- How Do I Backup My Files On A Mac File
- How To Back Up My Mac
- How Do I Backup My Files On A Macbook Pro
- How To Use Time Machine
- Best Backup For Macs
In the left drop-down menu, choose your Mac volume to back up. Then choose the destination volume in the right drop-down menu. You can back up to an external drive, networked computer, or an image file. Click on Use Disk. It's in the lower-right corner of the dialog box. Check Back Up Automatically in the left pane of the dialog box if you want your Mac to back up at regular intervals. Check Show Time Machine in menu bar to create a shortcut in the menu bar to Time Machine preferences and backup status. To see the size of a specific file or folder, click it once and then press Command-I. To see storage information about your Mac, click the Apple menu in the top-left of your screen. Choose About This Mac and click the Storage tab. For Time Machine backups, it's good to use a drive that has at least twice the storage capacity of your Mac. You can then use Migration Assistant to move your data to your Mac. Here's how to transfer data from PC to Mac. First, connect your Mac to your PC either through Ethernet or by making sure both computers are on the same local Wi-Fi network. On your new Mac: Launch a Finder window. Click on Applications in the sidebar.
Mac how to mount a drive. Dec 21, 2020 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions
'Is it possible to reinstall macOS without losing data?'
If you have a similar question in mind, then we have got you covered. Just like any other computer, Mac systems can also suffer from unwanted issues at times.
In this guide, we will teach you how to boot Mac into recovery mode and reinstall macOS without losing your data. Screen snip on mac. Let's explore this macOS solution in detail.
When to reinstall macOS?
There are all kinds of reasons for us to reinstall macOS on the system. The following are some of the common problems that force a complete reset on a Mac.
- Firmware issues – Mostly, a firmware issue related to macOS demands a reinstallation of the operating system. It can happen when macOS seems to malfunction and can't complete the needed operations.
- Startup issues – Apart from the firmware, there would be a problem with your Mac's startup or bootstrap program as well. Mostly, the issue is resolved by visiting the Mac recovery mode.
- Corrupt OS – Ideally, your macOS can get corrupt or compromised due to different reasons. In order to fix it or run troubleshooting, you would need to reinstall the OS.
- Malware attack – A virus or malware can also infect the core function of macOS and would demand a complete reinstallation of the tool.
- Other issues – There could be numerous other issues with your Mac as well that would demand a reinstallation. For instance, if your system has been upgraded to a corrupt macOS version or the update was halted in between, then you need to reinstall OS X.
Preparations before reinstalling macOS
Before we teach you how to reinstall macOS X, there are certain vital things that you need to consider.
- Mostly, it takes 30 minutes to 3 hours to reinstall macOS (the exact time would vary among different OS and system models). Therefore, your Mac should be charged enough to complete the installation.
- During the reinstallation process, your Mac might be overheated or restart multiple times. It is recommended to not keep it in direct sunlight or a hot place during the process.
- Chances are that your existing data on Mac might be deleted after the reinstallation. Thus, you can consider taking its backup if you don't want to lose it.
- Disconnect all the attached units like USB drive, SD card, etc. from your Mac beforehand. Also, if you think your system has been infected by malware, then consider formatting it as well.
- Your system might download the needed patches and updates during the process. Keep your Mac connected to a stable internet connection for a seamless updating.
Once you are ready, simply take the following steps to reinstall macOS without losing its data.
How to Reinstall Mac OS?
Step 1: Backup Files on Mac
If you don't want to suffer from an unexpected loss of your important files during the reinstallation, then you should take a backup of your data beforehand. There are different ways to backup data on Mac.
1. Backup files Using Time Machine
How Do I Backup My Files On A Mac File
Time Machine is the inbuilt solution to backup data on Mac and restores it afterward. If you do not want to let go of your important files during the reinstallation process, then consider taking their backup beforehand. You can use an external data source so that Mac can create a Time Machine on it. Mostly, Time Machine will detect a connected unit and would ask you to take its backup automatically. If not, then follow these steps to back up your Mac data using Time Machine.
