Adobe Photoshop is a widely used tool that is highly valued by both professionals and hobbyists. However, its large storage requirements can present a significant obstacle, particularly for those who are using devices with limited internal storage. But what if we said that it could be possible to overcome this issue by utilizing an external hard drive? Let’s take a closer look and explore how this can be done.
How Does Running Photoshop from an External Drive Work?
When you run Photoshop from an external hard drive, the application itself is installed on the external hard drive. This means that while the app will still use some resources from your computer when running, the bulk of the data storage (including the application files and your projects) resides in the external hard drive. This can help you save a significant amount of space on your computer’s internal storage.
How to Install Adobe Photoshop on an External Hard Drive
Now let’s get to the most important part: How can you install Adobe Photoshop on your external hard drive? Here’s a step-by-step guide.
- Connect your external hard drive to your computer.
- Download the Adobe Photoshop installer from the Adobe website.
- Open the installer and follow the prompts until you reach the ‘Choose install location’ screen.
At this point, instead of opting for the default location on your computer’s internal drive, you’ll want to change it to your external drive. To do this, click on Change install location and then navigate to your external drive.
Let’s assume your external drive’s letter is E. Here’s what you should enter in the install location field:
E:\Adobe Photoshop
Once you’ve entered the correct location, continue with the installation process. Adobe Photoshop will now be installed on your external hard drive.
Running Photoshop from an External Hard Drive
To run Photoshop from your external hard drive, simply connect the drive to your computer, navigate to the Adobe Photoshop folder you created on your external drive, and click on the Photoshop application.
Things to Bear in Mind
While this method can save you a great deal of internal space, it also has a few limitations. Your external hard drive should be fast enough to ensure the smooth running of the application. A USB 3.0 or higher connection is recommended. Also, you will need to have the drive connected to your computer anytime you want to use Photoshop.
Enjoy creating, designing, and editing on Adobe Photoshop without having to worry about space constraints!
