{"id":4817,"date":"2026-04-01T09:57:39","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T07:57:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reparationmac.be\/?p=4817"},"modified":"2026-04-04T05:16:57","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T03:16:57","slug":"time-machine-mac-backup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reparationmac.be\/en\/time-machine-sauvegarde-mac\/","title":{"rendered":"Mac backup: configuring Time Machine"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"article-blog\">\n\n<h1>Time Machine: configuring and controlling your Mac backup<\/h1>\n\n<div class=\"article-meta\">Reading: 11 min | macOS Tutorials<\/div>\n\n<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/time-machine-sauvegarde-mac-guide.webp\" alt=\"Time Machine Mac backup configuration guide\" title=\"Time Machine: configuring and controlling your Mac backup\" width=\"1200\" height=\"568\" loading=\"eager\">\n\n<div class=\"answer-box\">\n<strong>In a nutshell:<\/strong> Time Machine is the automatic backup system built into macOS. Simply plug in an external drive and activate Time Machine in System Settings to have your Mac backed up automatically every hour. In the event of a problem, you can restore a file, a folder or your entire Mac at any point in time.\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"toc-box\">\n<strong>Contents<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#pourquoi-time-machine\">Why use Time Machine<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#disque-compatible\">Choosing a compatible disc<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#configurer\">Configuring Time Machine step by step<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#fonctionnement\">How backup works<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#restaurer-fichier\">Restore a file or folder<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#restaurer-mac-complet\">Restore your entire Mac<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#exclure-dossiers\">Exclude folders from the backup<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#problemes-solutions\">Common problems and solutions<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#faq\">Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2 id=\"pourquoi-time-machine\">Why use Time Machine<\/h2>\n\n<p>Losing data is one of the most stressful events for any computer user. Whether it's a file deleted by mistake, a faulty SSD, liquid damage or ransomware, there are many causes of data loss. Time Machine eliminates this risk by creating automatic backups in the background, without any intervention on your part.<\/p>\n\n<p>According to statistics from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldbackupday.com\/fr\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">World Backup Day<\/a>, In fact, approximately 30 % of users have never backed up their files. At MAC Repair, we find that the majority of customers who come to us for data recovery had no active solution. Time Machine remains the simplest tool for protecting your memories and your work at the click of a button.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"disque-compatible\">Choosing a compatible disc<\/h2>\n\n<table class=\"tg-table\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Disc type<\/th>\n<th>Benefits<\/th>\n<th>Limits<\/th>\n<th>Recommended capacity<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"cell-label\">External USB hard drive<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span class=\"cell-desc\">Affordable, large capacities (2-5TB)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span class=\"cell-desc\">Slower, fragile (mechanical)<\/span><\/td>\n<td>2x the size of your internal SSD<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"cell-label\">USB-C external SSD<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span class=\"cell-desc\">Fast, compact, shock-resistant<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span class=\"cell-desc\">More expensive at the Go<\/span><\/td>\n<td>2x the size of your internal SSD<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"cell-label\">NAS (network server)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span class=\"cell-desc\">Wireless backup, shareable, multi-Mac access<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span class=\"cell-desc\">More complex configuration, initial investment<\/span><\/td>\n<td>Varies according to the number of Macs<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n<p>The rule of thumb: get a drive at least twice the size of your Mac's storage. If your Mac has a 512GB SSD, a 1TB Time Machine disk is the comfortable minimum. The larger the disk, the longer Time Machine will keep a history.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"configurer\">Configuring Time Machine step by step<\/h2>\n\n<p><strong>1.<\/strong> Connect your external disk to the Mac. macOS will automatically suggest that you use it for Time Machine. If so, click on \u00abUse as backup disk\u00bb and you're done.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>2.<\/strong> If the dialogue box does not appear, open <strong>System settings<\/strong>, then <strong>General<\/strong>, then <strong>Time Machine<\/strong>. Click on <strong>Add a backup disk<\/strong> and select your external drive.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>3.<\/strong> macOS lets you encrypt your backup. We recommend that you activate it: it protects your data if the disk is stolen. Set a password and keep it in a safe place.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>4.<\/strong> Time Machine formats the disk (if necessary) and launches the first backup. This first full backup may take several hours, depending on the volume of data. Subsequent backups are incremental and take just a few minutes.