Make sure your hard drive is properly formatted. Open up finder, and on the left-hand side of the window you will see iCloud. You can easily drag folders, including apps, into the iCloud tab and they will automatically sync to your account. Apple recommends connecting your hard drive directly to your Mac with a USB, Thunderbolt or FireWire port connection, rather than using an adapter (USB to Thunderbolt, for example). These files quickly add up in size and take up unnecessary storage space.
The physical size of the drive depends on the amount of storage you choose. Partially, it was due to the fast SSD inside and partially due to the USB-C connector. And after going through the school of hard knocks, I realized how important it is to pick a write hard drive for Time Machine.
There are plenty of choices, too, with compact, portable hard drives designed for use with laptops, and desktop drives with very larger capacities if you really need a lot of storage. So if youre thinking about whether you should backup your Mac, the answer is yes, you should. Its best to use with iMac or Mac mini. You even have the option of popping open the front panel to swap out the standard hard drive and insert a new drive to provide an instant upgrade. Time Machine keeps local snapshots, hourly snapshots for the last 24 hours, daily, and weekly snapshots as storage permits. These ports are only for charging, though, so you cant use the D10 as a dock for connecting peripherals such as a printer or memory stick.Cliff Joseph. I tried multiple external hard drives, and I believe I know a thing or two about the process and type of hardware that works best with the Time Machine. Rugged drives usually have some form of rubber coating that soaks up impact forces, and a toughened enclosure that wont dent, crack or collapse under any normal amount of pressure. Subscribe to the Macworld Digital Magazine. USB-C and USB-A cables are included in the box, so itll work with older Macs that dont have USB-C without needing an adapter. The upside, however, is that each bit of information is stored twice to improved redundancy. It is much slower than other (commercial) backup solutions because it runs in the background, so it doesnt impact any programs you are using at the time the backup process runs. It doesnt matter how fast the disk is, how sleek it looks, or how good the discount was on Amazon. Backing up your Mac ensures you dont lose your files.
After encrypting your disk, you will return to the main window inside Time Machine. Its the copy of the data I have salvaged from my old computer and I had to hand transfer it all over and Im nervous about loosing it. Lets start with the following fact: My Passport supports Hard drive storage is relatively cheap. You just need to know how to prepare the drive for Macworld is your best source for all things Apple. If I rename my boot drive after the initial Time Machine backup, will I have to start over? How to Backup a Mac to an External Hard Drive in 2022. The My Passport starts at just $79.99/49.99 for 1TB storage, going up to $189/119.99 for 5TB, so its a really affordable backup option if youre on a tight budget. Buffalo LinkStation 220 is a good compromise between functionality, storage capacity and price. There are several alternatives out there that offer different features than Time Machine that some users may find attractive. Unfortunately, with such configuration data transfer speed suffers because the adapter becomes a bottleneck. It comes with two cables, and depending on which However, almost all drives can be used with Macs as long as One of the biggest complaints about Time Machine is the fact that it is slow. These network-attached storage drives connect to your home Wi-Fi to share their data with other devices in your home. It comes with both USB 3.0 and USB-C cables, so you can use it with older and newer Macs for your backups. Its equipped with only an old USB A interface (even though it is USB 3.2) perhaps to provide compatibility with older games consoles, so youll need an adapter if your Mac only has USB-C. Its 7,200-rpm drive provides very good performance, reaching read and write speeds of 245MBps and 240MBps, respectively. The tool gets to many of the files you cant see such as cache files, language files and system log files. However, there are no automated backups with disk utility, and many users believe its not as reliable as Time Machine. If Amazon is your choice when it comes to purchasing anything online, be aware that not all user reviews are real.
