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In order to use Time Machine I need to attach an external storage device. Does that mean the device has to stay attached permanently in order for automatic backup to work? I need something automatic that I don't have to remember to do.
MacBook Pro 13", 10.13
The external drive doesn't need to be permanently attached. I attach mine once a week. I also have a cloud backup service that I use.
The following also has information about network disks and other options: Backup disks you can use with Time Machine - Apple Support
Backup operates in two ways.. away from home it will create a snapshot on your local disk (not great but better than nothing).. when you get home.. the backup needs to locate your target.. it is fully automatic as long as the target is network drive .. hence Apple made the Time Capsule for laptop backups so people would never need to remember to plug in a USB drive.
For some reason Apple seem to have wandered from the straight and narrow.. so network backups are too unreliable.. cloud backups for iOS exist but not the whole Mac backup .. and so you are stuck needing to plug in the USB drive.
If you happen to have a desktop Mac you can now configure it so Time Machine can do network backups to it.
See instructions here.
https://www.howtogeek.com/330288/how-to-set-up-your-mac-to-act-as-a-networked-time-machine-drive/
You could plug your USB drive into the desktop Mac and when your laptop is home .. connected automatically to the network it should then be able to backup.
Automatic backup isn't really automatic if I have to remember to attach an external device each time, is it?
