Time Machine Icon Colour

Am having a similar issue but my Time Machine back-up disk is an internal disk, thus looks like my main internal drive, not orange as an external drive. Once I got the Time Machine to finally finish for the first time after the update, it did turn green after clicking on it.

Most often after a re-boot, (prior to El Capitan), it would change from the internal to TM icon after the first Time Machine back-up. I just noticed after my last back-up took place it revered back to the internal disk icon again. Odd. Fooled around with it, and by changing the icon size ('show view options'), then back, it changed to the Time Machine icon. Go figure.

Not a big deal, no, but it does let me know that Time Machine is operating correctly after a shutdown/restart, reboot, etc. Lets see if it maintains the icon after 'playing' with it. I know this has been an 'issue' for various users for quite some time, and was for me as well, but seemed to have sorted itself out over the last tear or two.

I tried to fix it as bkeske mentioned, but it did not help on my machines. Good thought though. I have to admit, the orange icon frustrates me more than it should even though I have every indication that my backups occurring normally. My issue occurring on three machines (two iMacs and one Macbook air).

Exactly the same problem here -- funny how a little thing like an icon failing to properly report seems like such a big deal. As others have said -- it just keeps staring you in the face. Indeed the updates take place.

2014 Mac Mini

I ran 'disk first aid' from the Disk Utilities app on the back up drive. It took quite a while to go through it, but there was no issues reported, and nothing changed. Still orange.

Unfortunately, the issue persists after several days now, but, it seems all I have to do is change my icon size as I mentioned above, and it changes to the TM icon again. Not sure why this is working for me and not others, or why I need to do this, but it is a 'fix' for the time being.

Just not sure why it isn't changing 'on its own' following a start-up/reboot, and during the 'first' back-up after doing so.

Hi Guys

I had exactly the same problem with my Time Machine icon turning yellow with a USB diagram instead of the default Green icon. I replaced the Yellow icon with the one shown. I have had no further problems with it changing colour since. Hope this helps.

The link below takes you through the steps to change a desk top icon.

http://www.tekrevue.com/tip/custom-icons-os-x/

Still the same issue with El Capitan 10.11.1 Never had so many small issues with an osx before.

Interesting, as my issue seems to have been resolved after the update.

I've noticed the behavior of the icon has always been a little inconsistent.

I suspect it will straighten itself out over time.

You can always put your own .png to take the place of the default icon.

High light the icon on the desktop and command i will open the info pane. In the upper left corner you can copy and paste on top of the existing icon.

Command z will revert it back to the default.

bkeske wrote:

Am having a similar issue but my Time Machine back-up disk is an internal disk,

Bad idea, when your drive fails you lose the data, and the backup of the data. You're living dangerously.

I don't think so. It is a separate drive in a separate bay, and still have two more available to me in my Mac Pro. I am more confident in the integrity of an internal drive than I am an external drive, which I have had go bad after a few years.

I have already had to back up my main OS disk from the separate back-up disk once without issue. in addition, I also back up some things on a 1T external drive, and in addition have all my computers backed-up to a paid for off site cloud back-up system.

As this contains all my business files, a repetition of back-ups is vital. Time Machine is great for some things, and works great. But if my office burns down, the Time Machine back-ups would be pretty useless, thus the need for an off-site back-up as well.

The icon changing orange occurs from time to time. Usually if the system was powered down incorrectly or the disk was unplugged without ejecting. The quickest fix I have found is to launch Terminal and enter the command:

KillAll Finder

This basically refreshes the shell. Problem solved.

Brilliant. Many thanks. This solved it for me.