\n  I --> K\n  J --> K\n  K -->|Yes| D\n  K -->|No| L[Done - a summary says what came back]"
    }
  ],
  "images": [],
  "screenshots_pending": [
    {
      "alt": "The Restore Points window with the On switch turned on, the Roll Back Last Batch and Create Restore Point buttons, and a list of restore points each showing a Can roll back badge",
      "caption": "The Restore Points window"
    }
  ],
  "faqs": [],
  "text": "Restore Points keep a record of every batch of moves Storage Studio makes, so you can put a batch back where it came from with Roll Back Last Batch . Each restore point also keeps a copy of Storage Studio's own records and settings. Your files are never copied into a restore point — it records what moved where, which is why it takes up very little space. Open it from the More menu → Restore Points… . What a restore point records The moves in a batch — for every folder or app, where it was and where it went. Storage Studio's own records and settings — what it has moved, and your Rules — shown under Settings & configuration . None of your files or your apps' settings are here. Restore points are made automatically while the On switch at the top of the window is on: moves made close together are grouped into one batch, and the batch is closed a few seconds after the last move settles. You can also click Create Restore Point at any time to save a checkpoint of everything currently on your external drive. Restore points are kept on your external drive . When it isn't connected the window says Connect your drive to see restore points . Rolling back What happens when you roll back a batch Flowchart outline: What happens when you roll back a batch Roll Back Last Batch leads to A preview lists anything that will be skipped A preview lists anything that will be skipped leads to You click Roll back You click Roll back leads to Take the next item, newest first Take the next item, newest first leads to Is something new at its original spot? Is something new at its original spot? Yes: leads to Skip it and say why No: leads to Copy it back to this Mac Skip it and say why leads to More items? Copy it back to this Mac leads to Did the copy check out? Did the copy check out? Yes: leads to Remove the copy on the external drive No: leads to Leave both where they are Remove the copy on the external drive leads to More items? Leave both where they are leads to More items? More items? Yes: leads to Take the next item, newest first No: leads to Done - a summary says what came back Click Roll Back Last Batch — or, for an earlier batch, Roll back to here on its row. That rolls back only that one batch, not everything after it. Read the Roll back this batch? sheet. Anything that can't be returned safely is listed under These will be skipped to avoid overwriting anything: . Click Roll back . Each item is copied back first; the copy on your drive is only cleaned up after that. Folders are queued as move-backs, so they may take a little while to arrive — the summary says they're on their way. In the main window's More menu, Undo Last Batch… does the same for the most recent batch. When an item is skipped Rolling back never overwrites anything. An item is skipped, with a reason, when for example: there's something at the original location now; the moved copy is no longer on your external drive; it was moved to a different drive from the one connected now; it was an offloaded app — restore it from the Apps window's Offloaded tab instead (see Offloading and restoring an app ). Everything else in the batch still goes back. A row's badge shows its state: Can roll back , Rolled back , Partly rolled back , Needs attention , Failed or Set aside . Restoring Storage Studio's settings Click Restore settings under a restore point's Settings & configuration to put Storage Studio's records and settings back as they were then. You type Replace and click Replace with this restore point . Your current records and settings are copied aside first, so you can step back. It never touches your files, your apps or their settings. How long they're kept Storage Studio keeps the last 50 batches and up to 30 days, within a size limit on your drive of between 5 GB and 25 GB depending on free space. The five most recent restore points, and anything less than a day old, are always kept. Older ones tidy themselves away. What restore points don't do They can't bring back deleted files — that's the Recycle Vault . Cache clear-ups can't be undone; apps rebuild their caches. They aren't a backup of your files. For that, see Data Backup . See also: How Storage Studio keeps every change reversible · Moving a folder back · The Moves log",
