If only an ultra-high capacity hard drive will do, consider a desktop unit. Lets start with the following fact: My Passport supports Its not just for gaming, of course, and its available with 1TB, 2TB or 5TB of storage, so it provides plenty of room for all your music, photos, videos, and work files.
I intentionally infected my poor MacBook with malware, installed keyloggers, deleted parts of the operating system, and did other things that normal people usually avoid. Contrary to what you might think, this does not mean that you cannot use drives described as PC drives. Let us know if you liked the post.
So you can use the USB cable with the old MacBook, copy data on it and then plug it into a new MacBook with TouchBar and copy again.
Time Machine will notify you of the estimated time it will take to complete a backup when the backup is in process.
Now that youve prepared for the backup process, lets show you how to backup Macs to external hard drives. Do you have any questions about backing up your Apple computer?
Another drive from LaCie (this time in silver or grey colors): LaCie Mobile. Its clear that Thunderbolt is a better option than USB if you are looking for the best interface for your hard drive, but Thunderbolt options are likely to be more expensive than their USB counterparts. We give you the scoop on what's new, what's best and how to make the most out of the products you love. USB-C is based on USB 3.1 and offers up to 10Gbps. Sure, this is time-consuming, but it gives you control over what files you keep on your Mac and what files you delete. If Amazon is your choice when it comes to purchasing anything online, be aware that not all user reviews are real. Once youre connected, select launchpad, find the other folder and select disk utility.. Western Digitals WD_Black drives are primarily aimed at gamers who want a fast drive to boost loading times for their games, which explains why the menacing black design of this D10 desktop drive looks like a piece of heavyweight munitions from the Call Of Duty games.
When the difference in price between 1TB and 2TB may not be too high, when we are moving up in size, doubling the storage comes with more than double price. The size of the external hard drive you need all depends on how much information you need to backup. Time Machine will automatically backup your Mac and notify you how much time it will take to complete. Unfortunately, not all backups I made were successful. Having a hybrid backup option is one of the reasons we ranked iDrive as one of the best cloud storage services.
The service offers a more detailed, step-by-step approach when you restore all your files and data. When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. For moderate users, 200GB ($2.99 per month) may be sufficient.
Open up finder, and on the left-hand side of the window you will see iCloud. You can easily drag folders, including apps, into the iCloud tab and they will automatically sync to your account. However, when backing up our Mac, we used a USB adapter and experienced no issues at any point throughout the process. keep the old one). Carbonite (read our Carbonite review or check out Carbonites website here) is another fantastic option, especially when it comes to restoring your Mac. Performance is respectable enough, although the Ultra Plus wont win any awards for high-speed backups.
they have proper connectors. It has a sturdy metal body, so it can handle drops of up to 2 meters. To reformat the disk in a new format, click on the Erase icon at the top. For most users, it offers what they need to backup their Mac. The ArmorATD is an enclosure with a 2.5-inch hard drive inside thats shock-mounted, and the rugged aluminum case is surrounded by a silicon sock for extra protection. It comes with the following size options: Who in the world may need so much space, you might ask. To begin formatting, ensure your external drive is connected to your Mac. The Ultra Touch measures 4.53.10.5 inches (115x78x12 millimeters) and weighs 0.3 pounds (151 grams), so you can easily slip it into a jacket pocket or a bag when youre traveling.
It will give you up to 510MB/s transfer speed. My Passport is a little bigger than T7 and has the following dimensions: If you need a reliable external hard drive under $100, then
Weve rounded up the best Mac hard drives above, but before making a buying decision you need to think about how youll be using the device. Youll get around 120MBps writing and 127MBps reading maximum (with large files) from the ArmorATD on your Mac. Select it, and then tap erase at the top of the screen. You can start using the drive immediately. When you select it, you will move to the next window. The upside, however, is that each bit of information is stored twice to improved redundancy. On the left-hand side of the storage window, your files are broken down into different categories, including documents, music, photos, messages and mail.
