How do I change the Time Machine backup schedule?

Have you ever made a Mac Time Machine backup? How much do you know about it? Time Machine is a built-in macOS app that automates the process of backing up data to an external drive. Users are free to use it to back up their Macs. But, do you know what it can back up? Can it back up everything? The answer is no.

What can Time Machine back up?

Time Machine can back up all the files on your Mac, including system files, applications, music, movies, documents, photos, and email. It also backs up your settings, preferences, and system preferences. In addition, if you use Time Machine with an AirPort Time Capsule or another compatible wireless backup device, it can back up your network settings and shared files. Here's what Time Machine won't back up: - Files on external volumes that aren't being backed up (you can exclude specific volumes from backup) - Data from some third-party system extensions - System files that are in use while the backup is running (these files will be backed up the next time you back up) Note: Time Machine doesn't back up data from iOS devices or other computers on your network. To back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, use iCloud Backup or back up to your Mac if you're using a Mac with macOS Catalina or later.

Time Machine is a built-in backup app that lets you set up a backup schedule. However, it doesn't back up everything on your Mac.

There's a chart that tells you what it can and cannot back up.

Now that you know what Time Machine can and cannot back up, the question is: Does it back up your Mac automatically? Read on to find out.

Tip: If you have other questions about how Time Machine backs up, this link might have the answers.

Does Mac Time Machine do automatic backups?

Yes, Time Machine supports both manual and automatic backups. The automatic backup schedule typically works as follows:

• Local snapshots stored within available space
• Hourly backups for the last 24 hours
• Daily backups for the last month
• Weekly backups for all previous months

That means Time Machine will back up hourly. That's convenient, but not everyone wants to back up hourly. How do you turn off those hourly backups? The answer is in the next section.

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How do I set up or change a Time Machine backup schedule?

In addition to turning off Time Machine or manually skipping backups each time it starts up, users can turn to TimeMachineScheduler, which saves time by disabling Time Machine's automatic backups and installing its own launchd daemon.

But how do you use it to change the Time Machine backup schedule? In the next section, we'll put TimeMachineScheduler to work.

How do I change the Time Machine backup schedule?

A Time Machine backup plan can be convenient for users, but it can also consume significant storage space and potentially slow down your operating system. Here's how to disable hourly backups: 1. Open "System Preferences" (System Preferences). 2. Click on the "Time Machine" icon. 3. In the Time Machine settings window, uncheck the "Back Up Now" option. 4. Next, locate the "Backup Frequency" section. 5. By default, it should be set to "Automatically." To disable hourly backups, select "Manually." This way, Time Machine will only perform backups when you initiate them manually. 6. If you want to completely stop Time Machine from automatically backing up, choose "Do Not Back Up This Disk." Please note that disabling automatic backups increases the risk of data loss. It's recommended to disable it temporarily only when you need to save storage space or optimize performance, and ensure you regularly perform manual backups of important files.

Here, you'll learn about an excellent tool called TimeMachineScheduler, and see how to use it to alter your Time Machine backup schedule.

Use TimeMachineScheduler to Change Time Machine Backup Schedule

Before we proceed on changing the Time Machine backup schedule, let's get to know first what the Time Machine Scheduler can do for you:

• Set backup intervals from 1 to 12 hours.
• Run backups manually or automatically on startup or after daemon loading.
• View the daemon's status, as well as the status of backup volumes and whether a backup is currently running.

TimeMachineScheduler works on all versions of Mac OS X and macOS that have Time Machine. But do you know how to use it? Follow the steps below to change when your Time Machine backups occur.

The first step: Download and install TimeMachineScheduler.

Step 2: Tap on it to open the app.

Step 3: Slide the “Backup Interval” slider from 1 to 12 as desired.

Select the interval for the backup task:

Step 4: Click “Apply.”

Time Machine Backup Alternatives – Todo Backup for Mac Tool

With the Time Machine scheduling changed, users can have more reasonable backups. Are there any other tools apart from Time Machine Scheduler that can help back up a Mac? Of course, you will get to know a Time Machine utility alternative, the Todo Backup for Mac tool, in the next part.

While Time Machine brings great convenience to Mac users, there are times when you may encounter issues with Time Machine backups not visible on Mac. To prevent such problems, we'll guide you on how to create an efficient backup plan using the Todo Backup for Mac tool.

The perfect companion to a time machine, Todo Backup for Mac can back up data on any Mac device and minimize the risk of data loss. Users can perform automatic backups with it effortlessly.

It also allows users to back up files in full, differential, and incremental modes. Its features include:

• Backup files, disks, systems, etc.
• Disk cloning and file synchronization
• Encrypt backup files for privacy protection
• Scheduled automatic backups in stealth mode
• Compress backup files to save storage space
• Archive files to other hard drives, network volumes, CDs, or DVDs

As a practical backup tool, Todo Backup for Mac can save you from various troublesome steps and meet your different backup needs.

Now learn how to use it and set up scheduled backups by following the steps below.

Step 1: Launch and run Todo Backup for Mac. Click on the first tab on the left "Backup", or directly click the "+" button at the bottom left to create a backup task – name your backup task and click OK.

Step 2. Set backup destination, choose where to save your Mac files, how often to back up automatically, and then click OK.

Step 3. Add files and folders to your backup set.
Click File + to add specific files and folders to the backup, then click the blue Start button to back up your Mac to another drive or external device.

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The Time-Machine Backup Plan: Conclusions

This article will walk you through how to change Time Machine backup schedule and introduce a Mac backup utility - Todo Backup for Mac. It can backup Mac without Time Machine, so it serves as a great alternative to Time Machine.

By the way, if you want to use Time Machine backups on Windows, you might need this link:

Frequently Asked Questions About Time Machine Backup Plan

In the above content, we have learned how to change Time Machine backup schedule. Here, we will list three problems related to Time Machine backup schedule.

**1. How do I schedule Time Machine backups on a Mac?** Follow these steps to schedule Time Machine backups on your Mac: 1. Ensure that your Time Machine backup drive is connected. 2. Open "System Preferences" (System Preferences). 3. Click on the "Time Machine" icon. 4. In the Time Machine window, check the box for "Open Time Machine preferences." 5. In the preferences window, click the "Options" button. 6. If desired, you can exclude specific files or folders from backups here. 7. To enable scheduled backups, uncheck the "Backup automatically" checkbox. This will allow you to set backups manually. 8. Click the "Schedule" button. 9. In the popup calendar, select the date and time when you want the backups to begin. 10. Choose the recurrence frequency, such as daily, weekly, etc. 11. After setting up your preferences, click "OK" to save the changes. Now, Time Machine will perform backups according to your specified schedule. Keep in mind that disabling automatic backups and scheduling them manually might cause you to miss unexpected backup opportunities, so this method is recommended only when you have specific needs.

Follow those steps, and you'll have Time Machine backups automagically.

Step 1: Click the Apple menu and choose System Preferences.

Step 2: Choose Time Machine.

Step 3: Check the box for “Automatic backups.”

2. How often does Apple Time Machine back up?

Apple's Time Machine automatically backs up hourly snapshots from the past 24 hours, daily snapshots from the past month, and weekly snapshots from all previous months.

How often should I back up my Mac with Time Machine?

Backup frequency depends on your needs; Time Machine can back up automatically every hour, and you can adjust the interval with Time Machine Scheduler as you see fit.