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.
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:
Alternatively, it is also possible to use third party services (desktop version or in the cloud) to perform backup of MacBooks, etc..
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..
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.
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 .
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.
If the window does not open automatically, you can also manually set the hard disk as the data medium for backup with Time Machine:
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.
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.
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.
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.
To set up iCloud or iCloud Drive on a Mac and use it for regular backups, just follow these steps:
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".
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.
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.