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How to see what is being backed up and reduce that to the minimum

How do I check what is being backed up? I can exclude folders, but I cant' exclude all and iclude the ones I want. I'd need to backup just the "usual" system files and my documents. That can't be 11GB, right?


Any ideas other than "back up automatically"? Is there any way to tell macOS when and how to spesifically back up so it won't disturb my workflow.

MacBook, macOS 11.6

Posted on Jun 1, 2022 3:04 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 1, 2022 3:52 AM

Back up your Mac with Time Machine


Below- a portion of the information in above link


Create a Time Machine backup

  1. Connect an external storage device, such as a USB or Thunderbolt drive. Learn more about backup disks that you can use with Time Machine.
  2. Open Time Machine preferences from the Time Machine menu  in the menu bar. Or choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Time Machine.
  3. Click Select Backup Disk.

  4. Select the name of your disk, then click Use Disk. Time Machine immediately begins making periodic backups—automatically and without further action by you.


3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 1, 2022 3:52 AM in response to Treefrogwithredeyes

Back up your Mac with Time Machine


Below- a portion of the information in above link


Create a Time Machine backup

  1. Connect an external storage device, such as a USB or Thunderbolt drive. Learn more about backup disks that you can use with Time Machine.
  2. Open Time Machine preferences from the Time Machine menu  in the menu bar. Or choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Time Machine.
  3. Click Select Backup Disk.

  4. Select the name of your disk, then click Use Disk. Time Machine immediately begins making periodic backups—automatically and without further action by you.


Jun 1, 2022 4:04 AM in response to Treefrogwithredeyes

If you want to back up some but not most, and specify the time for the backup, then use something other than Time Machine.

Under Big Sur and later, Time Machine doesn't back up the system volume.


If Time Machine is disturbing you workflow, something is wrong. I would remove the backup drive from Time Machine, run First Aid, and Erase it. Then, add it back to Time Machine.

How to see what is being backed up and reduce that to the minimum

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