The read and write speed of T7 is almost double of corresponding values of older model T5: up to 1000 MB/s for both reads and writes. To begin formatting, ensure your external drive is connected to your Mac. If youd rather not pay the up-front cost of an external hard drive, or dont like the idea of carrying it around, there are alternative ways to backup your Mac. This means if you dont have enough space, your ability to go back will be limited. So many times, Ive seen several thousands of 5-star reviews on no name devices, and at the same time, good devices get a couple of hundreds of reviews, and the average is 3.5. Shock protection is the most important kind for a hard drive, as unlike an SSD they have moving parts that can be permanently damaged following a drop. Theres also a version of the 1big Dock available that uses faster solid-state storage tooof course, its quite a bit more expensive.Cliff Joseph. You can always recognize them by their orange cover. Hi, I am Al. You can reach me at al@macmyths.com. To use Time Machine, youll need to attach an external hard drive to your Mac (check out our list of the best external hard drives). It will save both time and space when doing manual or automatic backups, as well as when you restore your Mac files. Even so, that performance will be fine for routine backups, and the encryption option will be really useful if you want to make sure that your private data stays private even if the drive is lost or stolen.Cliff Joseph. The Mobile Drives that are 4TB or more are 4.93.60.8 inches (12491.220 millimeters) and weigh 0.9 pounds (400 grams) and they could give someone a serious concussion if you whacked them over the head with it. If the drive fails when you need it, then its not worth even a penny. Let us know in the comments below. We are independently owned and the opinions expressed here are our own. It even allows you to customize the lighting and colors emitted from the drives front panel. While few are rated IP68 like aniPhone 11 Pro, meaning they can be submerged in water without damage, several can handle rain or water jets/splashes. deal. You will receive a notification in the top right-hand corner of your desktop when your backup has finished. Carbonite (read our Carbonite review or check out Carbonites website here) is another fantastic option, especially when it comes to restoring your Mac. How can these files be backed up on an external drive if they have to go through this process first? However, we need to be practical, because extra bytes come with extra price. The Ultra Touch includes the same ToolKit app that is used with the LaCie Mobile Drive. Thank you for going through each step clearly. Backing up all your content on macOS is relatively simple, and because Time Machine comes preinstalled, getting started takes no time at all. Samsung T7 is backed by a 3-year limited warranty. Theres a handful of steps youll need to go through to do this. On the left-hand side of the storage window, your files are broken down into different categories, including documents, music, photos, messages and mail. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Time Machine will automatically backup your Mac and notify you how much time it will take to complete. We test each product thoroughly and give high marks to only the very best. Time Machine is a built-in application for macOS that allows you to backup files such as documents, photos, and apps. The minimum size for a Time Machine backup drive should be at least twice the size of the Mac primary storage. second-generation 3.0. You will see the option to encrypt backups. We recommend selecting this option as it adds further security for your files and keeps them safe from unwanted third parties gaining access to them. Its a little bigger than a matchbox and weighs just 2 oz. Walked me through very simply and now I am using Time Machine for my back-ups. Services like Backblaze (read our Backblaze review or check out Backblazes website here) offer automatic backups, unlimited storage space and best-in-class encryption to ensure your files remain private and secure. While it does not have SSDs inside, it contains fast enterprise-grade hard disks (7200 rpm). Upgrades to 2TB, 3TB, and even 4TB are also cost-effectivethe price per megabyte goes down the higher the capacity, so making the bump up to the next model is a good idea. If you opted to encrypt your backup, you will be asked to create a password. Apple helps users manage their storage by offering smart recommendations for where they can clean up their clutter.
What disk format is best for Time Machine? produce quality hard drives: The second most important factor is storage capacity. If youre using an external hard drive that was previously formatted for a Windows PC or youre using it for the first time, you will need to format it to be compatible with macOS. The front of the drive also provides a standard USB 3.0 port and slots for both SD and CompactFlash (CF) memory cards, making it a great option for creative users who need to import files from cameras and other devices. The max speed for USB-C is 40.0 Gbit/s, four times faster than they have proper connectors. (excluding physical) to my Macs because, after each test, I restored the last Any folder that is mirrored is automatically backed up and updated as soon as you make any changes to any file within that folder. I was able to run the Virtual Box image directly from Samsung T7. This means you are unable to duplicate your hard drive and easily use it to boot up your system and all its contents, without going through the full process of restoring your files. Its not just for gaming, of course, and its available with 1TB, 2TB or 5TB of storage, so it provides plenty of room for all your music, photos, videos, and work files. Additionally, Samsung T7 comes with fingerprint security, not available in other comparable drives. Let us know if you liked the post. Ideally, you want as much storage as you can get. If you are looking for the ultimate speed champion, than check X5. The transfer speed of USB 3.0 is limited to 10.0 Gbit/s max. If you think youll be happy with a 1TB to 4TB hard drive, you can buy a portable drive. The lack of those extra features doesnt make Apples own backup solution a bad option. Cloudwards updated this article to include the Time Machine recovery process, how to back up without an external drive, and how to remove junk files. The diamond cut design simply refers to the exaggerated angular edges and corners; looks aside, the aluminum casing feels really sturdy. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If I have files that I am not going to use for a while, then instead of deleting them, I shove them to my Toshiba drive. Western Digitals My Passport drive provides plenty of portable storage at a competitive price. The best thing about My Passport for Mac is that it already preformatted for macOS.
