Computer Repair in Kalamazoo

Backing up your data regularly is the easiest way to protect your data from loss. Backing up your data on a MacBook, iMac, or MacBook Pro is even easier as it is built into the operating system. In this post, we will tell you how to do that!

Time Machine: What is it?

Time Machine is a backup software application ”baked into” macOS, Apple’s desktop operating system. Initially designed to work with Apple Airport Time Capsule (the Wi-Fi router with built-in hard drive), it works excellently with other external hard drives.

Once enabled, Time Machine takes periodic “snapshots” of all your files and stores them on the external hard drive you have attached to your computer. It saves hourly backups for the past 24 hours, daily backups for the past month, and weekly backups for each month. One daily snapshot is saved every 24 hours, beginning from the time you start or restart your computer. One weekly snapshot is saved every week.. Time Machine will delete the oldest backups and replace them with newer versions.

So How Does It Work?

Setting up Time Machine is simple — just connect a USB drive to your Mac. If this is the first time you’ve specified a backup device, Time Machine will ask if you want to use that drive to backup the Mac with Time Machine.

To use the drive as your backup disk, just click the “Use as Backup Disk” button and Time Machine begins the initial backup. Easy, right? If you don’t see the pop-up, follow the instructions below:

• Open Time Machine preferences from System Preferences > Time Machine
• Choose Backup Disk, select the storage device you wish to back up to, and click Use Disk
• If you’d like a Time Machine icon in your menu, open System Preferences > Time Machine and tick Show Time Machine in menu bar.

And that’s it! From this point on, as long as you have the external hard drive connected to your Mac, Time Machine will continue to backup your data. If you forget to connect the disk periodically, Time Machine will even remind you that it hasn’t backed up in a while.

How Often Should I Backup?

Clients frequently ask us how often they should back up their Mac. Our answer is always the same. Everybody should backup all files on their Mac’s hard drive at least once every day. Why? Because you never know when disaster will strike and you’ll want a recent backup to retrieve your files. If you’re using the system for business, you may want to back up more frequently throughout the work day. At least once per day as a minimum will insure that you never lose more than a day’s worth of work or memories.

Now it’s up to you.

We’ve covered the basics for protecting your data with Time Machine. Protecting your data on a Mac couldn’t be easier to set up; now it’s up to you to make sure you’re protected. In the meantime, if you have any questions feel free to contact the Geek Easy Computers crew via phone 269-548-8324 or email at questions@geek-easy.com! We want to make your technology easier!

Adonis Pointer is a photographer, a collector of vintage razors, and a certified technology geek! Adonis has been involved in computer technology since well, a LONG time! He has been involved in nearly every aspect of the industry from sales to repair to training to consulting. As the Social Media Manager he writes the majority of the posts on the Geek Easy Computers blog.