If I rename my boot drive after the initial Time Machine backup, will I have to start over? The 4TB drive we tested measured a chunky 4.23.0x0.8 inches (107x76x19 millimeters) but the 1TB and 2TB models are just 0.43 inches) (11mm) thick. The G-Drive is neatly designed with a smart, sturdy aluminum casing, and it starts with a minimum of 4TB storage, going right up to 18TB, which should be enough even for professional users working with 8K video. Shock protection is the most important kind for a hard drive, as unlike an SSD they have moving parts that can be permanently damaged following a drop.
Buy a larger drive, though, and youre more likely to get other features.
If the drive fails when you need it, then its not worth even a penny. port you have on your Mac, you can use one or the other. second-generation 3.0. And T7 is crazy fast. When it comes to performance LaCie external hard drive provides an ok data transfer speed up to 130MB/s thru the Thunderbolt cable. It means that the available storage is not 12, but 6TB. We recommend selecting exFAT, as it can backup files of any size, whereas FAT32 is limited to files of up to 4GB.
Any folder that is mirrored is automatically backed up and updated as soon as you make any changes to any file within that folder. (If its an SSD you are after, read Best external SSD for Mac.). This is like a wireless jukebox you can fill with videos, photos and music. 
The ToolKit app also handles the encryption process for the Ultra Touch, although we found Seagates manualor lack thereofto be rather unhelpful, leaving us to look around for FAQs and information about this encryption and other features on the companys website. While 5TB may sound big, some people may find it not adequate for their needs. The main factor in selection is reliability. Before backing up your Mac, its a good idea to remove as many junk files as possible.
I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Our only complaint here is that LaCies skimpy manual doesnt provide much information about the ToolKit app, or the various formatting options for the drive, simply leaving you to wade through a bunch of FAQ files on its website. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. If you want to know how to speed up the backup process, check my article here.
There are several alternatives out there that offer different features than Time Machine that some users may find attractive. Did not mention whether Mac needs to be connected to a power adapter when backing up to an external hard drive, which was what I was looking for. Again, go to the Apple menu, select about this Mac and tap storage. Here you will see how much storage you have used, and how much storage you have available.
These network-attached storage drives connect to your home Wi-Fi to share their data with other devices in your home. When formatting your hard drive, youll notice several formatting options, including Mac OS Extended journaled, MS-DOS (FAT32) and exFAT. However, we need to be practical, because extra bytes come with extra price. Its equipped with only an old USB A interface (even though it is USB 3.2) perhaps to provide compatibility with older games consoles, so youll need an adapter if your Mac only has USB-C. Its 7,200-rpm drive provides very good performance, reaching read and write speeds of 245MBps and 240MBps, respectively. Partially, it was due to the fast SSD inside and partially due to the USB-C connector. Services like Backblaze (read our Backblaze review or check out Backblazes website here) offer automatic backups, unlimited storage space and best-in-class encryption to ensure your files remain private and secure. However, I suggest to read reviews of all drives down below, as well as the buyers guide. A NAS is particularly useful if you want to set up a media server at home. While it does not have SSDs inside, it contains fast enterprise-grade hard disks (7200 rpm). The Time Machine will be. You will receive a notification in the top right-hand corner of your desktop when your backup has finished. Its upper limit is 5TB. Restoring your Mac files and data is a simple and relatively quick process. Unfortunately, with such configuration data transfer speed suffers because the adapter becomes a bottleneck. Here you can see your files broken down into separate sections such as large files, downloads and unsupported apps. Anything you see that you dont need, you can delete. USB-C and USB-A cables are included in the box, so itll work with older Macs that dont have USB-C without needing an adapter. Some aspects of the design are a little odd. Apple recommends connecting your hard drive directly to your Mac with a USB, Thunderbolt or FireWire port connection, rather than using an adapter (USB to Thunderbolt, for example). Once you have identified which files you wish to restore, tap continue. Your Mac will begin to restore the Time Machine backup you selected. As mentioned above, all drives are compatible with Apple
I intentionally infected my poor MacBook with malware, installed keyloggers, deleted parts of the operating system, and did other things that normal people usually avoid. Contrary to what you might think, this does not mean that you cannot use drives described as PC drives. Let us know if you liked the post.
