Hi, all. I have a TM backup that's full and I need to delete some of the larger files that are on the drive in old backups. How do I delete individual files in the TM backups?
MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 12.6
It may not be possible. If it is the new APFS format, you can’t delete anything. If it is the older HFS+ format, Enter Time Machine, find the files, ctrl-click on them and choose remove from backup. I don’t know if that is still possible as I don’t have one to check.
Will concede to the more learned contributor on this question.
Personally do not use TM Backup but another form of backup namely Clone and perform this on a daily basis.
If as mentioned earlier and it can not be done -->>
Suggest getting a new Erie with at least 2 1/2 Greater Drive Capacity that the Internal Drive Capacity.
Then put aside the existing TM Drive for safe keeping and start a New TM Backup regime on the new drive.
This would provide access to the Old Data and still have the protection on the new drive.
Users' choice for what best works for their setup
Mike Cuenca wrote:
Thank you for your responses. It is APFS.
As I stated earlier, if it is APFS, you cannot delete anything.
Mike Cuenca wrote:
Hi, all. I have a TM backup that's full and I need to delete some of the larger files that are on the drive in old backups. How do I delete individual files in the TM backups?
By individual files does the user actually mean Individual " Snap Shots" that TM Backup has made and stored on the TM Backup Drive ?
Your answer is incorrect or poorly worded. Even with an APFS Time Machine backup, you can delete individual snapshots.
To do so, open the drive in the Finder, select a date, then right-click to select "Delete Immediately."
I hope other readers don't see your response and believe that you can't delete anything.
I know that. I'm trying to find out/confirm that we can no longer delete files that are in the snapshots. It's a drag if we can't.
An APFS backup drive is read only to the user.
How would you possibly know what is backed up in any particular snapshot in order to determine which is appropriate to delete?
And, you should never attempt to circumvent Time Machine by manipulating it outside of its interface. You’ll just end up corrupting it so it is no longer useful. Because of the way snapshots work, it may now be possible to hack away at it as you describe, but why in the world would you risk destroying your backup. Some people only have the one.
If your Time Machine drive is full and you need to delete files then something is wrong. If Time Machine is functioning properly it will delete the oldest backups to make room for the newer files. The user should never have to intervene, ever.
Thank you for your responses. It is APFS.
By individual files, I don't mean the complete backup snapshot or instance, but documents and files within those snapshots.
Agree with both previous Posters.
Mucking around in the TM Backup drive does run the Risk of Corrupting the index file it uses and may result in loosing all Time Machine Backups
Users' choice
How to delete individual files from Time Machine backup
