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How to Verify Time Machine Backups
Is your backup ready to be used in an emergency?
By Tom Nelson Tom Nelson Writer Tom Nelson is an engineer, programmer, network manager, and computer network and systems designer who has written for Other World Computing,and others. Tom is also president of Coyote Moon, Inc., a Macintosh and Windows consulting firm. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on December 12, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Apple Macs iPad What to Know
Network backup: Open Time Machine, hold down the Option key, and select Verify Backups.Local backup: Open Terminal, enter tmutil compare –s, and press the Return key.File restoration test: Open Time Machine, select Enter Time Machine, choose a file, and click Restore. Time Machine automatically backs up files on your Mac, such as apps, documents, system files, emails, and more. If the original files are deleted or become corrupted, or if your Mac's hard drive fails, restore your files from a Time Machine backup. This article provides instructions on verifying Time Machine backups with a network storage device or a local storage drive. Verify Time Machine Backups to a Network Disk
If you're backing up your files with Time Machine to a networked location, verifying your backups is a simple process. Select the Time Machine icon on the Mac menu bar. If you don't see the Time Machine icon on your menu bar, select System Preferences under the Apple menu, choose Time Machine, and then select Show Time Machine in menu bar. Hold down the Option key. Select Verify Backups in the drop-down menu. Verifying might take a while, depending on the size of your backup and your Mac's speed. Time Machine alerts you if there are any problems with your backup. Verify Time Machine Backups With Local Storage
If you're using a local storage device for your Time Machine backups, you can't use the Verify Backups option, which works only with a network storage device. Instead, use the Mac Terminal command-line system to run the Time Machine Utility. This compare Time Machine snapshots to verify that backups are valid. Ensure that your backup drive is plugged into your computer. Select the Spotlight Search icon on the Mac's menu bar. Type Terminal into the Spotlight Search field to bring up the Terminal window. Select the Terminal app in the search results to open it. In the Terminal window that opens, enter the following: tmutil compare –s Press the Return key. The system compares the contents of your Mac with the contents of your backup. Depending on the size of your last Time Machine backup, this report can take up to 15 minutes to finish. When it is finished, you see a report listing the files that were compared, how much data was added, how much data was removed, and how much data has changed. You are notified of any problems in the backup. Verify Time Machine Backups by Restoring a File
The simplest method of verifying that your backup files are sound is to do a spot check and restore a test file using Time Machine. This works regardless of whether you're using a network device or a local device to store your backups. Select the Time Machine icon on your Mac's menu bar. Select Enter Time Machine in the drop-down menu. Select a previous version of a folder or file and then select Restore in Time Machine. Time Machine copies that folder or file back to its original location, where you can verify that it was backed up properly. How to Delete Time Machine Backups Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Back up Your Mac to an External Hard Drive With Time Machine How to Fix It When Time Machine Is Stuck Preparing a Backup How to Delete Time Machine Backups 31 Best Free Backup Software Tools (October 2022) How to Downgrade From Catalina to Mojave Zoolz Review (Updated for October 2022) How to Restart a Mac in Recovery Mode How to Back Up Chrome Bookmarks How to Set Up Time Machine With Multiple Drives How to Restore a Mac to an Earlier Date How to Factory Reset Your Mac How to Reset Your Mac's PRAM or NVRAM (Parameter RAM) How to Delete a File in Terminal on Your Mac How to Move Your Apple Mail to a New Mac SpiderOak One Backup Review (Updated for October 2022) COMODO Backup v4.4.1.23 Review (Free Backup Software) Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies