{
  "schema": "https://storagestudio.us/schema/wiki-page.v1",
  "title": "Backing up Storage Studio's own settings",
  "slug": "self-backup-of-settings",
  "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/self-backup-of-settings",
  "markdown_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/self-backup-of-settings.md",
  "category": "Settings",
  "category_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/settings/",
  "tags": [
    "backups",
    "settings",
    "external drive"
  ],
  "summary": "Once a day Storage Studio copies its own settings, its records of what it moved where, and your transfer history to your external drive, keeping the seven most recent copies. You can back up now or restore an earlier copy from Settings → Advanced → Self-backup.",
  "published_at": "2026-10-01T06:19:07.000Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-01T05:37:27.000Z",
  "headings": [
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "What's in it",
      "id": "what-s-in-it"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "When it happens",
      "id": "when-it-happens"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "Restoring an earlier copy",
      "id": "restoring-an-earlier-copy"
    }
  ],
  "links_out": [
    {
      "slug": "data-backup",
      "label": "Data Backup",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/data-backup"
    },
    {
      "slug": "restore-points",
      "label": "Restore Points",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/restore-points"
    },
    {
      "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": "start-at-login",
      "label": "Starting Storage Studio at login",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/start-at-login"
    }
  ],
  "links_in": [
    {
      "slug": "data-backup",
      "title": "Data Backup",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/data-backup"
    },
    {
      "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": "storage-studios-own-footprint",
      "title": "How much space Storage Studio itself uses",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/storage-studios-own-footprint"
    },
    {
      "slug": "start-at-login",
      "title": "Starting Storage Studio at login",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/start-at-login"
    },
    {
      "slug": "preferences-window",
      "title": "The Preferences window",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/preferences-window"
    },
    {
      "slug": "tuhi-is-private",
      "title": "Tuhi runs on your Mac",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/tuhi-is-private"
    }
  ],
  "diagrams": [
    {
      "kind": "flowchart",
      "caption": "How the daily self-backup works",
      "outline": "- Storage Studio is running\n  - leads to Is your external drive connected?\n- Is your external drive connected?\n  - No: leads to Skipped until the drive is back\n  - Yes: leads to Already backed up today?\n- Already backed up today?\n  - Yes: leads to Nothing to do\n  - No: leads to Copy settings and records to the drive\n- Copy settings and records to the drive\n  - leads to Keep the seven newest copies, remove older ones\n",
      "source": "%% caption: How the daily self-backup works\nflowchart TD\n  A[Storage Studio is running] --> B{Is your external drive connected?}\n  B -->|No| C[Skipped until the drive is back]\n  B -->|Yes| D{Already backed up today?}\n  D -->|Yes| E[Nothing to do]\n  D -->|No| F[Copy settings and records to the drive]\n  F --> G[Keep the seven newest copies, remove older ones]"
    }
  ],
  "images": [],
  "screenshots_pending": [
    {
      "alt": "Settings on the Advanced page scrolled to the Self-backup group, showing a list of dated backups each with a Restore button, and the Backup now, Refresh and Open backup folder buttons",
      "caption": "The Self-backup list"
    }
  ],
  "faqs": [],
  "text": "Storage Studio backs up itself once a day. It copies its own settings, its records of what it has moved where, and your transfer history to your external drive, and keeps the seven most recent copies. If those records are ever damaged or lost, you can put an earlier copy back. This is separate from Data Backup , which backs up your own files. You'll find it at the bottom of Settings… → Advanced , in the Self-backup group. What's in it Storage Studio's settings. Its records of what it has moved, where, and the rule state behind your automatic moves. Your transfer history. Logs aren't included — they're large and Storage Studio can do without them. Your own files, your apps and their settings aren't part of this backup. When it happens How the daily self-backup works Flowchart outline: How the daily self-backup works Storage Studio is running leads to Is your external drive connected? Is your external drive connected? No: leads to Skipped until the drive is back Yes: leads to Already backed up today? Already backed up today? Yes: leads to Nothing to do No: leads to Copy settings and records