HT201250: Use Time Machine to back up or restore your Mac

Learn about Use Time Machine to back up or restore your Mac
kentjeffrey

Q: learn about deleting old backups from Time Machine

I am trying to learn how delete old backups for Time Machine, my first back up is in 2011 and certainly do not need anymore. Actually I wouel like to delete everything from 2014 back to the beginning and only keep the past year stuff

MacBook Air (13-inch Mid 2011)

Posted on Oct 11, 2015 11:20 PM

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Q: learn about deleting old backups from Time Machine

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  • by LaPastenague,Helpful

    LaPastenague LaPastenague Oct 12, 2015 4:59 AM in response to kentjeffrey
    Level 9 (52,476 points)
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    Oct 12, 2015 4:59 AM in response to kentjeffrey

    Are your Time Machine backups on a Time Capsule??

     

    See the instructions from Pondini

     

    Q12 here.

     

    http://pondini.org/TM/FAQ.html

     

    However I would not recommend you do it that way..

     

    Very seldom does it work and you end up with unusable backup.

     

    Simply archive off the old backups to a USB drive.. and wipe the TC and start a whole new backup.. after 6-12months you are unlikely to need the old backups ever again so wipe them.. and then backup the TC again to the USB drive and think seriously about starting over.