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How to create a macOS Time Machine backup

Introduction

Time Machine is data recovery tool built into macOS that is handy for backing up and restoring important files. This guide will show you how to enable Time Machine and save a backup of your Mac computer to another storage drive. To follow this guide, you will need an external storage drive—preferably one with more storage than the amount you are currently using on your internal drive.

Time Machine was first introduced with macOS 10.5 Leopard in 2007 and has been included in every version of the OS since. This guide will illustrate a backup using macOS 10.14 Mojave, but the process is similar across macOS versions.

  1. How to create a macOS Time Machine backup, How to create a macOS Time Machine backup: step 1, image 1 of 2 How to create a macOS Time Machine backup, How to create a macOS Time Machine backup: step 1, image 2 of 2

    • Open the Time Machine preferences menu, located toward the bottom of your System Preferences pane.

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  2. How to create a macOS Time Machine backup: step 2, image 1 of 2 How to create a macOS Time Machine backup: step 2, image 2 of 2

    • Before you select a backup disk, use the Options menu to exclude any folders you don't want in your backup.

    • Use the + and – buttons to add or remove folders from the exclusion list.

    • The Options menu is also home to a couple other settings:

    • If your machine is a laptop, you can check the first box to allow the computer to back up while it is using battery power (not plugged in).

    • Check the second box if you want a notification whenever Time Machine automatically deletes a backup to save space.

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  4. How to create a macOS Time Machine backup: step 3, image 1 of 2 How to create a macOS Time Machine backup: step 3, image 2 of 2

    • If your external drive isn't already connected to your computer, connect it now.

    • Click the Select Backup Disk button and select your external drive.

    • The selector should list any storage drives connected to your computer. If you don't see the drive you want, make sure it shows up in Finder, and try disconnecting and reconnecting it.

    • Unless the storage drive you selected is already being used as a Time Machine backup, Time Machine will erase everything on it before creating the first backup.

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  5. How to create a macOS Time Machine backup: step 4, image 1 of 1

    • If you want Time Machine to automatically make future backups, check the box on the left side of the settings pane labeled Back Up Automatically.

    • If your backup drive is already configured for Time Machine, this box may be checked automatically after you select the disk.

    • If you select Back Up Automatically, Time Machine will make backups once an hour, and keep backups as follows:

    • Hourly for 24 hours

    • Daily for the past month

    • Weekly for all previous months

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  6. How to create a macOS Time Machine backup: step 5, image 1 of 2 How to create a macOS Time Machine backup: step 5, image 2 of 2

    • To manually start a backup, first check the box labeled Show Time Machine in menu bar.

    • Then click the new Time Machine icon in the menu bar, and select Back Up Now.

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  7. How to create a macOS Time Machine backup: step 6, image 1 of 3 How to create a macOS Time Machine backup: step 6, image 2 of 3 How to create a macOS Time Machine backup: step 6, image 3 of 3

    • Before the backup begins, Time Machine will configure the drive you have selected (if necessary), and prepare the files on your main drive to be backed up.

    • You can monitor the backup's progress in the Time Machine preferences pane of System Preferences.

    • You may continue using your Mac while the backup is running. The backup will continue even if you close the Time Machine preferences window.

    • The first backup could take a significant amount of time, depending on how much of your data you chose to exclude and the speed of your backup drive. Subsequent backups will be shorter.

    • When the backup is finished, a Backup Complete notification will appear on the upper-right side of the screen.

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Conclusion

Once your backup is finished, you’re done! Rest easy and know that you’ve got some protection, should you ever need it.

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Taylor Dixon

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4 Comments

Hi, will the Time Machine also backup the MacOS?

Alex Yap - Reply

Bonjour, j’ai un disque dur occupé à hauteur de 247Go et la sauvegarde Time Machine s’est arrêtée à 40Go environ sans qu’il y ait de notifications dans le coin droit comme indiqué…

J’ai l’impression qu’il en manque donc comment être sûr que cela a bien fonctionné ?

Victor Cabrera - Reply

TimeMachine will not backup the OS. You restore a TimeMachine backup to a drive AFTER installing a MacOS on the new drive. If you want to Restore an OLDER … (non-current) version of MacOS (like Mojave) you need to create a make a MacOS USB Installer ThumbDrive while the OS is still current.

Jason Ball - Reply

How do you clone a failing Time Machine back up? This is a timely question.

Chris Leeds - Reply

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