Does Time Machine still do incremental backups?

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Level 1

6 points

Does Time Machine still do incremental backups?

For years I could go into Time Machine and travel back to documents etc that I worked on a year or more earlier. I saw a huge menu of backup dates in there.

But in more recent times, when updating an OS, it would do a full new backup, which is understandable. But it now seems like every time it backed up, it's doing a full backup.

I say this because my 4TB Time Machine drive is almost full, yet only has backups from the past 2 days. I cant even go back to last month.

I just changed setting to back up once a day instead of hourly, so that should help. But I dont expect to have an eventual selection like the old days.

Has Apple changed Time Machine to always doing full backups?

Thanks for all help & guidance.

I am on a Mac mini, running Sonoma

Mac mini, 14.4

Posted on May 15, 2024 5:16 AM

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Answer 1

lkrupp

Level 6

16,453 points

May 15, 2024 2:10 PM in response to DSusername

Well, yours is one of a very few complaints about Time Machine doing this so I continue to suspect something gone haywire in your system. Ive used Time Machine since day one and have never had something this happen. I just checked my own Time Machine and can browse all the way back to 2023. I have a 1TB Time Machine and about 500GB being incrementally backed up every hour.

You probably won’t this advice but I would consider either completely erasing your current Time Machine volume and start over OR buy a new storage device of sufficient size and create a brand new Time Machine. Then see if the problem persists after a few weeks or so.

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Answer 2

lkrupp

Level 6

16,453 points

May 15, 2024 5:29 AM in response to DSusername

No, Apple has not changed anything. Time Machine still makes incremental backups and users can still browse previous backups with ease. If that’s not the case on your installation then something has gone wrong. When space on the Time Machine volume gets low the oldest backups get deleted to make room. How large is the volume you are backing up with Time Machine? You may just need a larger Time Machine device.

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Answer 3

DSusername Author

Level 1

6 points

May 15, 2024 11:15 AM in response to lkrupp

I dont know what the compression ratio is for Time Machine storage. (how much drive space = how much bkup space). What I can say is I have all the same computer & external drives I've had for 3-4 yrs and I used to see a long line of backups, and now I only have 2 days and the bkup drive is about full. And I haven't been adding huge files. This happened when I updated OS to Sonoma. It may have occurred with the OS before that - I havent needed to go into Time Machine in a long time.

I've always backed up hourly, but just switched to daily, hoping that will tamp things down. But not expecting much from that.

Thanks

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Answer 4

DSusername Author

Level 1

6 points

May 15, 2024 11:23 AM in response to DSusername

Further info - I just checked.

My Time Machine has 17 backups in it from the past 2 days.

Each bkup is 23 gig.

That equals a little less than 400 gig.

1000 gig equals 1 terrabyte.

Yet Time Machine says my 4TB drive has 79 gig available.

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Answer 5

DSusername Author

Level 1

6 points

May 15, 2024 2:13 PM in response to lkrupp

Actually wiping the drive clean and reformatting is what I am doing - since I'm only losing 2 days of bkup.

I started thinking maybe there are old backups in there taking up space that I cant get at because of updating the OS.

Mine used to work like yours... looking to get back to that.

Thanks

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