diff --git a/DESCRIPTION b/DESCRIPTION
index 40e8d371..44b8e8a3 100644
--- a/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/DESCRIPTION
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Package: Spectra
 Title: Spectra Infrastructure for Mass Spectrometry Data
-Version: 1.15.1
+Version: 1.15.2
 Description: The Spectra package defines an efficient infrastructure
    for storing and handling mass spectrometry spectra and functionality to
    subset, process, visualize and compare spectra data. It provides different
diff --git a/NAMESPACE b/NAMESPACE
index aef9e98e..269d2e35 100644
--- a/NAMESPACE
+++ b/NAMESPACE
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ exportMethods("centroided<-")
 exportMethods("collisionEnergy<-")
 exportMethods("dataOrigin<-")
 exportMethods("dataStorage<-")
+exportMethods("dataStorageBasePath<-")
 exportMethods("intensity<-")
 exportMethods("isolationWindowLowerMz<-")
 exportMethods("isolationWindowTargetMz<-")
@@ -78,6 +79,7 @@ exportMethods(containsMz)
 exportMethods(containsNeutralLoss)
 exportMethods(dataOrigin)
 exportMethods(dataStorage)
+exportMethods(dataStorageBasePath)
 exportMethods(dropNaSpectraVariables)
 exportMethods(entropy)
 exportMethods(export)
@@ -157,6 +159,7 @@ importFrom(MsCoreUtils,coefMA)
 importFrom(MsCoreUtils,coefSG)
 importFrom(MsCoreUtils,coefWMA)
 importFrom(MsCoreUtils,common)
+importFrom(MsCoreUtils,common_path)
 importFrom(MsCoreUtils,entropy)
 importFrom(MsCoreUtils,group)
 importFrom(MsCoreUtils,i2index)
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index f72e9681..2babe28f 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # Spectra 1.15
 
+## Changes in 1.15.2
+
+- Add `dataStorageDataPath()` and `dataStorageDataPath<-` methods to allow
+  updating/adapting the path of the data storage files of backends supporting
+  that [issue #321](https://github.com/rformassspectrometry/Spectra/issues/321).
+
 ## Changes in 1.15.1
 