- Simply connect a secure data storage to your Mac and launch Time Machine by visiting Menu > System Preferences > Time Machine.
- Here, click on the 'Select Backup Disk' so that you can manually choose a location to save the backup content.
- As a pop-up screen would appear, just select the available drive and confirm your choice. If you want, you can choose to encrypt your data as well.
- To further customize things, you can visit its 'Options' and even enable the automatic backup feature.
- As a pop-up screen would appear, just select the available drive and confirm your choice. If you want, you can choose to encrypt your data as well.
2. Backup files Using Cloud Storage
As you know, Time Machine will only take a manual backup of your Mac data to a dedicated storage unit. If you want to save your data on the cloud, then take the assistance of iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, or any other cloud-based service. Since iCloud is the native cloud storage solution from Apple and an inbuilt Mac app, it is widely recommended. You can easily backup files to iCloud from Mac by following these steps.
- Firstly, go to System Preferences and launch the iCloud app. If you are not logged in, then enter your Apple account details to sign-in.
- The iCloud app has options to sync various data types. Simply enable the features (by checking it) and turn on the backup feature.
- There is an 'Option' button adjacent to some data types (like Photos) that you can visit to customize your backup.
- You can go to the 'Manage' section from here to view how much space is left on iCloud. Since only 5 GB of space is provided for a free (basic) account, you can also upgrade your account as well to get more space on iCloud.
3. Backup files Using External Hard Drive
If you are running short on time, then you can also take a manual backup using an external hard disk as well. Just connect the hard disk to your Mac and make sure that you are using a hard drive that is compatible with your macOS. Now, simply copy the content from your Mac's storage that you wish to save and paste it to the external hard disk. In this way, you would be able to maintain a second copy of all the important data at a dedicated source.
In contrast, you need to know how to recover files from external hard drives.
Step 2: Boot Mac in the Recovery Mode
Once you have taken a backup of your Mac data, you need to restart in the recovery mode. The Mac Recovery Mode is a dedicated module in the operating system that provides all kinds of firmware and disk-related options. You can run disk utilities via the Recovery Mode on MacBook, reinstall macOS, recover Time Machine backup, and do so much more. In order to learn how to restore Mac in recovery mode, follow these steps:
- Firstly, go to the main menu by clicking on the Apple icon and choose to restart your system.
- While the system is restarting, press the Command and R keys at the same time till your Mac enters the Recovery mode.
- When you get the utility window on the screen, just click on the 'Reinstall macOS' option and continue the process.
Please note that if you wish to upgrade your Mac instead, then press the Option + R keys instead of the Command + R key combination.
Step 3: Erase the Mac Hard Disk
This is an optional step during the reinstall macOS process as a lot of people would like to delete the existing data on their system. If you are reselling your Mac or your system has been infected by malware, then you can consider this option as well.
- When you get the macOS utility window, click on the 'Disk Utility' option instead of reinstalling it. You can also go to the 'Utilities' menu to get this option.
- As the Disk utility window will open, you can just select the drive that you wish to erase from the left panel.
- On the right, you will get detailed information with numerous other tools. Just click on the Erase icon and confirm your choice (by entering the firmware password).
This will start the erasing process on the selected drive. You can also go to the Security Options here to further customize things.
Step 4: Reinstall Mac OS X without Losing Data
When you get the macOS utility window on the screen, you can just click on the 'Reinstall macOS' option to proceed. Afterward, you simply need to follow this basic drill to reinstall macOS on your system.
- A confirmation message will appear, informing you about the reinstallation details. Just click on the 'Continue' button to proceed.
- Subsequently, you will be asked on which disk you wish to install macOS. Simply select the inbuilt disk on your Mac to start the process.