to the drive Copy settings and records to the drive leads to Keep the seven newest copies, remove older ones Once a day, while Storage Studio is running and your external drive is connected. If the drive isn't connected, it waits until it is. Each copy is labelled with its date, the Mac it came from and the Storage Studio version. The seven most recent copies are kept; older ones are removed. To make one straight away, click Backup now . Refresh reloads the list, and Open backup folder shows the copies in Finder. If the list is empty, the group says why — for example that the drive isn't connected, or that no backup has been made yet and you can click Backup now . Restoring an earlier copy In Self-backup , find the date you want and click Restore . Storage Studio explains what will happen: its settings, its records of what it has moved where, and your transfer history are replaced with the versions from that date. Your files, your apps and their own settings aren't touched. Type Replace and click Replace settings . Your current settings and records aren't thrown away — they're kept alongside the restored ones, so support can put them back if you picked the wrong copy. The background service picks up the restored settings within about 30 seconds. Restoring replaces the settings Storage Studio is using right now, so only do it when something has gone wrong — for example after its records were lost or damaged. See also: Restore Points , How Storage Studio keeps every change reversible , Starting Storage Studio at login .",
  "markdown": "Storage Studio backs up **itself** once a day. It copies its own settings, its records of what it has moved where, and your transfer history to your external drive, and keeps the seven most recent copies. If those records are ever damaged or lost, you can put an earlier copy back. This is separate from [Data Backup](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/data-backup), which backs up your own files.\n\nYou'll find it at the bottom of **Settings…** → **Advanced**, in the **Self-backup** group.\n\n## What's in it\n\n- Storage Studio's settings.\n- Its records of what it has moved, where, and the rule state behind your automatic moves.\n- Your transfer history.\n\nLogs aren't included — they're large and Storage Studio can do without them. Your own files, your apps and their settings aren't part of this backup.\n\n## When it happens\n\n```mermaid\n%% caption: How the daily self-backup works\nflowchart TD\n  A[Storage Studio is running] --> B{Is your external drive connected?}\n  B -->|No| C[Skipped until the drive is back]\n  B -->|Yes| D{Already backed up today?}\n  D -->|Yes| E[Nothing to do]\n  D -->|No| F[Copy settings and records to the drive]\n  F --> G[Keep the seven newest copies, remove older ones]\n```\n\n*Flowchart — How the daily self-backup works. Outline:*\n\n- Storage Studio is running\n  - leads to Is your external drive connected?\n- Is your external drive connected?\n  - No: leads to Skipped until the drive is back\n  - Yes: leads to Already backed up today?\n- Already backed up today?\n  - Yes: leads to Nothing to do\n  - No: leads to Copy settings and records to the drive\n- Copy settings and records to the drive\n  - leads to Keep the seven newest copies, remove older ones\n\n- Once a day, while Storage Studio is running and your external drive is connected. If the drive isn't connected, it waits until it is.\n- Each copy is labelled with its date, the Mac it came from and the Storage Studio version.\n- The seven most recent copies are kept; older ones are removed.\n\nTo make one straight away, click **Backup now**. **Refresh** reloads the list, and **Open backup folder** shows the copies in Finder.\n\nIf the list is empty, the group says why — for example that the drive isn't connected, or that no backup has been made yet and you can click **Backup now**.\n\n## Restoring an earlier copy\n\n1. In **Self-backup**, find the date you want and click **Restore**.\n2. Storage Studio explains what will happen: its settings, its records of what it has moved where, and your transfer history are replaced with the versions from that date. Your files, your apps and their own settings aren't touched.\n3. Type **Replace** and click **Replace settings**.\n\nYour current settings and records aren't thrown away — they're kept alongside the restored ones, so support can put them back if you picked the wrong copy. The background service picks up the restored settings within about 30 seconds.\n\nRestoring replaces the settings Storage Studio is using right now, so only do it when something has gone wrong — for example after its records were lost or damaged.\n\nSee also: [Restore Points](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/restore-points), [How Storage Studio keeps every change reversible](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/how-storage-studio-keeps-you-safe), [Starting Storage Studio at login](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/start-at-login).\n"
}