Now that youre in the Time Machine window, you need to tap select backup disk. Here youll choose where you want to backup your Mac. This is like a wireless jukebox you can fill with videos, photos and music. Yes, price is important, but I want to reiterate the importance of reliability over the price. The USB port provides power to the drive, too, so you can use the FireCuda either as a desktop drive or as a portable drive with your laptop if you want to. My Passport is a little bigger than T7 and has the following dimensions: If you need a reliable external hard drive under $100, then And pick Mac OS Extended (Journaled) as Format choice. G-Tech has always focused on providing high-performance storage devices for creative users who work with lots of photos, video, and audio files, and the G-Drive USB-C is an affordable desktop drive that provides good performance and bucket-loads of storage space. The device is so small that it can fit in your shirt pocket. Note, however, this comes only with a USB-A cable, so if you have a new laptop with USB-C ports, you will need to buy an adapter as well. On the other hand, if you have a pre 2016 MacBook, then this is a good storage for Time Machine backups. Note that all information on the disk will be wiped out. Ive been using LaCie external hard drives for years and they always have been super reliable and crazy fast compared to other models. Unfortunately, not all backups I made were successful. Next, you will see your external hard drive at the top of the window. so my SanDisk is 1TB but Time Machine wont use it for backup as there is data previously stored on it that I dont want to erase. The connection is USB-C with a speed rating of 5Gbps (USB 3.1/Gen 1)plenty fast enough for any hard drive. It starts at $369/349.99 for a drive with 4TB storage, going up to $889/869.99 for 18TB, and its 7,200rpm IronWolf Pro hard drive provides strong performance with read and write speeds of 235MBps via its Thunderbolt 3 port. Theres also a new USB 4 standard that offers between 20Gbps and 40Gbps bandwidth that you will see alongside the newer Thunderbolt 4 standard, but note that USB 4 doesnt offer all the features of Thunderbolt. If you have purchased a new Mac or needed to reinstall macOS on your current computer, youll need to restore your files from a Time Machine backup. For most users, it offers what they need to backup their Mac. Theres also a model called My Passport For Mac that includes extra cables for both USB 3.0 and USB-C, and is pre-formatted in Apples HFS+ format, but thats slightly more expensive so its not essential unless youve got a bit of extra cash to spare.Cliff Joseph.
When it comes to performance LaCie external hard drive provides an ok data transfer speed up to 130MB/s thru the Thunderbolt cable. When Time Machine runs for the first time, it takes the full backup of data on the disk. To keep things in-house, you can also backup your Mac through the disk utility app. iDrive is one of the more popular backup solutions (read our iDrive review or check out the website here). Select launchpad, locate the other folder and then select migration assistant. Youll need to enter your system password to begin the process of restoring your backup. keep the old one). A few also have water resistance. Its clear that Thunderbolt is a better option than USB if you are looking for the best interface for your hard drive, but Thunderbolt options are likely to be more expensive than their USB counterparts. Youll get around 120MBps writing and 127MBps reading maximum (with large files) from the ArmorATD on your Mac. Its upper limit is 5TB. Performance is respectable enough, although the Ultra Plus wont win any awards for high-speed backups. Ever since Apple discontinued the AirPort Time Capsule, users were forced to use bulky external drives connecting with multiple cables. If you get anything from this article, I want to remind you that brands matter when reliability is the most important factor in choosing a backup drive. I finally get it. Do i need to keep each back up file or just the most recent? Do you have any questions about backing up your Apple computer? Some aspects of the design are a little odd. The next hard drive, G-Drive, is massive. One of the most known brands for NAS is Buffalo. My Mac only has 250 GB of flash storage but I have a larger iCloud capacity. Want a hard drive to use for Time Machine or to backup your Mac? Performance is good too, with the 4TB model recording read and write speeds of 170MBps with the BlackMagic Disk Test. So you can use the USB cable with the old MacBook, copy data on it and then plug it into a new MacBook with TouchBar and copy again. The Ultra Touch measures 4.53.10.5 inches (115x78x12 millimeters) and weighs 0.3 pounds (151 grams), so you can easily slip it into a jacket pocket or a bag when youre traveling. In the Time Machine window, select options. Tap the + sign, and from here you can choose which files you wish to exclude from the backup. In other words, the best size for Time Machine backup drive 4x to 8x of the size of the primary disk, when 2x is a minimum. While 5TB may sound big, some people may find it not adequate for their needs. Apologies if the question seems stupid.
