Select which disk you'd like to use as a Time Machine backup.Ĭheck the Back Up Automatically box in order to automatically back up your Mac to your chosen disks. Select System Preferences from the Apple menu.How to enable Time Machine backups on your Mac AirPort Time Capsule, or external drive connected to an AirPort Time capsule or AirPort Extreme Base Station (802.11ac)įollow these instructions to begin using Time Machine for backup purposes on your Mac.Mac shared as a Time Machine backup destination.Network-attached storage (NAS) device that supports Time Machine over SMB.External drive connected to your Mac, such as a USB or Thunderbolt drive.How to set up Time MachineĪs explained by Apple support, you can use any of the following backup methods: The oldest backups are deleted when your backup disk is full. To create backups with Time Machine, you'll need an external storage device.Īfter you connect the storage device and select it as your backup disk, Time Machine automatically makes hourly backups for the past 24 hours, daily backups for the past month, and weekly backups for all previous months. Apple's built-in Time Machine app in macOS Monterey makes it simple to back up Mac data.