Time Machine: how to exclude Messages app from Time Machine back-ups

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Level 1

60 points

Time Machine: how to exclude Messages app from Time Machine back-ups

This Apple Support document describes how to exclude items one does not want Time Machine to back up; however, when I attempt to do this and click Options as described, only certain items are highlighted in those listed, for example, applications.

Why is this? How can I work around it; should I?!

Does this highligting of only certain items mean that those are essential and should not be excluded?

I would like to exclude, for example, the Messages app from being backed up (unnecessary for my use of it) but I don’t know how. Your assistance would be appreciated.

The article says:

To exclude items from backups, open Time Machine settings, click Options, then click the add (+) button to add an item to be excluded. To stop excluding an item, select the item and click the remove (–) button.

If you back up to multiple disks, you can press and hold the Option key, then choose Browse Other Backup Disks from the Time Machine menu.

Back up your Mac with Time Machine - Apple Support (CA)

M2 Monterey OS 2022, MacBook Air

using an External HardDrive for back-ups

MacBook Air, macOS 12.6

Posted on Nov 6, 2022 5:53 PM

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Answer 1

John Galt

Level 10

157,526 points

Nov 6, 2022 6:05 PM in response to allan299

Apps integral to and required by macOS are not backed up.

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Answer 2

Tesserax

Level 10

159,154 points

Nov 9, 2022 9:45 PM in response to allan299

FWIW. I was curious to see if this has changed with macOS Ventura ... and it appears that it does. I was able to select the Messages app and add it to the Time Machine exclude list. I haven't tested it yet as I really don't want to exclude it, but it does look possible.

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Answer 3

allan299 Author

Level 1

60 points

Nov 10, 2022 6:30 AM in response to Tesserax

That is interesting to me also. It seems that if one is not interested in saving these the option might conveniently be there to do so rather than I presume, if one choosing the Messages > Preference >

delete in 30 days -the Time Machine (TM) back-up eventually updating to show this deletion. At least

I presume that logically, if the items are deleted in 30 days that the TM backups eventually catch-up

with this change/deletion. Monterey has lots of 'memojis' and short videos that one can add to a message

and these are fun with family and close friends, making these interesting times that we are all living through

a little lighter, but they must take up a lot of space on the computer too. I'd like to see the option of 'delete

immediately | delete when close the app | and not only to keep forever or delete after 30 days as the only options.

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Answer 4

Bob Timmons

Level 10

188,806 points

Nov 6, 2022 6:14 PM in response to allan299

If the item that you want to Exclude is grayed out and cannot be selected, it is part of the Mac operating system, which is not backed up in Time Machine.

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Answer 5

allan299 Author

Level 1

60 points

Nov 6, 2022 7:05 PM in response to Bob Timmons

These two answers say it all, simply and beautifully helpful. Thank you both very much.

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Time Machine: how to exclude Messages app from Time Machine back-ups

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