Using multiple hard drives with Time Machine

Time Machine is a brilliant way to ensure your mac is backed up safely, but you should always ensure that you backup to more than one device. If possible you should have at least 3 backups on 2 different media and 1 offsite.

If you are looking for an offsite backup solution then please get in touch with us.

You can attach a second hard drive and use it with Time Machine with only a couple of clicks. When Time Machine is connected to your first backup drive, it will back everything up. Then it’ll do the same for the second one. Time Machine backs up everything that’s changed on your Mac’s hard drive since the last time that backup drive was connected. So each drive will keep a complete Time Machine archive.

Here are step by step instructions:

To use multiple drives with Time Machine

1. Connect your second hard drive to your Mac.
2. Click on the Time Machine icon in the menu bar, then click on Open Time Machine preferences.
3. Click Select Disk. 4. Select the drive you want to rotate, then click Use Disk.
4. Time Machine will ask you if you want to replace your existing Time Machine drive, or use both drives. Click Use Both. Time Machine will now back up to each separate disk as they are connected.

When you want to check on your Time Machine backups later, all you need to do is hold down the option key when clicking on the Time Machine icon in your menu bar. You’ll see Browse Other Backup Disks. You can use that to browse whichever Time Machine archive you’d like.