  "markdown": "**Restore Points** keep a record of every batch of moves Storage Studio makes, so you can put a batch back where it came from with **Roll Back Last Batch**. Each restore point also keeps a copy of Storage Studio's own records and settings. **Your files are never copied into a restore point** — it records what moved where, which is why it takes up very little space.\n\nOpen it from the **More** menu → **Restore Points…**.\n\n## What a restore point records\n\n- **The moves in a batch** — for every folder or app, where it was and where it went.\n- **Storage Studio's own records and settings** — what it has moved, and your Rules — shown under **Settings & configuration**. None of your files or your apps' settings are here.\n\nRestore points are made **automatically** while the **On** switch at the top of the window is on: moves made close together are grouped into one batch, and the batch is closed a few seconds after the last move settles. You can also click **Create Restore Point** at any time to save a checkpoint of everything currently on your external drive.\n\nRestore points are kept **on your external drive**. When it isn't connected the window says **Connect your drive to see restore points**.\n\n## Rolling back\n\n```mermaid\n%% caption: What happens when you roll back a batch\nflowchart TD\n  A[Roll Back Last Batch] --> B[A preview lists anything that will be skipped]\n  B --> C{You click Roll back}\n  C --> D[Take the next item, newest first]\n  D --> E{Is something new at its original spot?}\n  E -->|Yes| F[Skip it and say why]\n  E -->|No| G[Copy it back to this Mac]\n  G --> H{Did the copy check out?}\n  H -->|Yes| I[Remove the copy on the external drive]\n  H -->|No| J[Leave both where they are]\n  F --> K{More items?}\n  I --> K\n  J --> K\n  K -->|Yes| D\n  K -->|No| L[Done - a summary says what came back]\n```\n\n*Flowchart — What happens when you roll back a batch. Outline:*\n\n- Roll Back Last Batch\n  - leads to A preview lists anything that will be skipped\n- A preview lists anything that will be skipped\n  - leads to You click Roll back\n- You click Roll back\n  - leads to Take the next item, newest first\n- Take the next item, newest first\n  - leads to Is something new at its original spot?\n- Is something new at its original spot?\n  - Yes: leads to Skip it and say why\n  - No: leads to Copy it back to this Mac\n- Skip it and say why\n  - leads to More items?\n- Copy it back to this Mac\n  - leads to Did the copy check out?\n- Did the copy check out?\n  - Yes: leads to Remove the copy on the external drive\n  - No: leads to Leave both where they are\n- Remove the copy on the external drive\n  - leads to More items?\n- Leave both where they are\n  - leads to More items?\n- More items?\n  - Yes: leads to Take the next item, newest first\n  - No: leads to Done - a summary says what came back\n\n1. Click **Roll Back Last Batch** — or, for an earlier batch, **Roll back to here** on its row. That rolls back only that one batch, not everything after it.\n2. Read the **Roll back this batch?** sheet. Anything that can't be returned safely is listed under **These will be skipped to avoid overwriting anything:**.\n3. Click **Roll back**.\n\nEach item is copied back first; the copy on your drive is only cleaned up after that. Folders are queued as move-backs, so they may take a little while to arrive — the summary says they're on their way.\n\nIn the main window's **More** menu, **Undo Last Batch…** does the same for the most recent batch.\n\n## When an item is skipped\n\nRolling back never overwrites anything. An item is skipped, with a reason, when for example:\n\n- there's something at the original location now;\n- the moved copy is no longer on your external drive;\n- it was moved to a different drive from the one connected now;\n- it was an offloaded app — restore it from the Apps window's **Offloaded** tab instead (see [Offloading and restoring an app](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/offloading-an-app)).\n\nEverything else in the batch still goes back. A row's badge shows its state: **Can roll back**, **Rolled back**, **Partly rolled back**, **Needs attention**, **Failed** or **Set aside**.\n\n## Restoring Storage Studio's settings\n\nClick **Restore settings** under a restore point's **Settings & configuration** to put Storage Studio's records and settings back as they were then. You type **Replace** and click **Replace with this restore point**. Your current records and settings are copied aside first, so you can step back. It never touches your files, your apps or their settings.\n\n## How long they're kept\n\nStorage Studio keeps the last 50 batches and up to 30 days, within a size limit on your drive of between 5 GB and 25 GB depending on free space. The five most recent restore points, and anything less than a day old, are always kept. Older ones tidy themselves away.\n\n## What restore points don't do\n\n- They can't bring back deleted files — that's the [Recycle Vault](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/recycle-vault).\n- Cache clear-ups can't be undone; apps rebuild their caches.\n- They aren't a backup of your files. For that, see [Data Backup](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/data-backup).\n\nSee also: [How Storage Studio keeps every change reversible](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/how-storage-studio-keeps-you-safe) · [Moving a folder back](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/moving-a-folder-back) · [The Moves log](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/the-moves-log)\n"
}