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Packages and Local Storage

Understand what a .studio package contains, where project media lives, and how to protect your work.

What a project package is

A Studio project is a .studio package. Finder displays it as one file, but it contains the files and records Studio needs to reopen your creative project.

Keeping the project self-contained makes it easier to move, back up, and share without collecting files from several unrelated folders.

What the package contains

A project package can contain:

Imported images, video, audio, and scripts.
Generated image, video, and audio takes.
Timeline clips, timing, captions, and overlays.
Cast, Locations, Props, Style, Visual Assets, and Scene Cards.
Prompts, provider job records, selected models, and generation settings.
Provider Profiles, project defaults, and quality-review records.
Export review files stored inside the project.

Studio copies imported media into the package. After import, the project does not need the original file to remain at its old Finder location.

What stays outside the package

Provider API keys are not stored in .studio packages. Studio keeps them in your Mac's Keychain.

Sharing a project gives the recipient the project content, but not your provider credentials. They must add their own provider keys before starting new generation or transcription jobs.

Finished MP4 files are written to the location you choose in the export save panel. They are not automatically required for the project to reopen.

Find a package

Choose Project > Reveal Project in Finder to locate the current package.

Use this action before moving, duplicating, backing up, or sharing a project so you know you have selected the correct file.

Move a package

Close the project, then move the complete .studio package in Finder. Reopen it with File > Open Project... from its new location.

After moving a project between drives or Macs, choose Project > Validate Package to check its folders and asset references.

Back up your work

Duplicate the entire .studio package in Finder or include it in your normal Mac backup. For milestone copies, add a date or version to the duplicate's name.

Back up before major timeline changes, large generation sessions, or sharing a package with another person.

Send the complete .studio package. The recipient can open the project, review its media and history, and continue editing.

Before sharing, remember that the package can include prompts, reference media, generated takes, captions, Elements, and provider job records.

Tips

Keep the package intact rather than copying individual files from inside it.
Validate after moving or restoring a package.
Use dated duplicates for important milestones.
Export a finished MP4 separately when someone only needs the final video.

Watch out for

Editing or deleting internal package files in Finder can damage the project.
Deleting the .studio package deletes the local project unless another backup exists.
Cloud and external-drive copies are only available when their storage location is mounted and fully downloaded.