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Should Time Machine created in Mac OS Extended be converted to APFS?

Should Time Machine created in Mac OS Extended be converted to APFS?

Posted on Jan 18, 2021 2:13 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 18, 2021 9:47 PM

steve626 wrote:

If the disk is a Mac OS Extended format disk that contains an existing Time Machine backup, you aren’t asked to erase and reformat the disk."

Correct. As I said, Big Sur automatically converts it. It doesn't ask. At least that's what it did with my five Macs running Big Sur. 😎


p.s. Specifically, APFS (case-sensitive).

6 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 18, 2021 9:47 PM in response to steve626

steve626 wrote:

If the disk is a Mac OS Extended format disk that contains an existing Time Machine backup, you aren’t asked to erase and reformat the disk."

Correct. As I said, Big Sur automatically converts it. It doesn't ask. At least that's what it did with my five Macs running Big Sur. 😎


p.s. Specifically, APFS (case-sensitive).

Jan 18, 2021 9:38 PM in response to dialabrain


dialabrain wrote:

FWIW, Big Sur actually converts Time Machine backups to APFS. Hence, it's not necessary to manually do so.
https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/f33ca747-5161-4206-a421-a2e2282b8af2


https://support.apple.com/en-my/guide/mac-help/mh15139/11.0/mac/11.0


[Big Sur section of Apple Instructions, link provided above]


"APFS or APFS Encrypted disks are the preferred format for a Time Machine backup disk. If you select a new backup disk that’s not already formatted as an APFS disk, you get the option to erase and reformat it. If the disk is a Mac OS Extended format disk that contains an existing Time Machine backup, you aren’t asked to erase and reformat the disk."

Should Time Machine created in Mac OS Extended be converted to APFS?

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