{
  "schema": "https://storagestudio.us/schema/wiki-page.v1",
  "title": "The free trial",
  "slug": "the-free-trial",
  "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/the-free-trial",
  "markdown_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/the-free-trial.md",
  "category": "Licensing & payments",
  "category_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/licensing-and-payments/",
  "tags": [
    "licence",
    "trial",
    "registration",
    "getting started"
  ],
  "summary": "Every Storage Studio feature is unlocked during the free trial, with no card required. You register with your name, email and country, confirm your email with a one-time code, and the app shows how many days are left.",
  "published_at": "2026-10-01T06:19:37.000Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-01T05:36:18.000Z",
  "headings": [
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "Starting your trial",
      "id": "starting-your-trial"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "What's included",
      "id": "what-s-included"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "Keeping track of time",
      "id": "keeping-track-of-time"
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "text": "When it ends",
      "id": "when-it-ends"
    }
  ],
  "links_out": [
    {
      "slug": "my-drive",
      "label": "My Drive",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/my-drive"
    },
    {
      "slug": "delta-trust",
      "label": "Delta Trust",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/delta-trust"
    },
    {
      "slug": "extending-your-trial",
      "label": "Extending your trial",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/extending-your-trial"
    },
    {
      "slug": "buying-a-licence",
      "label": "Buying a licence",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/buying-a-licence"
    },
    {
      "slug": "when-your-licence-ends",
      "label": "When a trial or licence ends",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/when-your-licence-ends"
    },
    {
      "slug": "your-first-launch",
      "label": "Your first launch, step by step",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/your-first-launch"
    }
  ],
  "links_in": [
    {
      "slug": "buying-a-licence",
      "title": "Buying a licence",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/buying-a-licence"
    },
    {
      "slug": "delta-trust-delta-drive-and-my-drive",
      "title": "Delta Trust, Delta Drive and My Drive",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/delta-trust-delta-drive-and-my-drive"
    },
    {
      "slug": "extending-your-trial",
      "title": "Extending your trial",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/extending-your-trial"
    },
    {
      "slug": "setting-up-my-drive",
      "title": "Setting up My Drive",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/setting-up-my-drive"
    },
    {
      "slug": "the-license-pane",
      "title": "The License pane",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/the-license-pane"
    },
    {
      "slug": "your-first-launch",
      "title": "Your first launch, step by step",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/your-first-launch"
    }
  ],
  "diagrams": [
    {
      "kind": "flowchart",
      "caption": "How a trial starts",
      "outline": "- Welcome screen\n  - leads to Already have a licence?\n- Already have a licence?\n  - Yes: leads to I have a licence\n  - No: leads to Enter name, email and country\n- Enter name, email and country\n  - leads to Email me a code\n- Email me a code\n  - leads to Code arrived?\n- Code arrived?\n  - Yes: leads to Enter the code and start your trial\n  - No: leads to Start my trial without the code\n- Enter the code and start your trial\n  - leads to Every feature unlocked\n- Start my trial without the code\n  - leads to Every feature unlocked\n",
      "source": "%% caption: How a trial starts\nflowchart TD\n  A[Welcome screen] --> B{Already have a licence?}\n  B -->|Yes| C[I have a licence]\n  B -->|No| D[Enter name, email and country]\n  D --> E[Email me a code]\n  E --> F{Code arrived?}\n  F -->|Yes| G[Enter the code and start your trial]\n  F -->|No| H[Start my trial without the code]\n  G --> I[Every feature unlocked]\n  H --> I"
    }
  ],
  "images": [],
  "screenshots_pending": [
    {
      "alt": "The \"Welcome to Storage Studio\" registration screen on the \"Set up your free trial\" step, with the full name, email and country fields filled in and the Email me a code button",
      "caption": "Setting up your free trial"
    }
  ],
  "faqs": [
    {
      "question": "What happens to My Drive if my Storage Studio trial or licence ends?",
      "answer": "My Drive is paused, not removed, and nothing in your storage is touched — your files stay in your own bucket. While paused it can't be opened on the web and anything you shared is paused; on your Mac you can only disconnect or remove it. Reactivating Storage Studio picks up where you left off.…",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/faq"
    }
  ],
  "text": "Storage Studio starts with a free trial that unlocks every feature. No card is required — you register with a few details, confirm your email, and you're in. The trial belongs to your Mac, so reinstalling the app doesn't start a new one. Starting your trial On first launch, the welcome screen asks for your full name , email and country . These are used to set up and support your trial, and to email you a verification code and trial reminders. Choose Email me a code . Under Check your email , enter the one-time code and choose the button that starts your trial. The code expires after a few minutes; Resend code sends another, and Change details goes back a step. Code not arriving? Check your spam or promotions folder first. If it still hasn't come through, choose Start my trial without the code — your trial starts now and your email is confirmed later. If this Mac already has an active trial, the screen says You're all set — this Mac already has an active trial and offers Continue . Already bought Storage Studio? Choose I have a licence instead. How a trial starts Flowchart outline: How a trial starts Welcome screen leads to Already have a licence? Already have a licence? Yes: leads to I have a licence No: leads to Enter name, email and country Enter name, email and country leads to Email me a code Email me a code leads to Code arrived? Code arrived? Yes: leads to Enter the code