<\/p>\n\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/configurer-time-machine-reglages-systeme.webp\" alt=\"Configure Time Machine system settings macOS backup\" title=\"Configuring Time Machine in macOS System Settings\" width=\"1200\" height=\"568\" loading=\"lazy\">\n\n<h2 id=\"fonctionnement\">How backup works<\/h2>\n\n<p>Once configured, Time Machine automatically backs up every hour when the disk is plugged in. It stores backups intelligently:<\/p>\n\n<table class=\"tg-table\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Period<\/th>\n<th>Retained backup frequency<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"cell-label\">Last 24 hours<\/span><\/td>\n<td>One backup per hour<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"cell-label\">Last month<\/span><\/td>\n<td>One backup per day<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"cell-label\">Previous months<\/span><\/td>\n<td>One backup per week<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n<p>When the disk is full, Time Machine automatically deletes the oldest backups to make room. The larger the disk, the longer the history.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"info-box tip\">\n<strong>Tip:<\/strong> If your MacBook isn't always connected to the Time Machine drive (a common occurrence when you're on the move), don't panic. macOS creates local APFS snapshots on the internal SSD in the meantime. The next time you plug in the drive, everything is automatically synchronised.\n<\/div>\n\n<h2 id=\"restaurer-fichier\">Restore a file or folder<\/h2>\n\n<p>Open the folder where the file was located. Click on the Time Machine icon in the menu bar and select \u00abBrowse Time Machine backups\u00bb. Navigate through time using the arrows or the timeline. When you find the file, select it and click \u00abRestore\u00bb.<\/p>\n\n<p>To restore an earlier version of a file (not deleted, but modified), the procedure is identical: go back in time to the desired version.<\/p>\n\n<p>To find out more about recovering deleted files, see our <a href=\"\/en\/restore-mac-trash\/\">complete file recovery guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"restaurer-mac-complet\">Restore your entire Mac<\/h2>\n\n<p>To restore your entire Mac (after a system crash, SSD replacement or reinstallation): start up in recovery mode (power button held down on Apple Silicon, Cmd + R on Intel), select \u00abRestore from Time Machine\u00bb and choose your backup disk. The entire Mac is restored to the exact state of the chosen backup.<\/p>\n\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/restaurer-mac-time-machine-complet.webp\" alt=\"Restore full Mac Time Machine backup recovery\" title=\"Complete restoration of a Mac from a Time Machine backup\" width=\"1200\" height=\"568\" loading=\"lazy\">\n\n<h2 id=\"exclure-dossiers\">Exclude folders from the backup<\/h2>\n\n<p>If your Time Machine disk is small or if you have large files that you don't want to back up (virtual machine images, software caches), you can exclude them. Go to System Settings, General, Time Machine, Options. Add the folders you want to exclude using the \u00ab+\u00bb button.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"problemes-solutions\">Common problems and solutions<\/h2>\n\n<table class=\"tg-table\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Problem<\/th>\n<th>Solution<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"cell-label\">\u00abRecurring \u00bbBackup Failed<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span class=\"cell-desc\">Check the disk space. Run Disk Utility to check the TM disk.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"cell-label\">Extremely slow backup<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span class=\"cell-desc\">Check that the drive is USB 3.0+, not USB 2.0. Exclude large temporary files<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"cell-label\">Time Machine disk not recognised<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span class=\"cell-desc\">Try another USB port or another cable. If the drive is making noises, it may be faulty.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span class=\"cell-label\">\u00abThe backup disk is almost full\u00bb<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span class=\"cell-desc\">Time Machine handles this automatically (deletes old backups). If persistent, move to a larger disk<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n<h2 id=\"faq\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n<div class=\"faq-section\">\n\n<div class=\"faq-item\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\"><span>Does Time Machine slow down my Mac?<\/span><span class=\"faq-toggle\">+<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>Very little. Incremental backups (after the first one) only take a few minutes and run in the background with low priority. You will hardly notice any difference in performance.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"faq-item\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\"><span>Can I use the Time Machine disk for something else?<\/span><span class=\"faq-toggle\">+<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>Yes, Time Machine only takes up as much disk space as you need. You can store other files on the same disk. However, we recommend a dedicated disk to avoid any confusion and to guarantee space for backups.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"faq-item\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\"><span>Does Time Machine back up applications?<\/span><span class=\"faq-toggle\">+<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>Yes, Time Machine backs up everything: system, applications, documents, settings, accounts. When you do a full restore, you'll find your Mac exactly as it was when you backed it up.