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Airport Time Capsule Backup Failure

My airport time capsule will not backup my computer and wrongfully reports this is because my 2020 MacBook Air is running on battery power despite being plugged in and battery icon displaying "power source: power adapter" It has been backing up everyday automatically since July, 2020 until February 1, 2022. I have changed nothing.



Posted on Feb 17, 2022 12:40 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 17, 2022 1:04 PM

This is a MacBook Air and/or Mac operating system issue.


On the MacBook Air......


Click on the Time Machine "clock" icon at the top of the Mac's screen

Click on Open Time Machine Preferences

Click on the Options button at the lower right of the window

If the box next to "Back up while on battery power" is unchecked, enter a check mark in the box and then click on the Save button

If the box next to "Back up while on battery power is checked, remove the check mark from the box and then click on the Save button

Close the windows


Restart the MacBook Air


Click on the Time Machine clock icon at the top of the Mac's screen

Click on Open Time Machine Preferences

Click on the Options button


If you want the Mac to back up while on battery power....and the box is not already checked......enter a check mark in the box next to "Back up while on battery power".

Click Save


If you do not want the Mac to back up while on battery power......and......the box is already checked, remove the check mark from the box next to "Back up while on battery power"

Click Save


Close the windows and restart the Mac again

Check to see if backups will return to normal


The actions above will reset the Time Machine preferences on your Mac.


If you continue to see the same "Power source - Power adapter" error message, and no other suggestions will work, you may need to reinstall the Mac operating system, since Time Machine is part of the operating system.

3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 17, 2022 1:04 PM in response to uptight yogi

This is a MacBook Air and/or Mac operating system issue.


On the MacBook Air......


Click on the Time Machine "clock" icon at the top of the Mac's screen

Click on Open Time Machine Preferences

Click on the Options button at the lower right of the window

If the box next to "Back up while on battery power" is unchecked, enter a check mark in the box and then click on the Save button

If the box next to "Back up while on battery power is checked, remove the check mark from the box and then click on the Save button

Close the windows


Restart the MacBook Air


Click on the Time Machine clock icon at the top of the Mac's screen

Click on Open Time Machine Preferences

Click on the Options button


If you want the Mac to back up while on battery power....and the box is not already checked......enter a check mark in the box next to "Back up while on battery power".

Click Save


If you do not want the Mac to back up while on battery power......and......the box is already checked, remove the check mark from the box next to "Back up while on battery power"

Click Save


Close the windows and restart the Mac again

Check to see if backups will return to normal


The actions above will reset the Time Machine preferences on your Mac.


If you continue to see the same "Power source - Power adapter" error message, and no other suggestions will work, you may need to reinstall the Mac operating system, since Time Machine is part of the operating system.

Airport Time Capsule Backup Failure

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