Time Machine is Apple’s built-in backup system and it is the single best thing you can do to protect your Mac data. This guide walks you through setting it up from scratch, keeping it running properly, and understanding what it does and does not protect you from. Spend five minutes on this now and you will never have to panic about deleted files again.
What Is Time Machine and Why Does It Matter?
Time Machine is macOS’s built-in automatic backup tool. Once set up, it runs quietly in the background whenever your external drive is connected, taking snapshots of your Mac every hour for the past 24 hours, every day for the past month, and every week until your backup drive is full.
When something goes wrong, whether it is a deleted file, an application that corrupted your documents, or a macOS update that went sideways, Time Machine lets you go back in time and restore exactly what you had before. It is the closest thing to an undo button for your entire Mac.
Most New Zealanders do not have any backup at all. A 2023 study found that over 60 percent of Mac users have never set up a backup. If you are in that group, this guide is for you.
What You Need to Get Started
| Item | Details |
| External drive | At least twice the size of your Mac’s storage. For most Macs under 500GB, a 2TB drive works well. Available from PB Tech, Harvey Norman, or Noel Leeming. |
| Connection | USB-C, Thunderbolt, or USB-A (with adapter). Most modern MacBooks use USB-C. |
| macOS version | Ventura (macOS 13), Sonoma (macOS 14), or Sequoia (macOS 15). Steps are similar across all three. |
| Recommended drives | Western Digital Elements 2TB, Seagate Expansion 2TB, or Samsung T7 SSD for portability. |
How to Set Up Time Machine: Step-by-Step
Step 1: Plug In Your External Drive
Connect the external drive to your Mac using USB-C, Thunderbolt, or USB-A. When macOS detects a new drive, it may immediately ask whether you want to use it as a Time Machine backup disk. If that prompt appears, click Use as Backup Disk and you are done. Skip to Step 6.
If the prompt does not appear, continue to Step 2.
Step 2: Open System Settings
Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen and choose System Settings from the dropdown menu.
Step 3: Navigate to General, then Time Machine
Scroll down the left sidebar until you see General. Click it, then look for Time Machine on the right side of the screen and click it.
Step 4: Add a Backup Disk
Click the plus button or the Add Backup Disk button. A list of available drives will appear. Select your external drive from the list.
macOS will ask whether you want to encrypt the backup. We strongly recommend enabling encryption, especially if your backup drive ever leaves your home. Choose a password you will remember, write it down somewhere safe, and proceed.
Step 5: Let the First Backup Run
Time Machine will begin its first backup within a few minutes. Leave your Mac powered on and plugged in. The first backup can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours depending on how much data you have. After the initial backup, only changes are backed up, so future backups are much faster.
Step 6: Keep the Drive Connected Regularly
Time Machine only backs up when the external drive is connected. The more often you plug it in, the more up-to-date your backup will be. Many people plug in their backup drive every evening or whenever they are at their desk.
| Kiwi tipStore your Time Machine drive in a different location from your Mac. If your MacBook is stolen or lost in a flood or fire, a backup sitting next to it will not help. Consider keeping one drive at home and one at work, or pairing Time Machine with a cloud backup service like Backblaze for complete off-site coverage. |
Using Two Time Machine Drives (Work and Home)
You can add a second backup drive in System Settings > General > Time Machine by clicking the Add Backup Disk button again. macOS will alternate between both drives whenever each is connected. This is ideal if you carry your MacBook between two locations and want recent backups in both places.
How to Restore Files From Time Machine
Restoring a single file or folder
1. Open the folder in Finder where the file used to live.
2. Click the Time Machine icon in your menu bar and choose Enter Time Machine.
3. Use the arrows or the timeline on the right to go back to before the file was deleted or changed.
4. Click the file once to select it, then click Restore.
Restoring your entire Mac
If you need to restore everything to a new Mac or after a fresh macOS install, open Migration Assistant (found in Applications > Utilities). Select From a Mac, Time Machine backup, or startup disk and follow the prompts. This will restore all your files, applications, and settings from the backup.
What Time Machine Does and Does Not Back Up
Time Machine backs up:
• All documents, photos, and files on your Mac
• Applications installed from the Mac App Store and elsewhere
• System files and macOS preferences
• Desktop and Documents folders, including iCloud Desktop if downloaded locally
• Email, contacts, and calendar data stored locally on your Mac
Time Machine does not back up:
• iCloud Drive files that have not been downloaded locally (these are backed up by iCloud instead)
• Files you explicitly exclude in Time Machine settings
• Data stored in third-party cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive
| RecommendationFor complete protection, use Time Machine alongside iCloud Drive for your working files and a cloud backup service like Backblaze for a full off-site copy. This three-layer approach protects you against accidental deletion, hardware failure, and physical disasters like theft or fire. |
Troubleshooting Common Time Machine Issues
Time Machine is not starting
Check that the external drive is properly connected and that Time Machine is turned on in System Settings > General > Time Machine. Make sure the drive has enough free space. Time Machine needs roughly the same amount of free space on the backup drive as the amount of data it is trying to back up.
Backup is taking very long
The first backup is always the longest. For large Macs over 500GB, the initial backup can take overnight or longer. This is normal. After that, backups run quickly because only changed files are copied.
Time Machine says the backup disk is not available
If the backup drive was disconnected uncleanly (pulled out without ejecting), Time Machine may show an error. Reconnect the drive, eject it properly, and reconnect. If the error persists, remove the drive in Time Machine settings and add it again.
How 73inc Can Help With Your Mac Backup
If you have lost data and had no backup in place, or if you want help setting up a reliable backup system for your Mac, 73inc is here to help. Our Auckland team can:
• Recover deleted files from MacBooks with no existing backup
• Set up Time Machine and advise on the right backup drive for your needs
• Help you create a complete three-layer backup strategy for personal or business use
• Diagnose and repair MacBooks that will not turn on or that have drive failures
| Visit or Call 73inc55b Pollen Street, Grey Lynn, Auckland 1021 Phone: 0800 726 622 | Email: info@73inc.nz | Web: 73inc.nz Open Monday to Saturday, 9:00am to 5:00pm |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Time Machine back up everything automatically?
Yes, once it is set up and the external drive is connected. It backs up hourly changes, daily snapshots for a month, and weekly snapshots until the drive is full. It runs in the background without you needing to do anything.
What size external drive do I need for Time Machine?
At least twice the size of your Mac’s storage. If your Mac has a 256GB SSD, a 1TB external drive will work. If your Mac has 1TB of storage, use a 2TB external drive. Larger drives let Time Machine store more historical snapshots, which is useful if you want to go back further in time.
Can I use the same drive for Time Machine and regular file storage?
Technically yes, but we do not recommend it. If the drive fails, you lose both your backup and your files. Use a dedicated drive for Time Machine backups.
What happens when my Time Machine drive is full?
Time Machine automatically deletes the oldest backups to make room for new ones. You will never run out of space as long as you have a drive large enough to hold at least one full backup of your Mac.
Can 73inc help me set up Time Machine?
Absolutely. Drop into our Grey Lynn workshop or call 0800 726 622 and we can walk you through the entire setup and help you choose the right backup drive for your Mac and usage.