Portable drives are usually bus-powered, too. To do it manually, go to the Apple menu, select about this Mac, tap storage and then click manage.. Backing up the contents of your Mac is simple. One of the ways to improve the time it takes to backup is getting a faster drive. Desktop units may have a built-in hub, letting you plug-in memory cards or peripherals using USB ports. You can buy a 4TB drive for less than $100, and in my opinion, its a great The drive warranty is for three years. If only an ultra-high capacity hard drive will do, consider a desktop unit. So, I want again to reiterate my top recommended products, so you can learn from my mistakes. Did not mention whether Mac needs to be connected to a power adapter when backing up to an external hard drive, which was what I was looking for. Thunderbolt 3 offers up to 40Gbps. The iCloud saved files usually have to open first before the files are seen. Light users may be fine with a 240GB hard drive, whereas heavy users may need something closer to 1TB. Because of this, the tech giant ships its computers with tools specifically designed to help you backup all your content.
If you have a newer Mac, then you need a USB-C hard drive, older ones support USB (2.0, 3.0, or 3.1) or Thunderbolt. This doesn't affect our editorial independence.
When you select it, you will move to the next window. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Dont forget your password, as without it you wont be able to access your backups. Here you can see your files broken down into separate sections such as large files, downloads and unsupported apps. Anything you see that you dont need, you can delete. For moderate users, 200GB ($2.99 per month) may be sufficient. It contains NVMe chip inside which clocks over 2800 MB/s data transfer speed, almost three times the speed of T7! The best external hard drive for Time Machine backups on Macs is Samsung T7 SSD Touch. The Armor ATD arrives formatted to exFAT so youre good to go out of the box under both Windows and macOS.
It does lack some features. Theyre available in two colors: Moon Silver and Space Gray that is intended to match the Mac. Read our best NAS drivesfeature for more. Searched several websites.
Youll get a cable in the box, but it will either terminate with a USB-A or USB-C shaped plug, as seen here: Unless you have an old Mac or MacBook that only offers the old USB-A port, youll will want the newer USB-C connector, which also doubles up as Thunderbolt.
The drives high capacity means that it requires an external power supply, but the USB-C port on the back of the drive also provides 45W pass-through power, so you can use it to charge a laptop without needing a separate power supply for the laptop as well. It will withstand minor abuse, more when off than on and the disks are spinning, but your best bet with any hard drive is not to treat it like a hockey puck.
port you have on your Mac, you can use one or the other.
G-Drive is made by Western Digital and comes with a very sturdy aluminum body. Rather than the neon-orange rubber bumper of its Rugged drives, the new Mobile Drives are wrapped in smart aluminum. The USB-C port on Macs also supports Thunderbolt 3 and in some cases Thunderbolt 4. In addition to allowing you to backup your Mac to an external drive, you can also back it up to the cloud. While I love, love, love T7, its not the fasted device from Samsung. Samsung X5 is not an SSD. Theres a second Thunderbolt port that will allow you to connect additional Thunderbolt and USB-C devices, and a DisplayPort 1.4 interface for an external monitor. The X5 has a special heat sink layer which keeps the outer layer below 45 C. While technically not a hard drive, NAS devices from Buffalo are better designed for Time Machine backups.
