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How to Backup to a Mac: Step-by-Step Guide

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Backup on Mac devices: these are the different possibilities
Backup on Mac: preparatory steps
Backup with Time Machine: Step-by-Step Instructions
How to Backup to Cloud-Based Mac
On Your Own: How to Make a Manual Backup on Mac
Set up Time Machine and use it to backup MacBooks.
Alternatives to Time Machine: third-party programs
Backup to iCloud - Step-by-Step Instructions

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How to Backup to a Mac: Step-by-Step Guide

Losing data is not only annoying, but in the worst case it can be very expensive. To protect data effectively , users of electronic devices can make regular backups. Also Apple devices, such as iPhone or MacBook, allow backup copies to avoid long-term loss of important files such as documents, photos and videos. In an emergency, this data can be fully recovered thanks to practical backups. When a Mac needs to be sent in for repair, creating a backup is an important preparatory step, as some repairs require erasing the hard drive..

Next, we show you what options you have to make a backup of your Mac and how exactly the backup works in each of the cases.

Index
  1. Backup on Mac devices: these are the different possibilities
  2. Backup on Mac: preparatory steps
  3. Backup with Time Machine: Step-by-Step Instructions
    1. Set up Time Machine and use it to backup MacBooks.
    2. Alternatives to Time Machine: third-party programs
  4. How to Backup to Cloud-Based Mac
    1. Backup to iCloud - Step-by-Step Instructions
  5. On Your Own: How to Make a Manual Backup on Mac

Backup on Mac devices: these are the different possibilities

When a Mac device is lost, the hard disk has crashed or due to some recklessness a large volume of data has been lost, the first thing is to put your hands in the head. But if you had it set up to backup regularly, in the best case scenario you can recover lost data with just a few clicks . Apple has different standard possibilities for backing up to Mac:

  • The backup software for macOS Time Machine (available starting with macOS 10.5)
  • Manually backing up your data on Mac
  • Cloud-based Mac backup to iCloud

Alternatively, it is also possible to use third party services (desktop version or in the cloud) to perform backup of MacBooks, etc..

Backup on Mac: preparatory steps

If you decide on a backup in the cloud , in principle you will only need the registry data to configure and carry out the backup. The requirement for this is to have created an account in the corresponding service . In iCloud you will have to indicate your Apple ID, which you also need to register in iTunes, etc.

For manual Mac backups with a desktop program like Time Machine or a third-party alternative, you will need an external storage medium . To do this, it is best to use an external hard drive with a USB or Thunderbolt connection. SSDs are recommended , as they are not only very robust and resist vibrations and shocks, but they also have significantly higher performance than classic HDDs..

advice

In order for the preparation to be optimal, in addition, the approximate storage volume of the files to be secured must be determined : if you only want to secure an individual folder, you can check the size in its properties. For the backup to be complete? As in the case of Time Machine backups ?, the storage medium must have at least twice the capacity of your Mac computer.

Backup with Time Machine: Step-by-Step Instructions

The Time Machine program ? Which also belongs to Apple? It's the simplest option to easily secure and restore your Mac's data and settings. Starting with version 10.5, Time Machine is part of the macOS operating system and as such is installed by default on the corresponding computers. To prepare your Mac for a Time Machine backup , you only need an external storage medium. Below we explain in detail how backups work with this software .

Set up Time Machine and use it to backup MacBooks.

To configure the backup process with Time Machine, first connect an external storage medium with sufficient capacity to your Mac computer. A dialog window then automatically opens in which you can confirm the attached storage medium. as a backup disk.

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When it recognizes the storage medium, Time Machine automatically offers the option to use it as a backup disk.

If the window does not open automatically, you can also manually set the hard disk as the data medium for backup with Time Machine:

  1. Launch Time Machine through the Apple menu. To do this, select? System preferences ? Y ? Time Machine ?.
     
  2. Push the button ? Select backup disk ?
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In the Time Machine settings, you can select the automatic backup and the backup disk you want to backup.
  1. Now select the external hard drive and check the box ? Encrypt backups ? if you also want to protect the backup with encryption. Then click? Use disk ?
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All attached storage media are automatically listed as a possibility for Time Machine backups.

After setup is complete, your Mac should immediately start backing up . The first backup usually takes longer, but you can continue to use your Mac computer in the meantime without any problem.

Note

To enable automatic and periodic backup of your Mac with Time Machine, you must check the box? Automatic backup ? in the setup menu of the backup program.

Alternatives to Time Machine: third-party programs

In addition to Time Machine, there is a wide variety of programs from other providers with which you can make backup copies of your Mac. A good alternative, although paid, is for example the Carbon Copy Cloner program. This US-developed software always performs identical playback of your Mac , so the required storage capacity never exceeds the volume actually occupied on your internal hard drive. By comparison, Time Machine always copies multiple versions of data, so it generally requires more storage capacity.

How to Backup to Cloud-Based Mac

Cloud-based storage services also allow you to save backup copies of your Mac. In this case, the data is not stored on external storage media, but on a server in a data center of the corresponding provider. Apple devices, of course, have the iCloud service , which offers the advantage of being very well integrated into macOS and iOS.

However, you can also use other cloud solutions, such as Google Drive, OneDrive or the IONOS HiDrive cloud memory to save your Mac backups.

The general advantage of cloud storage services is that data is available from anywhere . Furthermore, it is possible to synchronize the data from different devices without any problem.

Backup to iCloud - Step-by-Step Instructions

To set up iCloud or iCloud Drive on a Mac and use it for regular backups, just follow these steps:

  1. Open the? System preferences ? in the Apple menu.
  2. Select, on the left,? iCloud ? and register with your Apple ID in the cloud service.
  3. Select? ICloud Drive? and click the button? Options ?
  4. Check the box? Desktop and Document Folders ?.
  5. Then confirm the selection with? Close ?
Note

Since only the? Desktop? Folders can be selected. and "Documents", in the cloud they are only backed up and others are not included, such as "Downloads".

On Your Own: How to Make a Manual Backup on Mac

Another possibility to protect photos, videos, documents, etc. is to copy the data directly to an external storage medium . To do this, you just have to connect the desired storage medium to the Mac and select in Finder all the data or folders that you want to protect. Finally, copy and paste the files to the external memory. This method is especially recommended if you only want to protect specific files or folders.

Note

Please note that in the manual backup version, you are responsible for regularly updating the protected files . Therefore, if you make changes to the original files, you should also include them in your manual backup if you want it to be always up to date.


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