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File/Folder deletion from Time Machine

I'm running OS Big Sur 11.7 on my iMac. How can this deletion be performed?

iMac 27″ 5K, 11.7

Posted on Dec 10, 2022 2:36 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 11, 2022 3:46 PM

I understand. The implication is that you do not want to back up those large files or folders, which means you should add them to Time Machine's exclusions list: Exclude files from a Time Machine backup on Mac - Apple Support.


Otherwise, it is not possible to specifically isolate and prune them from the existing backup while leaving everything else intact. You can wait until Time Machine requires the space they occupy (which will occur... eventually) or to erase the entire backup disk and start anew. The oldest backups — the ones taking up space for no good reason — get deleted first, automatically. Just let it happen.


If I may assume you intend to use Time Machine to effectively archive backed up items, please be advised it cannot be used for that purpose. TM is not intended to be an archival system. If you delete an item from the source volume, it will be deleted from its backup... eventually.

4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 11, 2022 3:46 PM in response to 707N_D

I understand. The implication is that you do not want to back up those large files or folders, which means you should add them to Time Machine's exclusions list: Exclude files from a Time Machine backup on Mac - Apple Support.


Otherwise, it is not possible to specifically isolate and prune them from the existing backup while leaving everything else intact. You can wait until Time Machine requires the space they occupy (which will occur... eventually) or to erase the entire backup disk and start anew. The oldest backups — the ones taking up space for no good reason — get deleted first, automatically. Just let it happen.


If I may assume you intend to use Time Machine to effectively archive backed up items, please be advised it cannot be used for that purpose. TM is not intended to be an archival system. If you delete an item from the source volume, it will be deleted from its backup... eventually.

File/Folder deletion from Time Machine

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