And, over time, Time Machine deletes the oldest backups when it needs more space for new backups. Time Machine does this by not copying files that haven’t changed, so if you back up a Mac with a 500 GB SSD, it will take a long time to fill up an 8 TB drive. The same is true if you buy a hard drive to use with Apple’s Time Machine, which creates multiple versions of backed up files. So if you have a 4 TB drive with media and archives connected to a Mac with a 500 GB SSD, then you should use at least an 8 TB backup drive. If, however, you have data on your internal SSD and on another external drive – such as a drive containing a media collection, work archives, or other data – factor that in. If all your data is on a Mac with a 500 GB SSD, then a 1 TB external drive might be sufficient. If you plan to make regular backups of your Mac, the best approach is to choose a drive that is at least twice the size of the data you are backing up. How much storage do you need?īefore choosing drives, you should determine how much storage you need. In this article, I discuss the different types of drives that you can use to back up your Mac, and how to choose the best drive for your needs. You have lots of choice, but each of these devices works best for specific use cases. So how can you tell which type of hard drive is best for you? You can use external drives connected to your Mac, portable drives that you connect when needed, or network devices. There are different types of backup drives available for Mac. Likewise, backing up your Mac is essential: if you need to use a backup hard drive to restore your data, it can save you a great deal of time, money, and headaches. We often remind you how important it is to back up your files, but it’s not just the backup that matters. The media you use to store your data is critical. Apple How to Choose the Best Hard Drive or SSD to Back Up Your Macīackups are a lot like insurance: it’s imperative to have it, and you hope you never need to use it.

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