Time Machine on Big Sur - Does it back up Icloud Data?

[Marty_Macfly]

Hi All,

Been doing the TM thing. Lucky so far that I have not had to try a restore of anything important just yet.

However, tonight I curiously looked into previous backups, and I see folders from my iCloud in there - What?!


2 Questions:

Q1) Is iCloud data being backed up by TM now, on Big Sur?!

Q2) Or are these 'thumb nail' shortcut type things - That should not be relied on as a proper backup on an external HDD?



I will investigate more another time now. out of time tonight!


Hope you can advise!

Best wishes
Martin

 

[At Sea]

"But no matter how much iCloud storage you have, you can’t tell Time Machine to back up your Mac to iCloud Drive. In fact, unlike on iPhone or iPad, Apple offers no official way to back up your Mac to iCloud."

https://appletoolbox.com/can-you-use-time-machine-to-back-up-your-mac-to-icloud-drive/

 

[Marty_Macfly]

"But no matter how much iCloud storage you have, you can’t tell Time Machine to back up your Mac to iCloud Drive. In fact, unlike on iPhone or iPad, Apple offers no official way to back up your Mac to iCloud."

https://appletoolbox.com/can-you-use-time-machine-to-back-up-your-mac-to-icloud-drive/

Thanks mr a,

thing is I can see iCloud folders etc in TM.

If you have the chance, take a look at your TM backups, do you have the same?!

What are these?! Just shortcuts?!

I’ll check mine on more detail when I have the ext HD’s connected again etc. Weekly backups for me 🙂

best wishes
Martin

 

[darkcompass]

I've found that any file on the mac in the iCloud Drive, they do get backed up with Time Machine. Is that what you're saying here?

 

[Marty_Macfly]

If found that any file on the mac in the iCloud Drive, they do get backed up with Time Machine. Is that what you're saying here?

Hi D,

That’s what I am querying

As I say, I see those iCloud folders, files et cetera in the TM backups.

The question is, are these actually backups, or just some kind of shortcuts pointing to the iCloud?!

Hope posters on MacRumors can advise!

Regards Martin

 

[darkcompass]

Actual files. I restored a number of files from a TM backup into The iCloud Drive Folder after I had removed them.

 

[Marty_Macfly]

Actual files. I restored a number of files from a TM backup into The iCloud Drive Folder after I had removed them.

Hi Mr D,

Many thanks for testing!

For my OCD ness, I will probably tested myself as well when next time I get the chance.

for example, delete something off the iCloud, wait the 30 days recovery period for the iCloud, then restore from TM.

Gosh, if this is 100% cement always the case, that is brilliant!

Thanks again!


Martin

 

[Marty_Macfly]

Hi all,


Looks like this is may be a goer! TM backups may also genuinely back up iCloud data!


Off the top of my head - As a starter - here is a list of items I can think of, to check against the iCloud backups on Time machine backups:

1. Reversing changes to documents - I.e. 'iCloud backup' on TM doesn't just point to existing document on iCloud
2. Deleted paragraphs in a document restored - I.e. Not just the whole file was deleted, needing a restore.
3. Restoring iCloud files - past the '30' days deleted iCloud time limit.



What else needs to be checked, to make sure the TM backups actually work for iCloud data?

It would be great if back up gurus on this forum can look into this as well


Best Wishes
Martin

 

[Marty_Macfly]

Wow, side note, the way big sur is set up is a bit complicated, as per below…

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/understanding-system-backups-starting-with-big-sur.2308917/?post=30215575#post-30215575

I’m happy with the approach of - forget how it works under the hood - but check it does what you need it to do!

So back to my questions on what TM checks to do, on iCloud back up data?

 

[casperes1996]

So back to my questions on what TM checks to do, on iCloud back up data?

AFAIK Time Machine does not distinguish iCloud data from any other data. If the iCloud data exists on your Mac, TM sees it and backs it up like it would any other data. You can exclude it yourself just like you can any folder/files but it doesn't matter if the data exists on iCloud, if it is also on the local hard drive of a Mac that makes TM backups then it's included. It's part of the Mac. That also means that if all internet dies, you can get back exactly where you were with just your TM backup

 

[zorinlynx]

Wow, side note, the way big sur is set up is a bit complicated, as per below…

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/understanding-system-backups-starting-with-big-sur.2308917/?post=30215575#post-30215575

I’m happy with the approach of - forget how it works under the hood - but check it does what you need it to do!

So back to my questions on what TM checks to do, on iCloud back up data?

Time Machine DOES back up iCloud Drive.

However, You need to make sure that "Optimize Mac Storage" is *NOT* checked in your iCloud settings if you want the backup to be complete. All your iCloud Drive files have to be fully on your computer for them to get backed up by Time Machine.

The same applies to iCloud Photos.

You need to be careful because this option is checked by default for both Drive and Photos.