How to Back Up Your Mac with Time Machine

Time Machine is Apple's free built-in backup tool. Set it up once and it automatically backs up your Mac every hour.

In this guide (5 steps):

1.Get an external drive for backups
2.Connect the drive and set up Time Machine
3.Let the first backup run
4.Restore a lost file from your backup
5.Know your options if your Mac needs to be replaced

Get an external drive for backups

~30s

You will need an external hard drive or SSD (solid state drive) with at least as much storage as your Mac has — ideally twice as much. A 1 terabyte (TB) drive is plenty for most people and costs around $40 to $60 at electronics stores or on Amazon. Look for one that connects with USB or USB-C, which is the type of port on newer Macs.

Quick Tip

If you are not sure how much storage your Mac has, click the Apple logo in the top left corner, then "About This Mac," then "Storage."

Connect the drive and set up Time Machine

~23s

Plug your external drive into your Mac using the USB or USB-C cable. The drive should appear on your Desktop and in Finder. Then click the Apple logo in the top left corner, go to System Settings (or System Preferences on older Macs), and click "Time Machine." Click "Add Backup Disk" (or "Select Backup Disk"). Choose your external drive from the list and click "Set Up Disk."

Let the first backup run

~29s

Time Machine will start backing up your Mac right away. The first backup can take several hours if you have a lot of files — this is normal. Let it run and try not to unplug the drive while it is working. After the first backup is done, Time Machine will automatically back up any new or changed files every hour, and those smaller backups usually take only a few minutes.

Warning

Do not unplug the external drive while a backup is in progress. Wait until the backup finishes before disconnecting it.

Restore a lost file from your backup

~21s

If you accidentally delete a file or need an older version of something, connect your backup drive and open Time Machine from the menu bar (look for a small clock icon with an arrow around it). A timeline appears on the right side of the screen. Navigate back in time to find the file you need, select it, and click "Restore."

Know your options if your Mac needs to be replaced

~36s

If your Mac breaks down or you get a new one, you can restore everything from your Time Machine backup. During the setup of your new Mac, choose "Restore from Time Machine Backup" when prompted. Connect your backup drive and follow the steps. All your files, apps, and settings will be transferred to the new Mac. As an extra safety net, consider also turning on iCloud Drive in System Settings — it syncs your Desktop and Documents folders to Apple's online storage automatically.

Quick Tip

iCloud Drive is not a full replacement for Time Machine, but having both gives you two layers of protection for your most important files.

You Did It!

You've completed: How to Back Up Your Mac with Time Machine

Need more help? Get Expert Help from a TekSure Tech

Rate this guide

How helpful was this guide?

mac

backup

time-machine

safety

intermediate