Time Machine: From procrastination to five minutes of work
Backing up. It's been on your to-do list for months. You know you have to, especially with those important project files and family photos on your MacBook. Setting up Time Machine sounds like another technical hassle where you first need the right accessories and spend hours configuring settings.
But here's the thing: Setting up Time Machine takes literally five minutes . No complicated software, no technical expertise required. Apple has made it so simple you can do it between making coffee and checking your email. All you need is an external drive—even that old one from the attic will work just fine. While you're listening to music on your AirPods , Time Machine automatically makes a backup of everything every hour. Ready before your first Teams meeting.
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What you need for Time Machine
Before setting up Time Machine, gather the necessary supplies. The beauty of this backup solution is that you don't need much. An external hard drive with at least twice the storage capacity of your Mac's hard drive is sufficient. If you have a MacBook with 256GB of storage, a 512GB or larger drive is ideal. This gives Time Machine the space to store multiple versions of your files.
You can choose from several storage options. A USB drive works fine for most users. Plug it in, set up Time Machine, and you're done. For those who want to work wirelessly, a NAS (network-attached storage) or Apple's own Time Capsule are excellent alternatives. The latter is no longer available new, but used ones still work fine.
Set up Time Machine in five steps
Step 1: Connect external drive
Connect your external drive to your Mac. For modern MacBooks, you'll likely need a USB-C adapter. macOS will automatically recognize the drive and may ask if you want to use it for Time Machine. Click "Use as Backup Disk," and you're already halfway there.
Step 2: Open System Preferences
If the message doesn't appear, no problem. Open System Preferences via the Apple menu in the upper left corner. Click on "Time Machine" (the green clock with an arrow). In macOS Ventura and later, you'll find this under System Preferences > General > Time Machine.
Step 3: Select backup disk
Click "Select backup disk" or the plus sign next to "Backup volumes." You'll see all available disks. Select your external drive from the list. Time Machine will automatically format the disk if necessary. Note: This will erase all existing files.
Step 4: Start first backup
After selecting, Time Machine immediately begins the first backup. This takes the longest—count on a few hours if the disk is full. Your Mac remains usable during this process. You can see the progress in the Time Machine menu at the top of your screen.
Step 5: Set up automatic backups
By default, Time Machine creates hourly backups when your drive is connected. These incremental backups only take a few minutes. The system retains hourly backups for 24 hours, daily backups for a month, and weekly backups as long as there's space.
Compare different backup methods
Besides Time Machine, there are other backup solutions. iCloud syncs documents, photos, and desktop files, but it's not a full system backup. The advantage: your files are always available online. The disadvantage: limited free space (5 GB) and monthly fees for additional storage.
Carbon Copy Cloner and SuperDuper are popular alternatives. These create bootable clones of your drive. This is useful for system crashes: you can boot from the clone and continue working immediately. Time Machine, on the other hand, restores specific files or entire systems through the restore process.
Practical tips for maintenance
Regularly check whether your backups are running successfully. The Time Machine icon in the menu bar will change color during a backup. Red exclamation marks indicate problems. Reconnecting the drive or restarting your Mac usually helps.
Clean up old backups when your disk fills up. Time Machine does this automatically, but you can also do it manually. Go to Time Machine preferences and click "Options." Here you can also exclude folders that don't need to be backed up, such as downloads or caches.
Store your backup drive in a safe place. Fire or theft often affect both your Mac and the backup. Therefore, consider keeping a second backup in a different location. For example, alternate two drives: one at home, one at the office.
Restore files with Time Machine
Restoring files is surprisingly intuitive. Open the folder where the file was located and click the Time Machine icon in the menu bar. Choose "Open Time Machine." Your screen will transform into a Time Machine interface with stacked windows.
Navigate through time using the arrows or the timeline on the right. Select the file you want to restore and click "Restore." The file will return to its original location. For a complete system restore, press Command+R and choose "Restore from Time Machine Backup."
Why Time Machine is worth it
Time Machine's power lies in its simplicity. No complicated settings, no technical expertise required. It runs invisibly in the background while you work. Think of it like insurance: you hope you never need it, but are glad it's there when your laptop crashes or accidentally deletes important files.
Moreover, Time Machine integrates seamlessly with macOS. Other backup software often requires updates for new system versions. Time Machine works regardless of which Mac you use, from an older MacBook Air to the latest MacBook Pro with the M3 chip.
The investment is minimal. A decent 1TB external drive costs around €60. Compare that to the cost of data recovery in the event of a failed drive (often hundreds of euros) or the loss of irreplaceable photos and documents. Setting up Time Machine takes five minutes, but it could save you days of work and a lot of frustration.
Simpler than you think
Setting up Time Machine turns out to be a piece of cake, not a headache. With an external drive costing just tens of euros and five minutes of your time, you can create a reliable backup that will last for years. While you're working on your refurbished MacBook , Time Machine quietly creates a backup every hour in the background.
No hassle with settings, no technical knowledge required . Just plug it in, set it up, and forget about it. Until that one time you accidentally delete an important file—then you'll be glad you invested those five minutes.