- That's it! Your system will reinstall macOS on it by performing all the needed tasks. You can just sit back and wait for the process to be completed and make sure that you don't turn off Mac in between.
- In the end, you can just choose to restore data from the Time Machine backup. You can get this option from the macOS Utilities or just launch the Time Machine application on your system as well.
Recover Erased Files after Reinstalling Mac OS
A lot of times, users are not able to maintain the backup of their data and end up losing their important files during the macOS reinstallation. If you have also lost your data on Mac due to this, then don't worry – simply take the assistance of Recoverit Mac Data Recovery software. A highly advanced data recovery tool can retrieve all kinds of lost, deleted, and inaccessible content from your Mac storage. It is known to b yield positive results under all scenarios, including data loss caused by macOS reinstallation.
After installing Recoverit Data Recovery on your Mac, simply follow these basic steps to get your data back.
Step 1: Select a Location
Firstly, you need to install Recoverit Data Recovery on your Mac by downloading the application from its website. Launch it whenever you want to restore notes on Mac and select a source location to scan. That is, select the native source drive of Mac and click on the 'Start' button.
Step 2: Scan the Location
As the application would start scanning your Mac for the lost notes, you can just wait for a while for the process to be completed. The interface will also display the progress of the entire process for your convenience.
Step 3: Preview and Recover
When the extraction process is completed, the application will notify you. Now, you can just preview and select the files you wish to get back. Click on the 'Recover' button and make sure that you save your notes to a trusted location.
Is fortnite on mac good. I'm sure that after following this guide, you would be able to reinstall macOS without losing data. Since working on Mac can be a bit tricky at times, it is recommended to always maintain a backup beforehand. Also, consider using a data recovery tool like Recoverit Data Recovery as well. In this way, you can take immediate measures as soon as you lose any information and get it back without much trouble. Recoverit also provides a data recovery solution for Windows as well and is considered a must-have application for both Mac and Windows users.
What's Wrong with Mac
- Recover Your Mac
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Apple has morphed iCloud from a back-end cloud storage bucket for apps to a front-facing cloud storage container for users. Still, how to access iCloud folders and files can be tricky.
Best ways to access iCloud from your Mac
Here, we’ll show you how to login to iCloud, access iCloud drive on Mac, and access iCloud from anywhere.
One-stop tool for managing iCloud data
Access your iCloud content, set up automatic storage clearing, and transfer your data anywhere with a single toolkit for Mac.
How to access your iCloud drive using Finder
When you’re on your Mac, follow these instructions to add iCloud to your Finder:
- In the top left of your screen, in the menu bar, select the Apple icon.
- Select System Preferences.
- Select Apple ID.
- Select iCloud.
- Make sure the ‘iCloud Drive’ box is checked. If not, select it.
This will make your iCloud Drive storage appear in Finder. By default, iCloud Drive on Mac has access to all your apps, as well as your iCloud desktop and documents folders on the Mac. This allows your documents to be viewable and editable on all of your Apple devices. If you want to view or edit documents on an iPad or iPhone, it’s important to have this option selected.
Because iCloud Drive is still treated as a sort of storage container by most (including Apple), it’s easy for your iCloud storage to get full. You may store files in it without thinking about how full it’s getting. This can be because you’re not aware iCloud is accessing your documents and desktop on Mac; your Mac might have a terabyte of storage, but chances are your iCloud account doesn’t.
Keep in mind the Photos app also uses iCloud for storage. If you take a lot of pics and don’t manage them later on, it’s eating into your data cap for iCloud.
One great method for keeping iCloud trimmed down is to use CleanMyMac X. It’s an app that allows you to manage your Mac’s files and folders on a consistent schedule, and can let you know when your iCloud is getting overly full of old documents or other files.
How to access iCloud drive via browser
iCloud is also accessible via the browser. If you’d rather manage your iCloud files online, any browser will do! It’s a handy backup for those times you may be away from home and need to use a desktop, or if a file won’t sync to your other devices.
