I'm considering using Time Machine for backups, but I've heard that it may use up space in the 'System data' section of my storage. Is that true? I currently have a 4 TB SSD with about 118 GB allocated to system data, and I haven't created any APFS snapshots. Can anyone clarify how Time Machine impacts this?
3 Answers
Time Machine primarily backs up to an external drive, but it does keep some local backups on your system temporarily. These local backups will get transferred to your external drive when it's connected, and then they're deleted except for the most recent 24 hours. So, while it does use some space, it's typically not a big deal in the long run since they won't hang around forever.
Yes, it can take up space in your system data. However, you can clear those backups through Disk Utility without any issues, provided your external Time Machine backup is intact. It’s not often necessary to do this since the local backups are managed and typically purged when your system needs more space.
Just to clarify, are you talking about APFS snapshots specifically? Those can have their own different implications compared to the local backups that Time Machine keeps.
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