Back up your Mac with Time Machine

Time Machine is Apple's built-in backup software that automatically makes copies of all your files.

What do you need?

  • External hard drive or SSD
  • Network Attached Storage (NAS)
  • Or an Apple Time Capsule

Setting up Time Machine

Step 1: Connect your external drive

Connect your external hard drive to your Mac.

Step 2: Open System Settings

Go to Apple menu > System Settings > General > Time Machine.

Step 3: Select your backup disk

Click Add Backup Disk and select your drive.

Step 4: Wait for the first backup

The first backup can take several hours.

Restoring files

  1. Open a Finder window
  2. Click the Time Machine icon in the menu bar
  3. Choose Browse Time Machine Backups
  4. Find the file and click Restore

Tips

  • Encrypt your backups
  • Exclude unimportant folders
  • Check your backups regularly

FAQ

How often does Time Machine make a backup?

Automatically every hour when your backup disk is connected.

How much storage space do I need?

At least twice the capacity of your Mac.

Can I back up multiple Macs to the same drive?

Yes, Time Machine supports multiple Macs.

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