

Like most local backups, Time Machine is only as secure as you make it.

With the exception of certain system files, this lets you backup almost every file on your computer to a local hard drive. Backup Mac Devices With Time MachineĮvery version of macOS since 10.5 comes with Apple Time Machine preinstalled. The most effective backup solutions use a mixture of both, which will give you protection from either system failing, as long as you keep them all up to date.

However, regardless of the software you choose, no system is infallible. Choosing a different provider can give you more control over your backup and add an extra layer of security, as Apple doesn’t provide zero-knowledge encryption. There are also other cloud backups for Mac, if you don’t want to use iCloud. You can also read our guide on how to backup a Mac to an external hard drive. Many cloud backup providers can do this, but cloning programs like SuperDuper! are also available. In this case, you should look for a service that can clone an entire disk. When you’re making a local backup to an external hard drive, you may find you want more control. As neither has major flaws and are both free, there isn’t much risk to trying them out. The two quickest and easiest solutions on a Mac are to use Time Machine for your local backup and iCloud as an online backup. There are four main ways to backup your Mac and keep your data safe from disaster. For a more well-rounded solution, you should follow the 3-2-1 rule and use a combination of the two. Although the cloud is far more reliable, its cost and slow transfers mean it’s far from a silver bullet. Hard drives are cheap and fast, but lack reliability for long term storage. You’ll also need to decide if you want to use local storage, cloud backups or both. If you do, you should find a solution that can protect all of your devices on a single subscription. In this article, we’ll go through how you can use these different methods to backup your Mac.īefore you start to look for a backup provider for your Mac, you should also consider if you need to backup any Windows machines. However, actually using these programs to protect your data can get tricky. When it comes to creating backups, macOS gives you plenty of options, and both the preinstalled software as well as third-party providers offer good solutions.
