Going to be today's task. Got a 1Tb Crucial External SSD drive just for this project. It's going to save about 100 Gb space on my M4. That matters when only having 256 internal storage. Not going to pay Apple premium prices. Thank you for this easy to understand video.
Thanks for watching , glad it helps 👌🏼 I would say move each app separate and test it after transferring so if you have any issues you will know which app does and doesn’t work.
There's a better way. If you go to the Users section of System Preferences, you can ctrl-click to open advanced settings, and change the location of your user Home holder. You can then selection the external drive, and Mac OS will create a new Home folder with Applications and Library folders. You can also choose to tell Mac OS to automatically install apps over 1Gb in size on the external Home drive.
I'm curious, MrHtech -- before moving anything, on your internal drive what was/is the size of your Applications folder (the one not in any folder, at the root level of the internal), of your home folder, and within the home folder the Library, Downloads, Documents, Photos, Music, and Movies folders? In short, what's really taking space on the internal drive?
How does it then work with app updates? Will the App Store know the apps are on external drive? Also… how do you make sure the moved apps feature in the app browser/dashboard (or whatever it’s called) Thanks!
@@msralmjs I believe App Store will update it as normal, also if you want the app shortcut on the dock for example you right click the application icon that’s now on the external drive and click “make alias” then drag that new alias to the dock and it will act essentially like a shortcut to the app.
I am pretty sure the application itself has to be saved on the internal drive, but all the files and final cut backups can be saved to the SSD. Right now it’s taking about 8gb of space on my internal, but all the backups and files and projects are on my external drive using over 400gb. I tried my damnest to try to move Final Cut to the external, but the actual application seems to have to be installed onto the onboard hard drive.
@ like you said I think with Final Cut over 90% of the storage is gonna be the project file 👌🏼 aslong as that’s moved and you edit from the external drive directly space won’t be an issue, that’s what I plan to do 😀
Taking about external drives can anyone answer a few questions? 1. I plan to use external drive. Now I understand the need to format it to AFS to utilise some benefits but i cannot have read write permission for an AFS in windows drive. 2. Is there any way of access AFS file system both in Windows as well as Apple. 3 . I am getting lot of error 50 while trying to copy files to and from external NTFS hdd to Mac. Any solutions for that ?? Any ideas?
Macs cannot write to NTFS drives, and by default Windows cannot read and write to APFS drives. Microsoft have withheld the secret sauce for how NTFS works, so Macs are stuck in read-only mode. If you can reformat your drive using exFAT, both Macs and PCs will be able to read and write files to them. However, you will not be able to execute application software stored on exFAT drives on either platform because both operating systems need the additional user permissions data stored in their native file systems.
I tried the App Store settings and my list does not include "Download and install large apps to a separate disk". I am now to Mac. Drives me a little nuts that I can replicate what you are doing
Hi and thank you for the video. I’m a basic user with a base M4 mini. Can I use the steps to transfer photo app to my 2T external? My photos and fam videos take up the bulk of my storage. I watched a video that transferred the Home folder to the external, is that risky or overkill for my basic use?
Great Idea But why not have all the Complete Applications Folder on the External SSD? What about Programs that Say they must be installed & run from the BOOT Drive Like what I Purchaced the M4 Mac Mini for to run DaVinci Resolve Studio.
I would like to do this with the music notation program Dorico and the sound library Noteperformer. Each application requires 8 GB of RAM. Can these to programs be placed and used from the SSD? Any help or assistance would be appreciated! Thanks! Happy Holidays and Happy new year to you!
Can I use 10gbps usb 3.2 enclosure with 1tb nvme so load apps externally. Don’t want to spend on 40gbps enclosure for more money. Like loading games from external drive on 10 gbps enclosure from orico, ugreen..pls suggest
I mean yes you can it all depends on the speed of the drive , give it a try and test it just don’t delete the apps from your internal drive until your sure👌🏼
@@MrHtechI’m waiting for Mac mini m4 24gb 256gb to arrive by Jan end. Since you already have. So can you test and suggest please. What I think storage is only for files as games loaded into ram. So storage won’t matter much. This what I think but still you view required
@@MrHtech when you about to launch app games or any app..files stored in disk like hdd/ssd/nvme copied into RAM so that execution of game/app can start by CPU. So imo once games loaded into RAM..storage wont matter
I’m not sure if there’s something that doesn’t work however I would say it’s not needed to transfer every app over, this is just a good solution for those apps that take lots of storage space.
