Will Time Machine Delete Files?
Time Machine is a powerful backup tool that comes with macOS. It automatically backs up your Mac, allowing you to easily restore your files if something goes wrong. But what happens when your storage device is running low on space? Will Time Machine delete files?
Generally, Time Machine automatically deletes old backups. Once your storage device is running low on space, macOS deletes anything unnecessary, such as your oldest Time Machine backups. This helps to ensure that your Mac has enough space to store the most recent backups.
However, if you need to delete your backup manually, here’s what to do. First, open the Time Machine preferences window. To do this, click the Time Machine icon in the menu bar and select “Open Time Machine Preferences”.
In the Time Machine preferences window, click the “Options” button. This will open a new window with a list of all the backups stored on your Mac. Select the backup you want to delete and click the “Delete Backup” button.
You can also delete backups directly from the Time Machine interface. To do this, open the Time Machine window and select the backup you want to delete. Then, click the “Delete Backup” button in the bottom-right corner of the window.
If you want to delete all of your backups, you can do so from the Time Machine preferences window. Click the “Delete All Backups” button and confirm your choice. This will delete all of your backups, freeing up space on your Mac.
It’s important to note that Time Machine won’t delete files that are currently in use. For example, if you’re using a file that’s stored in a Time Machine backup, Time Machine won’t delete it.
In addition, Time Machine won’t delete files that are marked as “do not delete”. This is a feature that allows you to mark certain files as “do not delete”, preventing Time Machine from deleting them.
Overall, Time Machine will automatically delete old backups when your storage device is running low on space. However, you can also delete backups manually if you need to. Just remember that Time Machine won’t delete files that are currently in use or marked as “do not delete”.
