(Mac OS X 10.6.x+)
By default, Time Machine can run an automatic backup every hour. This valuecan be changed by following this tutorial.
By default, Time Machine can run an automatic backup every hour. This valuecan be changed by following this tutorial.
Option 1: Manually Edit the Time Machine Preference File
TimeMachineEditor basically fixes this issue by putting you firmly in control of your schedule. The latest version – which requires OS X 10.7 or later – avoids modifying system files in favour of using its own scheduling system. This automatically switches Time Machine on and off depending on how you’ve scheduled it to run. TimeMachineEditor is a GUI-based software that allows the customization of how frequently Time Machine will backup. If you do not feel comfortable manually changing the frequency (or have a need to change the value quite often), this may be a more appealing option Go to the homepage for TimeMachineEditor. TimeMachineEditor khn / 5 0 3 / TimeSoftware /System Utilities / 470 KB / 04:36:26 / #Time machine enhancement #Time machine customizer #Backup.
Note: this is a more technical procedure, for those who will need to changethe frequency on a regular basis, or those who would like a more user-friendlymethod of editing this value, please see Option 2.
- The one-hour default is actually a «magic number» stored in a preferencefile; the default value of 3600 represents the number of seconds betweenbackups.
- The file we need to edit is located under
/System/Library/LaunchDaemons
- Open
com.apple.backupd-auto.plist
with a text editor on your machine(e.g., TextEdit) and find the following in the file: - As mentioned, the default value is 3600, representing 3600 seconds = 1 hour.Here are some other second values that could be used:
Desired Frequency Seconds Once an hour 3600 Once every 2 hours 7200 Once every 6 hours 21600 Twice a day (12 Hours) 43200 Once per day 86400 - Recommended interval:
- For laptop users, the default (once per hour) will work fine.
- For desktop users, twice per day.
- Recommended interval:
- Replace the
3600
with the desired frequency value and save the file. Asthis file is a protected system file, you will be required to enter yourpassword to save the file.
- Note: If you receive a message that you cannot save the file, try using adifferent text editor, as some will prompt for a system password and otherwill return an error message when writing over protected files. You canalso change the permissions using
chmod
before editing, to enable writingto the file:>cd /System/Library/LaunchDaemons
>chmod u+w com.apple.backupd-auto.plist
… edit the file … save the file …>chmod u-w com.apple.backupd-auto.plist
If you receive a permissions error, you can usesudo chmod
instead ofchmod
in the above script to invoke super user permissions.
- You’re Time Machine will now perform the automatic backup at the intervalspecified. This second-timer will start counting down from the time at whichthe system is turned on.
Option 2: TimeMachineEditor
TimeMachineEditor is a GUI-based software that allows the customization of howfrequently Time Machine will backup. If you do not feel comfortable manuallychanging the frequency (or have a need to change the value quite often), thismay be a more appealing option
- Go to the homepage for TimeMachineEditor
- Download the latest version of TimeMachineEditor
- Follow the installation instructions
Override Time Machine
- Go to System Preferences and open the Time Machine settings
- Turn OFF automatic backups
- Reboot your machine to ensure these changes are applied
- After rebooting, you can open TimeMachineEditor and schedule your backup ona basis of either frequency per day / week / month, OR at regularlyscheduled calendar intervals (e.g., every Sunday at 2:00 AM).
- Slide the switch at the bottom left of TimeMachineEditor to the «ON»position to enable TimeMachineEditor managed backups.
- Note: Under the Time Machine settings in System Preferences, leave theswitch for automatic backups in the «OFF» postion
TimeMachineEditor is a software for macOS that lets you change the default one-hour backup interval of Time Machine. You can change the interval or create other types of scheduling (see the screenshots below).
This is useful if you don’t need to backup every hour and don’t want the performance penalty. For example you might be frequently creating or modifying files which would cause long-running backup operations throughout the day.
Download
TimeMachineEditor 5.1.8 (2021, January 13) - macOS 10.9 or newer
This version includes minor fixes and improvements
Note to Catalina and Big Sur users
In macOS Catalina and Big Sur, a security dialog might prevent you from installing the application claiming that Apple cannot check it for malicious software. Apple (the trillion dollar company) is forcing developers to pay $99/year in order to get rid of this dialog, this I do not agree with. All developers contribute to the platform and buy a fair amount of Apple devices which should be plenty enough money back into Apple's pockets to provide free signing certificates and notarization.
You can still install: control-click the installer package, then choose Open from the shortcut menu, then click Open. Alternatively you can install version 5.0.8 and update from within the application (main application menu > Check for Updates).
How does it work?
TimeMachineEditor triggers Time Machine backups when it is most appropriate, the whole backup process is still handled by Time Machine. TimeMachineEditor is not a “hack”, it does not modify system files.
Command Line Tool
The
tmectl(1)
command line tool allows to print and modify settings, enable/disable the scheduler and uninstall the application. Just fire up the command without any argument to see its usage.FAQ
Should I disable automatic backups in System Preferences > Time Machine?
Yes. Doing this disables the default one-hour scheduler which is what you want since you will now be using TimeMachineEditor to schedule the backups.
Do I need to keep the application running or launch it at login time?
No. You just need to use the application when you want to change the settings.
Will it back up while the machine is sleeping?
TimeMachineEditor supports Power Nap which you can enable in System Preferences > Energy Saver. If you are using a laptop computer, make sure you are on the “Power Adapter” tab, as this feature only works when connected to AC power.
How does TimeMachineEditor preserve/discard backups?
TimeMachineEditor does not change that, it is handled by Time Machine. Time Machine will coalesce and discard backups as described in System Preferences > Time Machine.
What are local snapshots?
Local snapshots are APFS snapshots. They are very fast to make, stored on the local disk and provide additional restoration points. Since they are local they do not protect against a disk crash but can be useful if the machine goes away from the backup disk for awhile. The lifetime of snapshots is not well defined but they usually live no longer than 24 hours.
You can't totally disable snapshots. New snapshots are created every time a regular backup is made (snapshots are used as the data sources for the backups). That's how Time Machine works.
How do I uninstall TimeMachineEditor?
Just select the “Uninstall..” command located under the application main menu. Alternatively the
tmectl(1)
command line tool can be used with the “uninstall” argument.Time Machine Editor
Donations
TimeMachineEditor is totally free to use. Donations contribute to the web hosting and developer account fees.
You can donate via paypal. Tipsy bartender halloween.
Contact
Time Machine Editor
You can contact me by email at [email protected].