---
title: "Move older recordings automatically"
description: "Choose when local recordings move to an active external destination and start the first transfer."
updated: "2026-09-21"
canonical: https://docs.recordstead.app/your-data/automatic-recording-moves
---

# Move older recordings automatically

You can move older recording audio to an external destination without choosing
each meeting. First [connect a destination](https://docs.recordstead.app/your-data/recording-destinations).
This moves audio, not the meeting library, so keep a separate library backup.

## Set the rule

1. Open **Settings…** (⌘,) › **Storage** › **Recordings storage**.
2. Set **Keep on this Mac** by age or by how many recent recordings remain
   local. This rule also considers recordings you already have.
3. Set **Then** to **Move to destination**. Check that the intended destination
   is active.
4. Read **Ready to move**. Click **Move Now** if you want to transfer those
   recordings immediately. Changing the rule alone does not start a transfer.

Otherwise, Recordstead checks shortly after launch and every six hours while
it runs. Only completed, transcribed meetings with local original audio are
eligible. A meeting awaiting transcription keeps its recording.

## If a move is interrupted

The local original remains when the destination is unavailable or an upload
fails. Restore the connection and click **Move Now**, or wait for the next
check. **Cancel** stops the current automatic batch; confirmed external copies
are kept, and an incomplete move can be retried. If verification succeeded but
local cleanup failed, Recordstead retries cleanup without uploading again.

**Your result:** eligible recordings move to the destination, while their
meetings, transcripts and summaries remain on this Mac. To remove local audio
instead, [change the recording-retention rule](https://docs.recordstead.app/your-data/recording-retention).