How to Use Time Machine on Mac

Time Machine is the built-in backup feature in macOS that automatically saves your system files, apps, and personal data. If something goes wrong, you can restore everything — or just a specific file — in a few clicks. Here’s how to set it up and use it properly.

🔧 Step 1: Start Time Machine from Terminal

🖥️ Step 1: Open the Terminal App

Press Command (⌘) + Space to launch Spotlight Search.
Type Terminal, then press Enter to launch it.

2. Enter this command in Terminal

Copy the following command and paste it into Terminal, then press Return:

Click "Show Command" to reveal

This command starts a Time Machine backup manually. It’s helpful if you want to test your backup drive or start the process outside of the scheduled interval.

💽 Step 2: Set Up Your Backup Drive

Connect an external drive to your Mac. When prompted, choose Use as Backup Disk. If no prompt appears, go to System Settings → General → Time Machine and select the drive manually.

🔄 Step 3: Wait for Initial Backup

The first backup may take a while, especially if you have a lot of data. Once it’s complete, Time Machine will continue to back up automatically in the background as you work.

📂 Step 4: Restore Files

To restore individual files, open the folder where the file was located, then click the Time Machine icon in the menu bar and choose Enter Time Machine. Use the timeline on the right to browse previous versions and restore what you need.

🧰 Step 5: Restore the Whole System (Optional)

If you’re setting up a new Mac or replacing a drive, you can restore everything from a Time Machine backup during the initial macOS setup or using macOS Recovery.

Note: Always keep your backup drive connected regularly and don’t remove it while a backup is running. Having consistent backups can save you hours — or days — of recovery work.