Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Discover several ways to back up Mac and keep your photos, documents, and important files safe.
Start your free CleanMyMac trial here: bit.ly/4k9r4Kr
👉 Prepare your Mac for a backup
Optimize your storage and prepare your Mac for a smooth backup with a Smart Care feature in CleanMyMac. Start your free 7-day trial: bit.ly/4k9r4Kr
Check out this video for our step-by-step guide to tidying up your Mac: youtube.com/watch?v=7vfsitVXrfE
👉 Back up your Mac to iCloud
1. Go to System Settings, choose Apple Account, then iCloud.
2. Click See All.
3. Check what you want to have backed up automatically.
4. Make sure to click Drive and enable the option that says Sync this Mac.
👉 Back up your Mac to an external hard drive
1. Connect the external hard drive to your Mac.
2. Go to Applications — Utilities and open Disk Utility.
3. Select your hard drive from the sidebar and click Erase from the toolbar.
4. Choose APFS under Format and click Erase.
To back up your Mac using Time Machine:
1. Go to System Settings — General — Time Machine.
2. Click Add Backup Disk and choose your connected hard drive.
3. Click Set Up Disk and follow the on-screen instructions.
4. Once set up, Time Machine will create a backup.
Tip: You can add Time Machine to the menu bar for quick access. In System Settings, go to Control Center and scroll down to Menu Bar Only. Choose Show in the Menu Bar next to Time Machine, and you can back up your Mac by clicking a little Time Machine icon in the menu bar.
Contents:
00:00 — Intro
00:27 — Prepare your Mac for a backup
01:07 — Back up your Mac to iCloud
01:29 — Back up your Mac to an external hard drive
02:47 — Outro
Discover several ways to back up Mac and keep your photos, documents, and important files safe.
Start your free CleanMyMac trial here: bit.ly/4k9r4Kr
👉 Prepare your Mac for a backup
Optimize your storage and prepare your Mac for a smooth backup with a Smart Care feature in CleanMyMac. Start your free 7-day trial: bit.ly/4k9r4Kr
Check out this video for our step-by-step guide to tidying up your Mac: youtube.com/watch?v=7vfsitVXrfE
👉 Back up your Mac to iCloud
1. Go to System Settings, choose Apple Account, then iCloud.
2. Click See All.
3. Check what you want to have backed up automatically.
4. Make sure to click Drive and enable the option that says Sync this Mac.
👉 Back up your Mac to an external hard drive
1. Connect the external hard drive to your Mac.
2. Go to Applications — Utilities and open Disk Utility.
3. Select your hard drive from the sidebar and click Erase from the toolbar.
4. Choose APFS under Format and click Erase.
To back up your Mac using Time Machine:
1. Go to System Settings — General — Time Machine.
2. Click Add Backup Disk and choose your connected hard drive.
3. Click Set Up Disk and follow the on-screen instructions.
4. Once set up, Time Machine will create a backup.
Tip: You can add Time Machine to the menu bar for quick access. In System Settings, go to Control Center and scroll down to Menu Bar Only. Choose Show in the Menu Bar next to Time Machine, and you can back up your Mac by clicking a little Time Machine icon in the menu bar.
Contents:
00:00 — Intro
00:27 — Prepare your Mac for a backup
01:07 — Back up your Mac to iCloud
01:29 — Back up your Mac to an external hard drive
02:47 — Outro
