How to Exclude Certain Files from Time Machine Backup?

by Ryan Smith Online Blogger

Do you want to customize your Time Machine backup files and folder? Are you wondering how to exclude several files from Time Machine Backups? If yes, then you have come to the right place. You should never prevent Time Machine from backing up your precious data. However, you can exclude certain items.

By excluding irrelevant things from the Time Machine backup, you can end up with a lot of free internal and external storage space. It can also save your RAM usage.

Source: http://ww-mcafee.com/how-to-exclude-certain-files-from-time-machine-backup/

How to Exclude Time Machine Backup Files on Your Mac?

You can remove any files that you consider less important. The things that can be removed from the backup list of Time Machine are files, system folders, applications, and other folders. Carefully follow the steps mentioned below and prevent certain files from being backed up.

On the menu bar, press the Apple icon located at the top right corner.
Now choose System Preferences from the given options.
Navigate to the Time Machine.
Then press the “Options” located at the bottom-right corner.
After that, click on the + button to add items into the excluded backup files list.
Now choose the things which you don’t want to back up. You can even search for them using the finder tab.
Tap Exclude.
Then tap Save.

The files and other things you have selected will no more be backed up in your external hard disk using the Time Machine program. This will help you save your precious drive space.

How to Remove files from Time Machine Backup Exclusion List?

If you have mistakenly added a file to the backup exclusion list, then you may want to remove it from the backup exclusion list. You may also change your mind after some time and want to restore the exclusion list to the default settings. To do just that follow the guide given below:

Navigate to the Apple icon and then go to “System Preferences.”
Now you have to visit Time Machine.
Press the Options button.
Choose files which you want to remove from the exclusion list and then press the “-” (minus) icon located below of the list.
Hit the Save button.

By following the methods mentioned above, you can add files to the exclusion list of Time Machine Backup. Now the space you have saved from this method can be utilized for other important data.

Ryan Smith is a creative person who has been writing blogs and articles about cybersecurity. She writes about the latest updates regarding mcafee.com/activate and how it can improve the work experience of users. Her articles have been published in many popular e-magazines, blogs, and websites.