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"faq-item\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\"><span>What disk size for Time Machine?<\/span><span class=\"faq-toggle\">+<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>Take at least twice the size of your internal SSD. For a Mac with 512 GB: a drive of at least 1 TB. For a Mac with 1TB: a 2TB disk. The larger the disk, the longer the version history.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"faq-item\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\"><span>Does Time Machine protect against ransomware?<\/span><span class=\"faq-toggle\">+<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>Partially. If the Time Machine disk is connected during the attack, it may also be encrypted by the ransomware. This is why we recommend disconnecting the TM drive when it is not being backed up, and adding a cloud backup (iCloud) as additional protection.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"faq-item\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\"><span>Can I back up to a NAS or network drive?<\/span><span class=\"faq-toggle\">+<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>Yes, Time Machine supports compatible NAS (Synology, QNAP, etc.) and drives shared via the SMB protocol. This is ideal for backing up several Macs in the same home or office on a single network device.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"faq-item\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\"><span>Should Time Machine backups be encrypted?<\/span><span class=\"faq-toggle\">+<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>We highly recommend it. Encryption protects your data in the event of disk theft. The first encrypted backup takes longer, but subsequent backups have the same speed as an unencrypted backup.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"faq-item\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\"><span>Does Time Machine work with APFS?<\/span><span class=\"faq-toggle\">+<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>Since macOS Big Sur, Time Machine uses APFS for SSD backups. For mechanical hard disks, Time Machine always uses HFS+ (Mac OS Extended Logging). The format is chosen automatically by macOS.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"faq-item\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\"><span>What should I do if my Time Machine disk fails?<\/span><span class=\"faq-toggle\">+<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>If the backup disk fails, your data on the Mac is not affected, you simply lose the backup history. Replace the disk and restart Time Machine to create a new full backup.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"faq-item\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\"><span>Is Time Machine enough as a single backup?<\/span><span class=\"faq-toggle\">+<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\"><p>Time Machine is excellent protection, but the 3-2-1 strategy recommends adding a cloud backup (iCloud, Backblaze) to protect against theft, fire or simultaneous failure of the Mac and the backup disk.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"related-links\">\n<strong>Related articles<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"\/en\/restore-mac-trash\/\">Recover a deleted file from the Mac Recycle Bin<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/en\/reset-mac-to-factory-settings\/\">Reset Mac to factory settings<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/en\/clean-up-mac-free-up-space\/\">Cleaning your Mac: complete guide<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/en\/migration-assistant-new-mac\/\">Mac migration wizard: transfer your data<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Time Machine : configurer et ma\u00eetriser la sauvegarde de votre Mac Lecture : 11 min | Tutoriels macOS En r\u00e9sum\u00e9 : Time Machine est le syst\u00e8me de sauvegarde automatique int\u00e9gr\u00e9 \u00e0 macOS. Il suffit de brancher un disque externe et d&rsquo;activer Time Machine dans les R\u00e9glages Syst\u00e8me pour que votre Mac soit sauvegard\u00e9 automatiquement toutes [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4820,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_breakdance_hide_in_design_set":false,"_breakdance_tags":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[91,153,149,148,151,147,53,150,146,152,87,88],"class_list":["post-4817","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tutoriels-macos","tag-apfs","tag-automatique","tag-chiffrement","tag-disque-externe","tag-donnees","tag-hfs","tag-macos","tag-nas","tag-recuperation","tag-restauration","tag-sauvegarde","tag-time-machine-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/reparationmac.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4817","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/reparationmac.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/reparationmac.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reparationmac.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reparationmac.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4817"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/reparationmac.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4817\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reparationmac.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4820"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/reparationmac.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4817"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reparationmac.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4817"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reparationmac.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4817"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}