On the right-hand side of the window, you will see that backup automatically is checked and Time Machine is preparing your backup. Thunderbolt 4 also offers 40Gbps, but has a few other advantages, including a 32Gbps data rate, which will be a benefit to anyone who needs to transfer large video files to from the drive to their desktop for editing. Here are the best hard drives for Mac. I've been working with computers for more than 20 years and I am passionate about Apple products. The software identifies which files are not used and recommends removing them. Backing up a 5GB batch of iTunes songs took exactly one minute.Cliff Joseph. Any suggestions? Theres also a version of the G-Drive that has both USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports, but thats a lot more expensive, so this USB-C model is the best option if you simply want lots of hard drive storage at an affordable price.Cliff Joseph. Theyll need to be plugged in for power; thats fine if it stay home all of the time, or moves from office to office. For instance, if MacBooks disk size is 128GB, then 256GB will be the minimum for a backup, and 1TB would be the best choice. But all those extra features mean that its big and heavyand also pretty expensive. Pick the drive that supports all Mac ports. Tap encrypt disk and youre ready to move on to the next step. And dont worry about disk overheating, which happens often when massive data is being copied. In other words, this device will not be a bottleneck when backing up. Although iCloud is the in-house solution, its not one of the best cloud backup options for your Mac. How to Access the Deep Web and the Dark Net, How to Securely Store Passwords in 2022: Best Secure Password Storage, How to Create a Strong Password in 2022: Secure Password Generator & 6 Tips for Strong Passwords, MP4 Repair: How to Fix Corrupted Video Files in 2019, Alternatives to Time Machine for Backing up Mac, How to Backup Mac Without an External Hard Drive, Before You Backup Your Mac to an External Hard Drive, Restoring Your Mac With a Time Machine Backup. How do I make it so that both the hard drive and iCloud saved files are backed up to my external drive? Additionally, each LaCie drive comes with a complimentary 3-year recovery service. One way to start it is by using Spotlight Search: hold Command and hit Spacebar. If you need a larger drive than T7, then check out Western Digital My Passport for Mac Portable External Hard Drive. Pay attention to write and read performance. When formatting your hard drive, youll notice several formatting options, including Mac OS Extended journaled, MS-DOS (FAT32) and exFAT. Just plug it in and start your Time Machine backups. A NAS is particularly useful if you want to set up a media server at home. If the backup disk gets full, the Time Machine starts deleting the oldest snapshots. Rather than do a standard backup, disk utility creates a disk image of your drive, which you can then transfer as a file to a different computer or use as backup for your current one. In several cases, I had to use older backups from my secondary drives because my primary drives had failed. So, whats the best size for the Time Machine backup drive? Backing up your Mac on a regular basis is one of the best things you can do. If you want to save on price, then go with a slower drive, but dont go with a cheap no name brand. $79.99 (1TB); $109.99 (2TB); $149.99 (4TB); $169.99 (5TB), 1TB ($89.99) 2TB ($109.99), 4TB ($149.99), 5TB ($179.99), 1TB $59.99, 2TB $79.99, 4TB $119.99, 5TB $149.99, $369 (4TB); $469 (8TB); $519 (10TB); $679 (16TB); $789 (18TB), $79.99 (1TB); $109.99 (2TB); $179.99 (5TB), 4TB $179.95; 6TB $249.95; 10TB $399.95; 14TB $479.95; 18TB $549.95, The best Apple Studio Display deals this month, Best Mac portable SSDs: Reviews and recommendations. The Seagate Ultra Touch is available with either 1TB or 2TB storage. Every Mac sold by Apple in the past few years features a USB-C style connector, although some Mac desktops still offer the older USB standard as well.
If you want to know how to speed up the backup process, check my article here. Each terabyte can store around 11,000 music albums at 192kbps quality, but such storage doesnt seem so grand whenyou start archiving 4K video. The drive only has a standard USB-A interface (USB 3.2) though, so owners of newer Mac models that only have USB-C will need an adapter (not included). Is there anything we didnt cover that you wish we did? Which makes it the best choice for someone who travels a lot or even someone who carries the laptop and its accessories to school or work daily. It will give you up to 510MB/s transfer speed. Heavy users, like video editors and photographers, will likely need up to 2TB of storage ($9.99 per month) to have adequate storage space. We give you the scoop on what's new, what's best and how to make the most out of the products you love.