 - Improve documentation for `combineSpectra()` and `combinePeaks()` [issue
diff --git a/R/AllGenerics.R b/R/AllGenerics.R
index f68500ad..0b69bdaf 100644
--- a/R/AllGenerics.R
+++ b/R/AllGenerics.R
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ setGeneric("containsMz", function(object, ...)
 #' @rdname hidden_aliases
 setGeneric("containsNeutralLoss", function(object, ...)
     standardGeneric("containsNeutralLoss"))
+setGeneric("dataStorageBasePath", function(object, ...)
+    standardGeneric("dataStorageBasePath"))
+setGeneric("dataStorageBasePath<-", function(object, ..., value)
+    standardGeneric("dataStorageBasePath<-"))
 #' @rdname hidden_aliases
 setGeneric("dropNaSpectraVariables", function(object, ...)
     standardGeneric("dropNaSpectraVariables"))
diff --git a/R/MsBackend.R b/R/MsBackend.R
index 9528c628..dc73ee5f 100644
--- a/R/MsBackend.R
+++ b/R/MsBackend.R
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@
 #' @aliases backendInitialize
 #' @aliases backendParallelFactor,MsBackendMzR-method
 #' @aliases backendParallelFactor,MsBackendHdf5Peaks-method
+#' @aliases dataStorageBasePath
+#' @aliases dataStorageBasePath,MsBackendMzR-method
+#' @aliases dataStorageBasePath<-
+#' @aliases dataStorageBasePath<-,MsBackendMzR-method
 #'
 #' @description
 #'
@@ -280,6 +284,16 @@
 #'   spectra in `object` with the data storage of each spectrum. Note that
 #'   missing values (`NA_character_`) are not supported for `dataStorage`.
 #'
+#' - `dataStorageBasePath()`, `dataStorageBasePath<-: gets or sets the common
+#'   *base* path of the directory containing all data files. If supported,
+#'   the function is expected to return (or accept) a `character` of length 1.
+#'   Most backends (such as for example the `MsBackendMemory` will not support
+#'   this function and `dataStorageBasePath()` will return `NA_character_`.
+#'   For `MsBackendMzR`, this function allows to get or change the path to the
+#'   directory containing the original data files, which is required if e.g.
+#'   a serialized `MsBackendMzR` instance gets copied to another computer or
+#'   file system.
+#'
 #' - `dropNaSpectraVariables()`: removes spectra variables (i.e. columns in the
 #'   object's `spectraData` that contain only missing values (`NA`). Note that
 #'   while columns with only `NA`s are removed, a `spectraData()` call after
@@ -1711,3 +1725,20 @@ setReplaceMethod("[[", "MsBackend", function(x, i, j, ..., value) {
 setMethod("uniqueMsLevels", "MsBackend", function(object, ...) {
     unique(msLevel(object))
 })
+
+#' @exportMethod dataStorageBasePath
+#'
+#' @rdname MsBackend
+setMethod("dataStorageBasePath", "MsBackend", function(object) {
+    NA_character_
+})
+
+#' @exportMethod dataStorageBasePath<-
+#'
+#' @rdname MsBackend
+setReplaceMethod(
+    "dataStorageBasePath", "MsBackend", function(object, value) {
+        warning(class(object)[1L], " does not support changing",
+                " 'dataStorageBasePath'.")
+        object
+    })
diff --git a/R/MsBackendMzR.R b/R/MsBackendMzR.R
index 74b00308..7cadc0d5 100644
--- a/R/MsBackendMzR.R
+++ b/R/MsBackendMzR.R
@@ -214,3 +214,21 @@ setMethod("export", "MsBackendMzR", function(object, x, file = tempfile(),
 setMethod("backendParallelFactor", "MsBackendMzR", function(object) {
     factor(dataStorage(object), levels = unique(dataStorage(object)))
 })
+
+#' @importFrom MsCoreUtils common_path
+setMethod("dataStorageBasePath", "MsBackendMzR", function(object) {
+    common_path(dataStorage(object))
+})
+
+setReplaceMethod(
+    "dataStorageBasePath", "MsBackendMzR", function(object, value) {
+        ds <- dataStorage(object)
+        ds <- gsub("\\", "/", ds, fixed = TRUE)
+        value <- gsub("\\", "/", value, fixed = TRUE)
+        cp <- common_path(ds)
+        ds <- sub(cp, value, ds, fixed = TRUE)
+        if (!all(file.exists(unique(ds))))
+            stop("Provided path does not contain all data files.")
+        dataStorage(object) <- normalizePath(ds)
+        object
+    })
diff --git a/R/Spectra.R b/R/Spectra.R
index 690a8fd5..cf212594 100644
--- a/R/Spectra.R
+++ b/R/Spectra.R
@@ -136,6 +136,15 @@ NULL
 #' - `...`: additional parameters specific for the `MsBackend` passed with
 #'   parameter `backend`.
 #'
+#' The `dataStorageBasePath()` and `dataStorageBasePath<-` functions allow, for
+#' backend classes that support this operation, to get or change the *base*
+#' path to the directory where the backend stores the data. In-memory backends
+#' such as [MsBackendMemory] or [MsBackendDataFrame] keeping all MS data in
+#' memory don't support, and need, this function, but for [MsBackendMzR] this
+#' function can be used to update/adapt the path to the directory containing
+#' the original data files. Thus, for `Spectra` objects (using this backend)
+#' that were moved to another file system or computer, these functions allow to
+#' adjust/adapt the base file path.
 #'
 #' @section Accessing spectra data:
 #'
@@ -2811,3 +2820,14 @@ setMethod("entropy", "Spectra", function(object, normalized = TRUE) {
 setMethod("entropy", "ANY", function(object, ...) {
     MsCoreUtils::entropy(object)
 })
+
+#' @rdname Spectra
+setMethod("dataStorageBasePath", "Spectra", function(object) {
+    dataStorageBasePath(object@backend)
+})
+
+#' @rdname Spectra
+setReplaceMethod("dataStorageBasePath", "Spectra", function(object, value) {
+    dataStorageBasePath(object@backend) <- value
+    object
+})
diff --git a/man/MsBackend.Rd b/man/MsBackend.Rd
index 1ee1d331..2e9292e9 100644
--- a/man/MsBackend.Rd
+++ b/man/MsBackend.Rd
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@
 \alias{backendInitialize}
 \alias{backendParallelFactor,MsBackendMzR-method}
 \alias{backendParallelFactor,MsBackendHdf5Peaks-method}
+\alias{dataStorageBasePath}
+\alias{dataStorageBasePath,MsBackendMzR-method}
+\alias{dataStorageBasePath<-}
+\alias{dataStorageBasePath<-,MsBackendMzR-method}
 \alias{backendBpparam,MsBackend-method}
 \alias{backendInitialize,MsBackend-method}
 \alias{backendMerge,list-method}
@@ -93,6 +97,8 @@
 \alias{$<-,MsBackend-method}
 \alias{[[,MsBackend-method}
 \alias{[[<-,MsBackend-method}
+\alias{dataStorageBasePath,MsBackend-method}
+\alias{dataStorageBasePath<-,MsBackend-method}
 \alias{MsBackendDataFrame}
 \alias{backendInitialize,MsBackendDataFrame-method}
 \alias{MsBackendHdf5Peaks}
@@ -269,6 +275,10 @@
 
 \S4method{uniqueMsLevels}{MsBackend}(object, ...)
 