and start your trial No: leads to Start my trial without the code Enter the code and start your trial leads to Every feature unlocked Start my trial without the code leads to Every feature unlocked What's included Everything. The trial is not a cut-down version: Data Parking, Free Up Space, the Apps window, Data Transfers and the rest all work fully. You can also set up My Drive during a trial. Delta Trust is the exception — it needs a bought licence. Keeping track of time The main window shows a banner such as \"5 days left in your trial\", which turns orange as the end gets close. The menu-bar popover's header shows a TRIAL badge with the days left. Near the end, the notifications bell shows \"Only N days left in your free trial\", and we send reminder emails to your registered address. The licence card at the bottom of the popover shows when your trial started and when it ends, and Preferences → License shows the days left and the end date. The length of the trial is set by our servers and shown on the welcome screen and in the License pane, so always go by what your app says. When it ends When the trial ends, Storage Studio pauses its work and shows what you can do next: buy a licence, enter a licence key, coupon or onboarding code, or — where it's offered — extend your trial by confirming your email. The trial-ended screen also shows This Mac's trial : the email it was registered to, when it started and ended, and your Install ID , which is the first thing support asks for. Your moved files stay exactly where they are. Common questions What happens to My Drive if my Storage Studio trial or licence ends? My Drive is paused, not removed, and nothing in your storage is touched — your files stay in your own bucket. While paused it can't be opened on the web and anything you shared is paused; on your Mac you can only disconnect or remove it. Reactivating Storage Studio picks up where you left off.… See also: Extending your trial , Buying a licence , When a trial or licence ends , Your first launch, step by step .",
  "markdown": "Storage Studio starts with a free trial that unlocks every feature. No card is required — you register with a few details, confirm your email, and you're in. The trial belongs to your Mac, so reinstalling the app doesn't start a new one.\n\n## Starting your trial\n\n1. On first launch, the welcome screen asks for your **full name**, **email** and **country**. These are used to set up and support your trial, and to email you a verification code and trial reminders.\n2. Choose **Email me a code**.\n3. Under **Check your email**, enter the one-time code and choose the button that starts your trial. The code expires after a few minutes; **Resend code** sends another, and **Change details** goes back a step.\n\n**Code not arriving?** Check your spam or promotions folder first. If it still hasn't come through, choose **Start my trial without the code** — your trial starts now and your email is confirmed later.\n\nIf this Mac already has an active trial, the screen says **You're all set — this Mac already has an active trial** and offers **Continue**. Already bought Storage Studio? Choose **I have a licence** instead.\n\n```mermaid\n%% caption: How a trial starts\nflowchart TD\n  A[Welcome screen] --> B{Already have a licence?}\n  B -->|Yes| C[I have a licence]\n  B -->|No| D[Enter name, email and country]\n  D --> E[Email me a code]\n  E --> F{Code arrived?}\n  F -->|Yes| G[Enter the code and start your trial]\n  F -->|No| H[Start my trial without the code]\n  G --> I[Every feature unlocked]\n  H --> I\n```\n\n*Flowchart — How a trial starts. Outline:*\n\n- Welcome screen\n  - leads to Already have a licence?\n- Already have a licence?\n  - Yes: leads to I have a licence\n  - No: leads to Enter name, email and country\n- Enter name, email and country\n  - leads to Email me a code\n- Email me a code\n  - leads to Code arrived?\n- Code arrived?\n  - Yes: leads to Enter the code and start your trial\n  - No: leads to Start my trial without the code\n- Enter the code and start your trial\n  - leads to Every feature unlocked\n- Start my trial without the code\n  - leads to Every feature unlocked\n\n## What's included\n\nEverything. The trial is not a cut-down version: Data Parking, Free Up Space, the Apps window, Data Transfers and the rest all work fully. You can also set up [My Drive](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/my-drive) during a trial. [Delta Trust](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/delta-trust) is the exception — it needs a bought licence.\n\n## Keeping track of time\n\n- The main window shows a banner such as \"5 days left in your trial\", which turns orange as the end gets close.\n- The menu-bar popover's header shows a **TRIAL** badge with the days left.\n- Near the end, the notifications bell shows \"Only N days left in your free trial\", and we send reminder emails to your registered address.\n- The licence card at the bottom of the popover shows when your trial started and when it ends, and **Preferences → License** shows the days left and the end date.\n\nThe length of the trial is set by our servers and shown on the welcome screen and in the License pane, so always go by what your app says.\n\n## When it ends\n\nWhen the trial ends, Storage Studio pauses its work and shows what you can do next: buy a licence, enter a licence key, coupon or onboarding code, or — where it's offered — extend your trial by confirming your email. The trial-ended screen also shows **This Mac's trial**: the email it was registered to, when it started and ended, and your **Install ID**, which is the first thing support asks for. Your moved files stay exactly where they are.\n\n- **What happens to My Drive if my Storage Studio trial or licence ends?** My Drive is paused, not removed, and nothing in your storage is touched — your files stay in your own bucket. While paused it can't be opened on the web and anything you shared is paused; on your Mac you can only disconnect or remove it. Reactivating Storage Studio picks up where you left off.… (https://storagestudio.us/faq)\n\nSee also: [Extending your trial](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/extending-your-trial), [Buying a licence](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/buying-a-licence), [When a trial or licence ends](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/when-your-licence-ends), [Your first launch, step by step](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/your-first-launch).\n"
}