How to set backup disks individually on Time Machine?

I just updated a manual backup on a HDD, to which I store in my vehicle.

By reconnecting it to my MacBook Pro, it started looking at the files with changes in them, then it backed all of those onto the external HDD.


And now, the Time Machine settings is telling me the next backup: automatic (daily).


I have excluded that drive, so why does it say that? What gives? Also, even though the backing up process is finished, the SATA to USB adapter is will blinking rapidly as if activity is still going on.


So, basically, what I need to know is, how to set each backup disks individually. Two of them manually, and one of them automatic?


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MacBook Pro (M2 Pro, 2023)

Posted on Mar 5, 2024 2:30 PM

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11 replies

Mar 6, 2024 5:09 AM in response to SSL-ADT

I need to change the Options per disk.

That is not possible. Use some other backup solution if that is necessary.

if you have multiple backup drives and only want to periodically backup to that one, just don’t connect it to your Mac until you want to backup to that drive.

Time Machine cycles backups between backup drives, but they are all synchronized such that they are identical except for the most recent backup to a particular drive.

Mar 6, 2024 5:23 PM in response to SSL-ADT

Okay, thanks. But, I sure wish there was a way to drag and drop to change the order of my three SSD's.

The order they are displayed has nothing to do with how they backup.

It will alternate backing up to each of the available drives.


If you wish to do anything other than the default behavior of Time Machine, you should use some other backup system. If you wish to occasionally backup to another drive manually, use Carbon Copy Cloner or some other backup software that makes that possible. That would give you a second backup system which is always a good idea.


Time Machine is designed to set it up and forget it.


Mar 6, 2024 6:57 AM in response to Barney-15E

Okay, that makes sense. Who knew!


One last question. Upon clicking on the Time Machine icon on the top bar, it is telling me that the Latest backup to my previous SSD (which has been disconnected more than 24 hours ago) is March 4th (two days ago). How can I make my Mac to take into account my new SSD that I now use for backing up my Mac?



Mar 6, 2024 10:44 AM in response to SSL-ADT

SSL-ADT wrote:

Okay, that makes sense. Who knew!

One last question. Upon clicking on the Time Machine icon on the top bar, it is telling me that the Latest backup to my previous SSD (which has been disconnected more than 24 hours ago) is March 4th (two days ago). How can I make my Mac to take into account my new SSD that I now use for backing up my Mac?


You need to remove the old and add the new (if that has not been done).

Just find the old one in the list and click the - button

Mar 6, 2024 5:36 PM in response to Barney-15E




If you look at the screenshot above, when it mentions when the latest backup was performed, they are talking about only ONE SSD, the very first one enrolled. No way to see info on the other two.


I do not want to get involved with a third-party application. The only apps I've added to this computer is Firefox (for troubleshooting purposes), WhatsApp for compatibility, and Photoshop.

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How to set backup disks individually on Time Machine?

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