From my perspective the best way to work with external thunderbolt drives is to delete your folders „movies“, „Downloads“, etc on the internal SSD and replace them with symbolic links to the same folders on the external drive.
I tried doing this, my word, the number of problems I found ! Frankly, it's not worth the effort. Put your personal files on the external drive, don't bother with many of the applications. you can make an application named folder on the external drive, but, don't bother with doing anything other than creating an alias from the external drive apps and put the alias in the standard application folder.
This is a new feature in Sequoia I believe, but you should still make an Applications folder in the external drive and move them into there. On older versions of Mac OS you should also make an Applications folder on your external drive and move your apps into that. If you want the icons to show up in launchpad then you need to make an alias (basically a shortcut). In your external drive Applications folder > right click on the app icon > make alias you will end up with 2 icons slightly the same but the alias has an arrow on it. Move the alias back into the original Applications folder on your Mac after you delete the original install from your macs internal drive. This created a link to your external drive and all your apps will show up in launchpad.This does not work with the preinstalled mac software or utilities that come on your machine from new, they have to remain on the macs internal storage.
Dont do it ! Buy a Mac with 512 GB HDD Space and then an Highspeed NVME Drive with TB3/4/5 and 2 TB Samsung 980 Pro to get 3 Gigabyte/Sec Read and Write Speed. You lost Performance with the Base Model. Main System or Apps on External Drives are ever the badest combination.
And Apple scams us with their RAM upgrade pricing. Check how much additional RAM you can get for your $200 in the normal M4 Mac Mini vs. the M4 Pro line. 😏Then hit the ring like crazy because Apple things we are stupid.
I just reclaimed over 20GB of my precious space on my storage drive using your guide. Thanks!
Going to be today's task. Got a 1Tb Crucial External SSD drive just for this project. It's going to save about 100 Gb space on my M4. That matters when only having 256 internal storage. Not going to pay Apple premium prices. Thank you for this easy to understand video.
Thanks for watching , glad it helps 👌🏼 I would say move each app separate and test it after transferring so if you have any issues you will know which app does and doesn’t work.
There's a better way. If you go to the Users section of System Preferences, you can ctrl-click to open advanced settings, and change the location of your user Home holder. You can then selection the external drive, and Mac OS will create a new Home folder with Applications and Library folders. You can also choose to tell Mac OS to automatically install apps over 1Gb in size on the external Home drive.
@@lindsaybruce1396 nice tip👌🏼
How do you do that last bit? Is it in settings?
@@msralmjs I did that in the video in App Store settings , not sure if there’s another way
I'm curious, MrHtech -- before moving anything, on your internal drive what was/is the size of your Applications folder (the one not in any folder, at the root level of the internal), of your home folder, and within the home folder the Library, Downloads, Documents, Photos, Music, and Movies folders? In short, what's really taking space on the internal drive?
Thank you for the video but one question do the app still appear on your homepage when they’re on the external drive
How does it then work with app updates? Will the App Store know the apps are on external drive?
Also… how do you make sure the moved apps feature in the app browser/dashboard (or whatever it’s called)
Thanks!
@@msralmjs I believe App Store will update it as normal, also if you want the app shortcut on the dock for example you right click the application icon that’s now on the external drive and click “make alias” then drag that new alias to the dock and it will act essentially like a shortcut to the app.
Could you tell us if Final Cut Pro (FCP) can be installed on an external drive? I'd love to get some clarity on this before purchasing!
Il check for you
I am pretty sure the application itself has to be saved on the internal drive, but all the files and final cut backups can be saved to the SSD. Right now it’s taking about 8gb of space on my internal, but all the backups and files and projects are on my external drive using over 400gb. I tried my damnest to try to move Final Cut to the external, but the actual application seems to have to be installed onto the onboard hard drive.
@ like you said I think with Final Cut over 90% of the storage is gonna be the project file 👌🏼 aslong as that’s moved and you edit from the external drive directly space won’t be an issue, that’s what I plan to do 😀
Taking about external drives can anyone answer a few questions?
1. I plan to use external drive. Now I understand the need to format it to AFS to utilise some benefits but i cannot have read write permission for an AFS in windows drive.
2. Is there any way of access AFS file system both in Windows as well as Apple.
3 . I am getting lot of error 50 while trying to copy files to and from external NTFS hdd to Mac. Any solutions for that ??
Any ideas?
I’m not sure when it comes to windows and Apple compatibility to be honest.
