Backup iMac to iCloud using Ventura

Apple offers iCloud Backup for iPhones and iPads but not for Mac computers.

It is possible to sync data from a Mac to iCloud if you turn on those options (e.g., iCloud Photos, iCloud Drive including the Desktop & Documents option). Syncing has some of the benefits of a backup (and the benefit of being offsite) but is not the same as a backup. Major differences include the fact that not everything on your Mac can be synced and the fact that if you delete something, accidentally or otherwise, there is only a limited time period (30 days in most cases) during which it can be recovered.

Also see the Apple article: How to back up your Mac - Official Apple Support

And more information on syncing in:

Set up and use iCloud Photos - Apple Support

and

Access and manage your files in iCloud Drive - Apple Support

and

Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive - Apple Support

Contributor810 wrote:

Thanks so much. That explains a lot. My computer has not automatically updated a version of Ventura. Is it safe to manually get that update without a backup? I know upgrading to Sonoma would be a bad idea without a backup.

I wonder if I could get some recommendations for a iMac compatible external drive. I don’t know where to start. Are there any thumb drives that may hold enough?

Do not perform any major activity on your Mac without first creating a backup. Something could go wrong and you will lose your data if you do not have a backup.

Any external drive/SSD should work. Make sure sure you format the drive using Disk Utility when first connected to your Mac.

Do not use a thumb drive for storing backups. They are not reliable enough for such a critical task.

Use Time Machine to perform the backup.

The only cable that comes with an iMac is the USB-C to Lightning cable that is used to charge the keyboard and mouse.

External drives normally come with their own cable.

An external drive that is Thunderbolt capable is likely to be more expensive than one that isn't. Which to get depends on whether or not you need the Thunderbolt speed and are willing to pay for it. For backups, USB 3 speeds are more than adequate for most people.

Two examples available on the Apple Store:

LaCie 1TB Rugged USB-C Portable Hard Drive - Apple

the above includes a USB-C (USB 3.1 5 Gbps) cable

and LaCie 1TB Rugged SSD Pro External Drive with Thunderbolt 3 - Apple

includes a Thunderbolt 3 cable (6 in./15.24 cm)

Your iMac 24" has USB-C ports, not Lightning.

There are two models of the 24" iMac.

If your 24" iMac only has 2 USB-C ports, they are Thunderbolt / USB 4

If it has 4 USB-C ports the other two are USB 3.

See the "Connections and Expansion" section of iMac - Technical Specifications - Apple

All 4 ports are USB-C -- that is the size of the connector that fits.

The capabilities of the ports are:

The 2 ports nearest the stand in the middle are Thunderbolt / USB 4

The 2 ports closed to the edge are USB 3