Why won't time machine back up an exfat drive?

I have an external drive that I would like to keep as exfat format for cross platform compatability. Why won't Time Machine back it up when it's plugged into my macbook? It's 2024. C'mon. It can't be that hard to copy some files in time machine regardless of the disk format.


[Edited by Moderator]

Posted on Aug 31, 2024 2:20 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 31, 2024 5:32 AM

Apple's Time Machine Backup is designed to work on Drives formatted into Native Apple Drive formats


This maybe HFS + Journaled with the GUID Partition Map in Older version of macOS


In newer versions of macOS , Time Machine Backup is designed to work on APFS / GUID formatted drives


exFat is a drive format that Apple computers and read and write but can Not be used for TM Backups


If this is not to the user's liking >>


Then have a few suggestions ;


Start now and open an Apple Support Ticket as they are PAID  Apple Employees to deal will these types of issues . 


 Product Feedback - and make it known to Apple regarding issue 



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3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Aug 31, 2024 5:32 AM in response to -MAIN-

Apple's Time Machine Backup is designed to work on Drives formatted into Native Apple Drive formats


This maybe HFS + Journaled with the GUID Partition Map in Older version of macOS


In newer versions of macOS , Time Machine Backup is designed to work on APFS / GUID formatted drives


exFat is a drive format that Apple computers and read and write but can Not be used for TM Backups


If this is not to the user's liking >>


Then have a few suggestions ;


Start now and open an Apple Support Ticket as they are PAID  Apple Employees to deal will these types of issues . 


 Product Feedback - and make it known to Apple regarding issue 



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Why won't time machine back up an exfat drive?

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