Similar to the Windows restore point , the truth is that Time Machine has become a great tool that offers Mac (Apple) users the ability to fully and completely automatically make backup copies to an external disk.
One of its main advantages, in addition to the ease and simplicity of use, is that we find it integrated into macOS, which means that all Macs include it automatically, regardless of whether we are dealing with a Macbook, an iMac or a Mac Mini.
The truth is that it is quite simple to configure. And, once this is done, we hardly need to worry about the process. However, Time Machine also offers us the possibility of personalizing our experience with the application according to the needs we have at all times.
What is Time Machine and what is it for?
Time Machine is Apple’s built-in solution for backing up macOS . It is a built-in backup application , which means that we find this tool integrated into the macOS operating system, making it a unique option to capture exactly what was on our Mac the day we made that copy.
It consists of a one hundred percent free Apple service that offers us the possibility of making a backup copy of our Mac. To do so, the application creates a simple “image” or “snapshot” of our Mac, which simply means having a compressed file that contains everything that was on our Mac at the time the system made the copy, being ideal for, for example, returning to that specific moment when we need it.
Therefore, it becomes a useful and interesting tool, since, in the event of a computer disaster, it allows us to recover files, emails or media that have been deleted.
But its benefits do not end here. It can also be used when we need to start a new device, or update the Mac after having returned it to factory settings. This last purpose is, at least, essential, especially if we want to avoid greater evils and have the need to subsequently install each and every one of the programs that we had installed on our device (and this is something that we say from our own experience).
How to use Time Machine on Mac
For most of us, knowing how to use Time Machine means knowing how to activate it. Since it normally runs in the background, the tool is not something that we must access frequently in order to generate backups. However, it is always useful to know for sure where we should start.
Setting up Time Machine
The truth is that setting up Time Machine is really simple. We just have to access the Apple start menu, click on System Preferences in the drop-down menu, and select Time Machine.
Now we select Automatic backups, and we choose the disk where we want to store our backup copies.
Clever! This is basically all we need to do to set up an automatic system backup. Once this is done, Time Machine will begin to create a backup copy on the disk that we have previously designated.
How to use Finder with Time Machine
Although Time Machine is an ideal option to facilitate making backup copies of our data and files on the Mac, when the time comes, it is also perfectly possible to use Finder to restore files through this tool.
To do so, we just have to click on the Time Machine icon, which we will find in the Mac toolbar, and choose Enter Time Machine .
Once inside, we must click on a Finder window that will represent a specific day. Once this is done, the Finder window for that day will move forward.
We just have to find the file or folder in question that we want to recover, select it, and click Restore . But before finishing the process, the system will ask us if we want to replace the current file with the oldest one, or the same as the previous one, but as a duplicate.
