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Can I restore a Time Machine Backup to the same Macbook holding the backup?

I have a Time Machine backup located on the same Macbook that I want to restore the backup to. Is this possible?


I am unable to locate this backup with the Migration Assistant as the assistant wants to connect to an external server. Am I forced to copy the Time Machine backup I have to an external server in order to restore from it?


Thank you for the help!


MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.14

Posted on Mar 20, 2021 8:07 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Apr 8, 2021 5:35 PM

Hi fleshins,


macOS changed how Time Machine restores work in macOS Big Sur. Because of how the Sealed System Volume (SSV) works, it isn't possible to restore it from Time Machine, and as a result, only the Data volume gets backed up.


This means that you can't use the "Restore from Time Machine" utility in macOS Recovery to restore from your backup. Instead, you'll need to use Migration Assistant - which you did. The only problem is that Migration Assistant doesn't erase anything; it only tries to import data.


To truly erase and restore from your backup, you'll need to complete these steps:


  1. Erase your Mac from macOS Recovery.
  2. Install macOS Big Sur.
  3. In Setup Assistant (which includes Migration Assistant), transfer your data from your Time Machine backup.
11 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Apr 8, 2021 5:35 PM in response to fleshins

Hi fleshins,


macOS changed how Time Machine restores work in macOS Big Sur. Because of how the Sealed System Volume (SSV) works, it isn't possible to restore it from Time Machine, and as a result, only the Data volume gets backed up.


This means that you can't use the "Restore from Time Machine" utility in macOS Recovery to restore from your backup. Instead, you'll need to use Migration Assistant - which you did. The only problem is that Migration Assistant doesn't erase anything; it only tries to import data.


To truly erase and restore from your backup, you'll need to complete these steps:


  1. Erase your Mac from macOS Recovery.
  2. Install macOS Big Sur.
  3. In Setup Assistant (which includes Migration Assistant), transfer your data from your Time Machine backup.

Mar 20, 2021 11:43 PM in response to fleshins

A TimeMachine backup should be made on an external drive https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201250

In case something goes wrong with your internal drive, you will be happy to have a backup on an external drive

Here is a link How to move TimeMachine backups from one external drive to another https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT202380

As you are not supposed to make TM backups on your internal drive, you won’t find a manual how to do move a TM backup from an internal drive to an external drive

Apr 4, 2021 1:09 PM in response to fleshins

So here's a quick update: I was able to free up space on MacBook A and complete the restore!


Unfortunately, the restore didn't go exactly as I was expecting. I thought I would get a "copy" of MacBook B on MacBook A. This is how I've used Time Machine backups in the past but it seems that option wasn't available to me and I had to use Migration Assistant which just copied my user account from MacBook B to MacBook A. At first glance I thought this might be OK (I don't need an exactly copy of MacBook B) but when I logged into my freshly migrated user account I discovered lots of broken applications. I've reported that here since it's a separate issue from this one.


If you have any insights on what might be happening, thank you for chiming in!

Mar 21, 2021 4:34 PM in response to Encryptor5000

Well that was actually rather straightforward. All you have to do is create a Time Share backup destination folder on MacBook B. The steps to do that are as follows:


  1. System Preferences > Sharing
  2. Check the "File Sharing" checkbox
  3. Add a Shared Folder where you want your Time Machine backup
  4. Right click on the folder and select Advanced Options
  5. Check the "Share as Time Machine backup destination" checkbox


I then connected MacBook A and MacBook B with a Thunderbolt Type-C cable.


Now MacBook B's Time Machine backup destination shows up in the list of available Time Machine backup disks when I fire up Migration Assistant on MacBook A.

Mar 21, 2021 8:01 AM in response to mulberry58

Thank you! Here is the scenario:


I have MacBook A and MacBook B.


I create a Time Machine backup of MacBook A on MacBook B.


MacBook A does not have enough disk space to host its own Time Machine backup.


Now I want to restore the MacBook A TM backup on MacBook B.


Can’t figure out a way to do this. It seems I need another external drive, which seems kind of silly 🙃

Mar 21, 2021 4:10 PM in response to fleshins

fleshins wrote:

Thank you! Here is the scenario:

I have MacBook A and MacBook B.

I create a Time Machine backup of MacBook A on MacBook B.

Can you please describe the steps you used to perform this? How did you create a Time Machine backup of MacBook A onto MacBook B? Are you absolutely sure that you stored the backup on the internal drive and not on an external drive?

Mar 21, 2021 4:39 PM in response to fleshins

Thanks for that detailed info! I completely forgot about Time Machine sharing... lol.


If I remember correctly, the backups should be stored inside a sparsebundle disk image. Check the shared folder you specified and let me know if it has a disk image inside. If it does, we can transfer that to an external drive, or directly to MacBook A if enough space is available on it, and then restore its contents to MacBook B.

Can I restore a Time Machine Backup to the same Macbook holding the backup?

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