HT201250: Use Time Machine to back up or restore your Mac
Learn about Use Time Machine to back up or restore your Mac
Q: How can I determine which Time Machine backups can be deleted to free space on my backup device?
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Jan 3, 2014 9:15 AMby QuickTimeKirk,HelpfulTime Machine controls the data and only you can choose what to exclude.
It manages the storage by deleting only the oldest files and will never use more than you gave it by first choosing the drive or partition it uses.
Don't manually delete from the Time Machine drive:
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Jan 3, 2014 11:02 AMby Ian_VE,Thanks.
It would be useful if the application had a quota setting as an alternative to it just using all available storage. Am I right in thinking the there's no such setting?
Apple's help seems to suggest backups of files can be deleted: in the Time Machine Finder window choose "Delete All Backups of...". So if it's Apple recommended I guess it should work, right?
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Feb 1, 2014 1:16 AMby Ian_VE,Thanks.
So, if TimeMachine only makes one full backup the first time a backup is taken, and then automatically removes backups as space is needed, is there a danger that there can come a point where no single restore point exists?
I find Apple's lack of detail around this topic disappointing. It's such an important thing.
I guess TimeMachine doesn't work quite how I want it too. Seems to be true of so many Apple products!
