how do i use time machine to backup my mac

to choose a disk for Time Machine backups. Step 2: Click the Apple logo > System Preferences, then select the Time Machine app. Step 1: Connect an external hard drive such as SSD, HDD, USB flash drive, etc., to your Mac. A NAS ( network-attached storage) device that supports the SMB (Server message block) protocol.An external hard drive directly connected to a USB or Thunderbolt port on your Mac.If you need the drive to store other files, you can add a partition to it.ĭrives you can use with Time Machine on Mac are as follows: Time Machine will use up all the space on the drive to store the backups by default. If you are running macOS Big Sur or later, choose APFS as the format.If you are running macOS Catalina or earlier, choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled) as the format.If you are using an old disk with a Windows file system such as NTFS, exFAT, or FAT32, backup the important data first, then format the external hard drive on Mac with Disk Utility. If the drive you use for Time Machine backups is full, Time Machine will delete the oldest backups to make space.īefore using Time Machine, you should prepare a new or clean external hard drive of 2 to 4 times the size of the data you need to backup. When Apple Time Machine is on, it saves hourly backups for the past day, daily backups for the past month, and weekly backups for data older than a month. FAQ about how to use Time Machine on MacĪpple Time Machine is a built-in app in macOS to backup everything on your Mac by creating images or snapshots so that you can restore a specific file or the whole system when needed. How to restore files from Time Machine to another Mac? Here, you will know how to use Time Machine to back up and restore your Mac. It is reliable and easy to use, a solid choice for the majority of Mac users. Mac Time Machine is Apple's solution for you. The best way to avoid data loss is to keep your Mac backed up so that you have a place to restore your Mac after an accidental deletion or system crash.

How do i use time machine to backup my mac