Macs cannot write to NTFS drives, and by default Windows cannot read and write to APFS drives. Microsoft have withheld the secret sauce for how NTFS works, so Macs are stuck in read-only mode. If you can reformat your drive using exFAT, both Macs and PCs will be able to read and write files to them. However, you will not be able to execute application software stored on exFAT drives on either platform because both operating systems need the additional user permissions data stored in their native file systems.
I tried the App Store settings and my list does not include "Download and install large apps to a separate disk". I am now to Mac. Drives me a little nuts that I can replicate what you are doing
OK Need OS 15.1 to do this. Not sure if this was mentioned.
Hi and thank you for the video. I’m a basic user with a base M4 mini. Can I use the steps to transfer photo app to my 2T external? My photos and fam videos take up the bulk of my storage. I watched a video that transferred the Home folder to the external, is that risky or overkill for my basic use?
Hi great videos.
What about Pro Tools, native i struments Komplete and softube console 1 ? Cheers
Great Idea But why not have all the Complete Applications Folder on the External SSD? What about Programs that Say they must be installed & run from the BOOT Drive Like what I Purchaced the M4 Mac Mini for to run DaVinci Resolve Studio.
I don’t think it’s needed for every single app to be transferred over this is more of a solution for those high storage usage apps.
another great video, thanks!
Thanks for watching 👌🏼
I would like to do this with the music notation program Dorico and the sound library Noteperformer. Each application requires 8 GB of RAM. Can these to programs be placed and used from the SSD? Any help or assistance would be appreciated! Thanks! Happy Holidays and Happy new year to you!
I don’t see why not , give it a try without deleting it from the main drive first
Can I use 10gbps usb 3.2 enclosure with 1tb nvme so load apps externally. Don’t want to spend on 40gbps enclosure for more money. Like loading games from external drive on 10 gbps enclosure from orico, ugreen..pls suggest
I mean yes you can it all depends on the speed of the drive , give it a try and test it just don’t delete the apps from your internal drive until your sure👌🏼
@@MrHtechI’m waiting for Mac mini m4 24gb 256gb to arrive by Jan end. Since you already have. So can you test and suggest please. What I think storage is only for files as games loaded into ram. So storage won’t matter much. This what I think but still you view required
@ how do you mean games loaded into ram?
@@MrHtech when you about to launch app games or any app..files stored in disk like hdd/ssd/nvme copied into RAM so that execution of game/app can start by CPU. So imo once games loaded into RAM..storage wont matter
are there app’s that don’t run when moved like that? is it better to download them to the ext drive instead? edit-i read your reply elsewhere on this.
I’m not sure if there’s something that doesn’t work however I would say it’s not needed to transfer every app over, this is just a good solution for those apps that take lots of storage space.
From my perspective the best way to work with external thunderbolt drives is to delete your folders „movies“, „Downloads“, etc on the internal SSD and replace them with symbolic links to the same folders on the external drive.
@@H-JPe good tip
how much did you save ?
I mean an enclosure and a ssd is not for free
Well it’s about saving space not money, you can get a decent 256gb external ssd for under 50$ these days
I tried doing this, my word, the number of problems I found ! Frankly, it's not worth the effort. Put your personal files on the external drive, don't bother with many of the applications. you can make an application named folder on the external drive, but, don't bother with doing anything other than creating an alias from the external drive apps and put the alias in the standard application folder.
This is a new feature in Sequoia I believe, but you should still make an Applications folder in the external drive and move them into there. On older versions of Mac OS you should also make an Applications folder on your external drive and move your apps into that. If you want the icons to show up in launchpad then you need to make an alias (basically a shortcut). In your external drive Applications folder > right click on the app icon > make alias you will end up with 2 icons slightly the same but the alias has an arrow on it. Move the alias back into the original Applications folder on your Mac after you delete the original install from your macs internal drive. This created a link to your external drive and all your apps will show up in launchpad.This does not work with the preinstalled mac software or utilities that come on your machine from new, they have to remain on the macs internal storage.
Yes that’s a good point , something I forgot to mention
Could you please tell me what monitor you use that is optimal for mac mini?
Dont do it ! Buy a Mac with 512 GB HDD Space and then an Highspeed NVME Drive with TB3/4/5 and 2 TB Samsung 980 Pro to get 3 Gigabyte/Sec Read and Write Speed. You lost Performance with the Base Model. Main System or Apps on External Drives are ever the badest combination.
And Apple scams us with their RAM upgrade pricing. Check how much additional RAM you can get for your $200 in the normal M4 Mac Mini vs. the M4 Pro line. 😏Then hit the ring like crazy because Apple things we are stupid.