So you can use the USB cable with the old MacBook, copy data on it and then plug it into a new MacBook with TouchBar and copy again.
Time Machine will notify you of the estimated time it will take to complete a backup when the backup is in process.
Now that youve prepared for the backup process, lets show you how to backup Macs to external hard drives. Do you have any questions about backing up your Apple computer?
Another drive from LaCie (this time in silver or grey colors): LaCie Mobile. Its clear that Thunderbolt is a better option than USB if you are looking for the best interface for your hard drive, but Thunderbolt options are likely to be more expensive than their USB counterparts. We give you the scoop on what's new, what's best and how to make the most out of the products you love. USB-C is based on USB 3.1 and offers up to 10Gbps. Sure, this is time-consuming, but it gives you control over what files you keep on your Mac and what files you delete. If Amazon is your choice when it comes to purchasing anything online, be aware that not all user reviews are real. Once youre connected, select launchpad, find the other folder and select disk utility.. Western Digitals WD_Black drives are primarily aimed at gamers who want a fast drive to boost loading times for their games, which explains why the menacing black design of this D10 desktop drive looks like a piece of heavyweight munitions from the Call Of Duty games.
When the difference in price between 1TB and 2TB may not be too high, when we are moving up in size, doubling the storage comes with more than double price. The size of the external hard drive you need all depends on how much information you need to backup. Time Machine will automatically backup your Mac and notify you how much time it will take to complete. Unfortunately, not all backups I made were successful. Having a hybrid backup option is one of the reasons we ranked iDrive as one of the best cloud storage services.
The service offers a more detailed, step-by-step approach when you restore all your files and data. When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. For moderate users, 200GB ($2.99 per month) may be sufficient.
Open up finder, and on the left-hand side of the window you will see iCloud. You can easily drag folders, including apps, into the iCloud tab and they will automatically sync to your account. However, when backing up our Mac, we used a USB adapter and experienced no issues at any point throughout the process. keep the old one). Carbonite (read our Carbonite review or check out Carbonites website here) is another fantastic option, especially when it comes to restoring your Mac. Performance is respectable enough, although the Ultra Plus wont win any awards for high-speed backups.
they have proper connectors. It has a sturdy metal body, so it can handle drops of up to 2 meters. To reformat the disk in a new format, click on the Erase icon at the top. For most users, it offers what they need to backup their Mac. The ArmorATD is an enclosure with a 2.5-inch hard drive inside thats shock-mounted, and the rugged aluminum case is surrounded by a silicon sock for extra protection. It comes with the following size options: Who in the world may need so much space, you might ask. To begin formatting, ensure your external drive is connected to your Mac. The Ultra Touch measures 4.53.10.5 inches (115x78x12 millimeters) and weighs 0.3 pounds (151 grams), so you can easily slip it into a jacket pocket or a bag when youre traveling.
It will give you up to 510MB/s transfer speed. My Passport is a little bigger than T7 and has the following dimensions: If you need a reliable external hard drive under $100, then
Weve rounded up the best Mac hard drives above, but before making a buying decision you need to think about how youll be using the device. Youll get around 120MBps writing and 127MBps reading maximum (with large files) from the ArmorATD on your Mac. Select it, and then tap erase at the top of the screen. You can start using the drive immediately. When you select it, you will move to the next window. The upside, however, is that each bit of information is stored twice to improved redundancy. On the left-hand side of the storage window, your files are broken down into different categories, including documents, music, photos, messages and mail.