+\S4method{dataStorageBasePath}{MsBackend}(object)
+
+\S4method{dataStorageBasePath}{MsBackend}(object) <- value
+
 MsBackendDataFrame()
 
 \S4method{backendInitialize}{MsBackendDataFrame}(object, data, peaksVariables = c("mz", "intensity"), ...)
@@ -559,6 +569,8 @@ e.g. be the mzML file from which the data was read.
 \item \code{dataStorage()}: gets a \code{character} of length equal to the number of
 spectra in \code{object} with the data storage of each spectrum. Note that
 missing values (\code{NA_character_}) are not supported for \code{dataStorage}.
+\item \code{dataStorageBasePath()}, \verb{dataStorageBasePath<-: gets or sets the common *base* path of the directory containing all data files. If supported, the function is expected to return (or accept) a }character\verb{of length 1. Most backends (such as for example the}MsBackendMemory\verb{will not support this function and}dataStorageBasePath()\verb{will return}NA_character_\verb{. For }MsBackendMzR\verb{, this function allows to get or change the path to the directory containing the original data files, which is required if e.g. a serialized }MsBackendMzR` instance gets copied to another computer or
+file system.
 \item \code{dropNaSpectraVariables()}: removes spectra variables (i.e. columns in the
 object's \code{spectraData} that contain only missing values (\code{NA}). Note that
 while columns with only \code{NA}s are removed, a \code{spectraData()} call after
diff --git a/man/Spectra.Rd b/man/Spectra.Rd
index 4ff4f5ed..399b8262 100644
--- a/man/Spectra.Rd
+++ b/man/Spectra.Rd
@@ -108,6 +108,8 @@
 \alias{combinePeaks,Spectra-method}
 \alias{entropy,Spectra-method}
 \alias{entropy,ANY-method}
+\alias{dataStorageBasePath,Spectra-method}
+\alias{dataStorageBasePath<-,Spectra-method}
 \title{The Spectra class to manage and access MS data}
 \usage{
 applyProcessing(
@@ -504,6 +506,10 @@ coreSpectraVariables()
 \S4method{entropy}{Spectra}(object, normalized = TRUE)
 
 \S4method{entropy}{ANY}(object, ...)
+
+\S4method{dataStorageBasePath}{Spectra}(object)
+
+\S4method{dataStorageBasePath}{Spectra}(object) <- value
 }
 \arguments{
 \item{object}{For \code{Spectra()}: either a \code{DataFrame} or \code{missing}. See
@@ -952,6 +958,16 @@ of the data (i.e. which has a defined \code{export} method).
 \item \code{...}: additional parameters specific for the \code{MsBackend} passed with
 parameter \code{backend}.
 }
+
+The \code{dataStorageBasePath()} and \verb{dataStorageBasePath<-} functions allow, for
+backend classes that support this operation, to get or change the \emph{base}
+path to the directory where the backend stores the data. In-memory backends
+such as \link{MsBackendMemory} or \link{MsBackendDataFrame} keeping all MS data in
+memory don't support, and need, this function, but for \link{MsBackendMzR} this
+function can be used to update/adapt the path to the directory containing
+the original data files. Thus, for \code{Spectra} objects (using this backend)
+that were moved to another file system or computer, these functions allow to
+adjust/adapt the base file path.
 }
 
 \section{Accessing spectra data}{
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test_MsBackend.R b/tests/testthat/test_MsBackend.R
index 3d3f7e28..d80bd757 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test_MsBackend.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test_MsBackend.R
@@ -75,3 +75,9 @@ test_that("backendBpparam,MsBackend works", {
 test_that("backendParallelFactor,MsBackend works", {
     expect_equal(backendParallelFactor(MsBackendMemory()), factor())
 })
+
+test_that("dataStorageBasePath,MsExperiment works", {
+    expect_identical(dataStorageBasePath(MsBackendMemory()), NA_character_)
+    tmp <- MsBackendMemory()
+    expect_warning(dataStorageBasePath(tmp) <- "/", "not support")
+})
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test_MsBackendMzR.R b/tests/testthat/test_MsBackendMzR.R
index ff891738..dee66253 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test_MsBackendMzR.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test_MsBackendMzR.R
@@ -570,3 +570,19 @@ test_that("backendParallelFactor,MsBackendMzR", {
                  factor(dataStorage(sciex_mzr),
                         levels = unique(dataStorage(sciex_mzr))))
 })
+
+test_that("dataStorageBasePath,dataStorageBasePath<-,MsBackendMzR works", {
+    tmpd <- normalizePath(tempdir())
+    file.copy(sciex_file, tmpd)
+
+    expect_equal(dataStorageBasePath(sciex_mzr),
+                 MsCoreUtils::common_path(sciex_file))
+    tmp <- sciex_mzr
+    dataStorageBasePath(tmp) <- tmpd
+    expect_true(validObject(tmp))
+    bp <- normalizePath(dataStorageBasePath(tmp))
+    expect_equal(bp, tmpd)
+
+    #' errors
+    expect_error(dataStorageBasePath(tmp) <- "some path", "Provided path")
+})
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test_Spectra.R b/tests/testthat/test_Spectra.R
index 3f8090fc..b0cda2ca 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test_Spectra.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test_Spectra.R
@@ -1891,4 +1891,20 @@ test_that("entropy,Spectra works", {
   expect_identical(res, vapply(df$intensity, MsCoreUtils::entropy, numeric(1)))
 })
 
