If just knowing that system-level stuff is already excluded is enough for you, go ahead and skip the rest of this section. So you don’t need to worry about excluding system-level things like logs and caches-Time Machine already has you covered. And you know how you can use Time Machine even if your drive isn’t plugged in? The local backups that make that possible are also not backed up, as that would be redundant. Time Machine already excludes a bunch of things you don’t need backed up: your Trash, caches, and indexes. RELATED: PSA: You Can Use Time Machine Even If Your Backup Drive Isn't Plugged In What Does Time Machine Exclude By Default? But which folders can be safely disabled? And are any disabled by the system already? Let’s take a look. Some more options will slide down, giving you the ability to exclude particular folders from your backups. To exclude a folder, just head to System Preferences > Time Machine > Options.
We’ve shown you how to back up and restore files with Time Machine, including how to exclude particular folders from being backed up. RELATED: How to Back Up Your Mac and Restore Files With Time Machine Are you getting notifications about a full Time Machine drive? Do you feel like your backups are taking too long? A bigger, faster hard drive might be the best solution, but you can also help by excluding particular folders from your backups.
