If you want to partition the drive, you will need to do it before this step. You can erase it here and then proceed like normal. It’s worth noting that if you haven’t already formatted the disk for MacOS before doing this, you will be prompted to do so. After that, Time Machine will back up automatically, and you can use your device as usual. The initial backup can take a long time - usually no longer than five minutes. Once you are done, select Use Disk.Īnd voilá, your Time Machine backup is created. You also have the option to encrypt backups, so only users with a password can access the backup. Step 4: A menu will pop up showing the available disks to use Time Machine. You will also want to check the Back Up Automatically box beneath the Time Machine logo. Step 3: Click on the button that says Select Backup Disk. Step 2: Click the Apple icon in the top left corner and select Preferences > Time Machine. Once you have settled on which drive (or partition) you will use, it’s time to create a backup. We explain how to partition your hard drive here. Time Machine will work just the same, and it will start deleting old backups once it hits the maximum allotted storage of the partition.

That means you can use a drive for both Windows and Time Machine, and you don’t have to worry about Time Machine backups becoming overly bloated. If you plan on using a drive you already own, make sure you find a new home for whatever files are on it. You may also have to reformat the drive once you’ve settled on one, as Time Machine can’t be used on a disk formatted for Windows. The hard drive size determines the “depth” of backups you can fit on to one device.

Time Machine will automatically delete the oldest backups once the hard drive is full. You won’t have to worry about buying multiple drives, though. You can get an 8TB external hard drive for around $150, which is definitely the more cost-effective option. HDDs are slower, but you can get a lot more storage at a far lower cost. An SSD will be faster, but larger ones can get pricey. In the SSD versus HDD debate, it’s really up to your preferences and individual needs. This goes up if you plan on having a lot of huge files like 4K video or RAW photos. So if you have a 500GB MacBook Air, you should look for an external drive in the 1TB to 2TB range at a minimum. The general rule of thumb is to get an external drive two to four times larger than the internal storage.

How to use Bing Image Creator to generate AI images for freeįirst, you will want a drive exclusively for Time Machine purposes, as it’s going to fill up rather quickly depending on your system’s size. Fitbit Versa 3ĬhatGPT: how to use the viral AI chatbot that everyone’s talking aboutĬanva’s new AI tools might replace your video editor

Time machine for mac download