+test_that("dataStorageBasePath,dataStorageBasePath<-,MsBackendMzR works", {
+    tmpd <- normalizePath(tempdir())
+    file.copy(sciex_file, tmpd)
 
+    tmp <- Spectra(sciex_mzr)
+    expect_equal(dataStorageBasePath(tmp),
+                 MsCoreUtils::common_path(sciex_file))
+    tmp <- sciex_mzr
+    tmp <- Spectra(tmp)
+    dataStorageBasePath(tmp) <- tmpd
+    expect_true(validObject(tmp@backend))
+    bp <- normalizePath(dataStorageBasePath(tmp))
+    expect_equal(bp, tmpd)
+
+    #' errors
+    expect_error(dataStorageBasePath(tmp) <- "some path", "Provided path")
+})
diff --git a/vignettes/Spectra.Rmd b/vignettes/Spectra.Rmd
index 753d2bb9..4fbbb95d 100644
--- a/vignettes/Spectra.Rmd
+++ b/vignettes/Spectra.Rmd
@@ -1287,6 +1287,60 @@ a `lengths(sps)` call, the number of peaks per spectra could also be determined
 5000L)`. In that way only peak data of 5000 spectra at a time will be loaded
 into memory.
 
+
+# Serializing (saving), moving and loading serialized `Spectra` objects
+
+Serializing and re-loading variables/objects during an analysis using e.g. the
+`save()` and `load()` functions are common in many workflows, especially if some
+of the tasks are computationally intensive and take long time. Sometimes such
+serialized objects might even be moved from one computer (or file system) to
+another. These operations are unproblematic for `Spectra` objects with
+*in-memory* backends such as the `MsBackendMemory` or `MsBackendDataFrame`, that
+keep all data in memory, would however break for *on-disk* backends such as the
+`MsBackendMzR` if the file path to the original data files is not identical. It
+is thus suggested (if the size of the MS data respectively the available system
+memory allows it) to change the backend for such `Spectra` objects to a
+`MsBackendMemory` before serializing the object with `save()`. For `Spectra`
+objects with a `MsBackendMzR` an alternative option would be to eventually
+update/adapt the path to the directory containing the raw (e.g. mzML) data
+files: assuming these data files are available on both computers, the path to
+the directory containing these can be updated with the `dataStorageBasePath<-`
+function allowing thus to move/copy serialized `Spectra` objects between
+computers or file systems.
+
+An example workflow could be:
+
+files *a.mzML*, *b.mzML* are stored in a directory */data/mzML/* on one
+computer. These get loaded as a `Spectra` object with `MsBackendMzR` and then
+serialized to a file *A.RData*.
+
+```{r, eval = FALSE}
+A <- Spectra(c("/data/mzML/a.mzML", "/data/mzML/b.mzML"))
+save(A, file = "A.RData")
+```
+
+Assuming this file gets now copied to another computer (where the data is not
+available in a folder */data/mzML/*) and loaded with `load()`.
+
+```{r, eval = FALSE}
+load("A.RData")
+```
+
+This `Spectra` object would not be valid because its `MsBackendMzR` can no
+longer access the MS data in the original data files. Assuming the user also
+copied the data files *a.mzML* and *b.mzML*, but to a folder
+*/some_other_folder/*, the base storage path of the object would need to be
+adapted to match the directory where the data files are available on the second
+computer:
+
+```{r, eval = FALSE}
+dataStorageBasePath(A) <- "/some_other_folder"
+```
+
+By pointing now the storage path to the new storage location of the data files,
+the `Spectra` object `A` would also be usable on the second computer.
+
+
 # Session information
 
 ```{r si}