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Use Finder to Access FileVault Backups on a Time Machine

Time Machine on a Mac makes regular backups to an external drive

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 July 23, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Apple Macs iPad Apple's Time Machine uses a convenient interface to restore backed-up files and folders on a Mac, but what happens when the file you want to restore is located inside a backed-up FileVault image? The information here was verified in macOS version 10.15 (Catalina) but generally applies to other versions of macOS as well.

About FileVault

FileVault is a disk-encryption program on Mac computers. With it, you can encrypt folders and protect them with a password. Individual files and folders in an encrypted FileVault image are locked away and cannot be accessed using Time Machine. However, Apple provides another application that can access FileVault data: the Finder. This isn't a backdoor that allows just anyone to access encrypted files. You still need to know the user account password to gain access to the files, but it provides a way to restore a single file or group of files without having to perform a complete restore from the Time Machine backup. The not-so-secret part of this tip is that the Time Machine copies only the encrypted sparse bundle image that is your FileVault home folder. By using the Finder, you can browse to the backed-up folder, double-click the encrypted image, supply the password, and the image will mount. You can then find the file you want, and drag it to the desktop or another location.

Using the Finder to Access FileVault Backups

Here's how to open a FileVault Backup: Open a Finder window on the Mac by clicking the Finder icon on the dock or by using the keyboard shortcut Command + N. Click the drive you use for Time Machine backups in the left panel of the Finder window. Open the Backups.backupdb folder and then the folder that has the name of your computer. Within the latter is a list of folders with dates and times. Open the folder that corresponds to the backup date for the file you want to restore. You are presented with another folder named after your computer. Open this. Within this folder is a representation of your entire Mac at the time the backup was taken. Use the Finder to browse to your user account home folder, usually along this path: ComputerName > Users > username. Inside is a file named username.sparsebundle. This is the copy of your FileVault-protected user account. Double-click the username.sparsebundle file. Supply the user account password to mount and decrypt the image file. Use the browser to navigate the FileVault image as if it were any other folder on your Mac. Locate the files or folders you want to restore, and drag them to the desktop or another location. When you've finished copying the files you want, be sure to log out or unmount the username.sparsebundle image. 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 Connect to a Server 31 Best Free Backup Software Tools (October 2022) How to Downgrade From Catalina to Mojave How to Lock a Folder in Windows 10 EaseUS Todo Backup Free 2022 Review How to Map a Network Drive on a Mac What Is a Mirror Image Backup? How to Delete Time Machine Backups How to Fix It When Time Machine Is Stuck Preparing a Backup How to Set up Your New Mac AFI File (What It Is & How to Open One) How to Password Protect a Folder How to Restore Your iPod Touch to Factory Settings How to Restore a Mac to an Earlier Date Verify Your Mac's Time Machine Backups 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