Here’s how to do it:
- Using any browser, go to icloud.com
- Login with your Apple ID and password.
Yup, that’s really it! Here, you can manage your calendar, desktop, Photos, email, reminders, notes, contacts, as well as Apple apps like Keynote, Numbers, and Pages. It’s also the web-based home for Find Friends and the Find iPhone services.
Your iCloud Drive on the Web will have the same files and folders synced to all your devices.
How to access iCloud Photos on iOS devices
On any iPhone, simply access the Photos app. This will show all photos in your library, synced across your devices.
As we mentioned above, your Photos are also available on the web, and of course on the Mac via your Photos app on Mac.
And remember, Photos is likely the reason your iCloud drive storage may be getting full. Most of us simply snap photos, or save screenshots, but don’t manage these images later on. The Photos app makes it simple by giving screenshots their own folder you can quickly empty, but that doesn’t always solve the issue.
There may be a lot of duplicate images taking up storage in your Photos app, which means those duplicates are eating into your iCloud storage, too. You could scroll through your Photos app to find duplicates on your own, but that can be a tedious process.
A smarter method is to use Gemini. It’s a duplicate file finder that scans your Photos app, too. When duplicates are detected, Gemini offers to delete them for you. It also finds pictures that are similar, and offers to delete one of them. This is particularly handy for parents who snap multiple photos of a child to capture a moment, but forget that moment means many pics are stored in the cloud.
How To Back Up My Mac
More info about how to use iCloud on mac
How to access iCloud backup
Careful observers will note iCloud also keeps backups. This serves one purpose: to have a way to restore a device without much loss of data.
For most of us, an iPhone or iPad backs up when it’s charging. Macs may use Time Machine to create similar ‘images’ to restore from. All of these are fallbacks, and not the best options for securing your data.
https://software-flowers.mystrikingly.com/blog/how-to-pubg-pc-download-free. More to the point, it may not have what you need. Let’s say you wanted to restore to a point months ago where your device had files, folders, or pictures you’ve since lost. Apple can’t help you; it only saves the most recent backup to iCloud. Again, this is for restoration.
A better way to treat backups is with AnyTrans. It’s a backup manager that lets you create and store backups of any iOS device created via iCloud.
How Do I Backup My Files On A Macbook Pro
We like this for several reasons. First, you might need to restore to a previous backup, not the most recent. If you’ve got some sort of malware on your device, restoring from a backup may also restore your malware. If you’re limiting yourself to Apple’s methods, the only option is to start a device from scratch and sync your iCloud data. Mac modesty vs velvet teddy. That means hours (or maybe days) of signing in and waiting for files and folders to sync properly.
With AnyTrans, you could restore to a previously store backup, and skip all of those issues. It also means you won’t lose access to files or photos that are synced to iCloud. While they may not be part of the backup, they’ll sync to your device once it’s restored and linked to your iCloud account again!
Conclusion
Accessing iCloud has never been easier. Be it via Mac, iPhone, iPad, or the web, iCloud is now a full-fledged consumer-facing service.
But it’s imperfect. It offers a comparatively limited free storage option to Google Drive, and its paid versions aren’t much more advantageous. iCloud Drive also fills up fast if you don’t manage it carefully.
That’s why Gemini is suc a great app to have. It does the heavy lifting of managing iCloud for you. AnyTrans is great for restoring from backups, for whatever reason. And if you’re serious about keeping your iCloud storage tidy, file management and backups should be a routine you perform regularly.
Both are available for free via a seven-day trial of Setapp, which is only $9.99 per month thereafter. Along with Gemini and AnyTrans, you’ll get access to a lot of other great productivity apps for Mac.
Setapp lives on Mac and iOS. Please come back from another device.
Meantime, prepare for all the awesome things you can do with Setapp.
How To Use Time Machine
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Best Backup For Macs
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