time machine question

[mrgreeneyes]

if I wanted to only backup a specific set of folders to time machine, is it possible?

never mind, I think found my answer, and it is no, I only wanted time machine to back up my documents and photos. but it seems to do a full system backup

 

[chscag]

By opening Time Machine preferences and selecting "Options" you can exclude items. Have you tried that, using exclusions so that only the folders you specify are backed up?

 

[MisterSavage]

By opening Time Machine preferences and selecting "Options" you can exclude items. Have you tried that, using exclusions so that only the folders you specify are backed up?

That's what I was thinking also. Could be annoying to set up but I definitely make use of the exclusions.

 

[ignatius345]

Yeah, you can exclude huge swaths of the machine this way.

Be aware that if your Mac dies or gets lost or whatever, your recovery options are going to be a lot more plentiful (apps and lots of settings and preferences you won't have to reconstruct) if you're backing up more or less everything. Hard drive space is dirt cheap these days.