timemachine on macbook pro won't backup the external ssds

not sure why MBP won't backup the externals?

when i click on TM it gives me the option to exclude both of my external and the timemachine drive.

I leave that untouched and run the program. I think on my other macpro there is an option to select which folders/drives i want to backup. the MBP doesn't offer that option.

i'm stumped.


Posted on Feb 27, 2024 12:06 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 27, 2024 12:46 PM

If your external drives are on the TM Options... screen, then they ARE on the exclusions list by default and as such will NOT be backed up.


To include them in your backups you must remove them from that list by selecting them and then clicking the minus button (–) below.


Some guidance for that is here:

Exclude files from a Time Machine backup on Mac - Apple Support


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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 27, 2024 12:46 PM in response to ODog

If your external drives are on the TM Options... screen, then they ARE on the exclusions list by default and as such will NOT be backed up.


To include them in your backups you must remove them from that list by selecting them and then clicking the minus button (–) below.


Some guidance for that is here:

Exclude files from a Time Machine backup on Mac - Apple Support


Feb 27, 2024 8:00 PM in response to ODog

Your first image shows you have four drives listed to, yes, "Exclude from Backups".

The procedure to Include those drives in backups will be to select any drive on this panel and then click the minus button below (–) to remove it from the "Exclude from Backups" list. Then click Done.



If the minus button (–) is not available after you select a drive here, make sure that drive is presently connected to the Mac and try again. If still unable to remove the drive from this list, there may be some glitch with macOS. Try removing the drive from the list while booted into Safe mode.


ODog wrote:
...
I think on my other macpro there is an option to select which folders/drives i want to backup. the MBP doesn't offer that option.

As long as I've been using many Macs I only recall ever having the option to exclude folders/drives from TM backups. TM always backed up everything except what had been added to the exclude list.

Feb 27, 2024 1:37 PM in response to D.I. Johnson

thanks for the reply.

unfortunately that's not how i'm seeing it.


the box that shows up after you hit the options button shows me drives that are available to "exclude from backups" it does not say "Excluded" from backup".

when i do click a drive, the only option is to hit the + which makes sense the - is greyed out or not an option.

you can see in the screenshots when you click the +, it gives you the option to select the drive/s you want to exclude.

I have 4-drives sitting under the options tab. if i don't selected them to exclude them, it would make sense that they would then be automatically included?

I've had macs for 20 years and it's generally pretty intuitive.


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timemachine on macbook pro won't backup the external ssds

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