If I rename my boot drive after the initial Time Machine backup, will I have to start over? The 4TB drive we tested measured a chunky 4.23.0x0.8 inches (107x76x19 millimeters) but the 1TB and 2TB models are just 0.43 inches) (11mm) thick. The G-Drive is neatly designed with a smart, sturdy aluminum casing, and it starts with a minimum of 4TB storage, going right up to 18TB, which should be enough even for professional users working with 8K video. Shock protection is the most important kind for a hard drive, as unlike an SSD they have moving parts that can be permanently damaged following a drop.
Buy a larger drive, though, and youre more likely to get other features.
If the drive fails when you need it, then its not worth even a penny. port you have on your Mac, you can use one or the other. second-generation 3.0. And T7 is crazy fast. When it comes to performance LaCie external hard drive provides an ok data transfer speed up to 130MB/s thru the Thunderbolt cable. It means that the available storage is not 12, but 6TB. We recommend selecting exFAT, as it can backup files of any size, whereas FAT32 is limited to files of up to 4GB.
Any folder that is mirrored is automatically backed up and updated as soon as you make any changes to any file within that folder. (If its an SSD you are after, read Best external SSD for Mac.). This is like a wireless jukebox you can fill with videos, photos and music. The ToolKit app also handles the encryption process for the Ultra Touch, although we found Seagates manualor lack thereofto be rather unhelpful, leaving us to look around for FAQs and information about this encryption and other features on the companys website. While 5TB may sound big, some people may find it not adequate for their needs. The main factor in selection is reliability. Before backing up your Mac, its a good idea to remove as many junk files as possible. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Our only complaint here is that LaCies skimpy manual doesnt provide much information about the ToolKit app, or the various formatting options for the drive, simply leaving you to wade through a bunch of FAQ files on its website. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. If you want to know how to speed up the backup process, check my article here.
There are several alternatives out there that offer different features than Time Machine that some users may find attractive. Did not mention whether Mac needs to be connected to a power adapter when backing up to an external hard drive, which was what I was looking for. Again, go to the Apple menu, select about this Mac and tap storage. Here you will see how much storage you have used, and how much storage you have available.
These network-attached storage drives connect to your home Wi-Fi to share their data with other devices in your home. When formatting your hard drive, youll notice several formatting options, including Mac OS Extended journaled, MS-DOS (FAT32) and exFAT. However, we need to be practical, because extra bytes come with extra price. Its equipped with only an old USB A interface (even though it is USB 3.2) perhaps to provide compatibility with older games consoles, so youll need an adapter if your Mac only has USB-C. Its 7,200-rpm drive provides very good performance, reaching read and write speeds of 245MBps and 240MBps, respectively. Partially, it was due to the fast SSD inside and partially due to the USB-C connector. Services like Backblaze (read our Backblaze review or check out Backblazes website here) offer automatic backups, unlimited storage space and best-in-class encryption to ensure your files remain private and secure. However, I suggest to read reviews of all drives down below, as well as the buyers guide. A NAS is particularly useful if you want to set up a media server at home. While it does not have SSDs inside, it contains fast enterprise-grade hard disks (7200 rpm). The Time Machine will be. You will receive a notification in the top right-hand corner of your desktop when your backup has finished. Its upper limit is 5TB. Restoring your Mac files and data is a simple and relatively quick process. Unfortunately, with such configuration data transfer speed suffers because the adapter becomes a bottleneck. Here you can see your files broken down into separate sections such as large files, downloads and unsupported apps. Anything you see that you dont need, you can delete. USB-C and USB-A cables are included in the box, so itll work with older Macs that dont have USB-C without needing an adapter. Some aspects of the design are a little odd. Apple recommends connecting your hard drive directly to your Mac with a USB, Thunderbolt or FireWire port connection, rather than using an adapter (USB to Thunderbolt, for example). Once you have identified which files you wish to restore, tap continue. Your Mac will begin to restore the Time Machine backup you selected. As mentioned above, all drives are compatible with Apple