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Can I use Time Machine on my MacBook Air and back up files from my old MacBook Pro that I no longer have?

Can I use Time Machine on my MacBook Air and back up files from my old MacBook Pro that I no longer have?

MacBook Air, macOS 12.6

Posted on Oct 17, 2022 1:33 PM

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Posted on Oct 17, 2022 2:03 PM

You can restore files backed up by the Mac you no longer have:


Restore items backed up with Time Machine on Mac - Apple Support

5 replies

Oct 17, 2022 2:33 PM in response to powderhound888

Yes; your question sort of confused me. If you deleted something prior to creating an initial Time Machine backup, it wouldn't have been backed up.


However, if all you did was drag it to the Trash and did not empty it, then it will have been backed up. However, you can't just open the Trash folder and "Enter Time Machine" because its interface will just default to your Home folder.


There is a way to open the Trash folder and use Time Machine to restore its contents, but it involves a bit of work. If you think that's a possibility please write back. I would need to try it before providing instructions, and I'd rather not do that 😆

Oct 17, 2022 2:41 PM in response to John Galt

I think when the Apple store transferred the files from my MacBook Pro to my MacBook Air, I don't think everything got transferred. So when I open Time Machine and attempt to restore documents, my Time Machine only goes back to August 22, 2022, (approx.) when I purchased my new MacBook Air. Although I've used computers for several years, I still consider myself a newbie. Maybe I haven't explained myself very well.

Can I use Time Machine on my MacBook Air and back up files from my old MacBook Pro that I no longer have?

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