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Warning: Apple Says macOS 27 Won't Support AirPort Time Capsule Backups
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Apple_Robert
Contributor
Speaking of Synology, I use my Synology NAS for my Wireless TM backup, and it has been rock solid thus far. Synology also plays nice with CCC.
adib
macrumors 6502a
Not much, only backup volume corruption every few months. More likely to occur when the network connection breaks mid-backup. It's enough to make me stop network-based Time Machine and go back to USB hard drives.
TheOldChevy
macrumors 6502a
I used the (old and small) internal drive for years... and I switched to Synology recently for my MacBook while the Mini has an SSD connected for that purpose.
LindseyA
macrumors newbie
Same here. Does anyone have an answer as to whether an exteranl hard drive connected to the time capsule will still work for backups?
JohannesO
macrumors 6502
It seems unclear.
Post in thread 'Warning: Apple Says macOS 27 Won't Support AirPort Time Capsule Backups'
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...rt-time-capsule-backups.2458637/post-34092689
External storages connect to Time Capsule via USB 2 which is quite slow.
Killerbob
macrumors 68010
It is my understanding that this will not work. According to Apple, the issue is that the Apple Filing Protocol (AFP) is what they no longer will support, and the Time Capsule (TC) itself uses AFP. Hence, any HD attached to the TC will not work.
JohannesO
macrumors 6502
Time Capsule can use AFP or SMBv1. As long as SMBv1 is supported by MacOS (Tahoe does) it should still work.
"So far, Apple hasn't announced any change of support for SMBv1 in macOS, aside from being a fallback option when later versions of SMB are not available. That doesn't seem like an eternal allowance, though."
Time Machine's Time Capsule support ends with macOS 27
It's not just Intel code — after a period of undeath, Time Capsule's time is coming, with Apple cutting off support for Time Machine backups using the hardware in macOS 27.
Killerbob
macrumors 68010
Remember that with macOS 26 (Tahoe), AFP still works. It is only in 2026 (with macOS 27) we will run into problems using AFP for Time Machine on a Time Capsule, and I am pretty sure the same will be true to for SMVv1.
On a side note, no one should use SMBv1 these days. It is an obsolete, insecure protocol that is highly vulnerable to cyberattacks. A protocol which Microsoft officially deprecated three years ago.
On a side note, no one should use SMBv1 these days. It is an obsolete, insecure protocol that is highly vulnerable to cyberattacks. A protocol which Microsoft officially deprecated three years ago.
Grumpyman
macrumors regular
Im not very Mac literate and i had this warning today
Im using Sequoia & a time capsule (only for NAS & Time machine).
If I update to MacOS 26 I guess the time capsule won't work? or am i wrong?
If it won't work anyone suggest a low cost but reliable alternative. Just need a couple of TB storage including the time machine backups.
Shame cos the time capsule has been going trouble free for over a decade!!
Im using Sequoia & a time capsule (only for NAS & Time machine).
If I update to MacOS 26 I guess the time capsule won't work? or am i wrong?
If it won't work anyone suggest a low cost but reliable alternative. Just need a couple of TB storage including the time machine backups.
Shame cos the time capsule has been going trouble free for over a decade!!
Killerbob
macrumors 68010
RiderX
macrumors regular
Not a big issue when it’s in your home network. Which should be protected from outside anyway.
Killerbob
macrumors 68010
lol - if you think a home network is safe from outside access, you haven’t met a decent hacker, and you haven’t checked the default settings on the majority of ISP provided modems. Add to that the least secure network protocol, and you have a recipe for disaster.
Remember these old Time Capsules are very dated products with no longer supported hardware, a hard drive likely past its lifespan, and no security updates, making it a bad idea for modern backups. They usually are used to established a WiFi network, send out an SSID, and reply on old WPA security measures.
Non-Euclidean
macrumors 6502a
This.
You aren't exactly running around the front yard naked, instead you are dancing in the living room naked with the music blasting and curtains are open.
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I just installed macOS 27 and guess what, no Airport Utility. So I guess it was never coded for apple silicon. That sucks.
Robin Bonathan
macrumors regular
TastyFineWine
macrumors newbie
Oh, that really sucks 😭😡
When is macOS 27 meant to be released as I have to start thinking about a Time Capsule replacement (just a USB Ext Drive) nothing fancy.
Also does this mean I am going to have to reconfigure all by house Wi-Fi appliances and Apple iDevices to my ISP smart modem/router as opposed to my Airport Time Capsule 5th Gen ?? And then throw out my venerable Airport Time Capsule 5th Gen ??
woolypants
macrumors 6502a
At times like that, I think you're morally allowed to virtualise an x86 Hackintosh version of OS X/macOS to be able to access that utility.
kiranmk2
macrumors 68020
Ifti
macrumors 601
I generally prefer to keep a cabled solution as my TM backup (via OWC Superstack on my Mac Studio), and have other external portable drives for additional clones etc.
Even if I went with a wireless solution (Time Capsule was great back in the day!) I would prefer an option to cable it for a possible full disaster recovery restore, so I'm back up and running as fast as possible - hence why I now use external SSDs for backups. For me, a quick restore is preferred.
Even if I went with a wireless solution (Time Capsule was great back in the day!) I would prefer an option to cable it for a possible full disaster recovery restore, so I'm back up and running as fast as possible - hence why I now use external SSDs for backups. For me, a quick restore is preferred.
kiranmk2
macrumors 68020
I need to find a new wireless solution for Time Machine backups. I currently have a Time Capsule and two USB hard drives (one is always stored off-site and they are swapped every 3-4 months). I know I can use the USB drives only going forward, but I often forget to use them for weeks at a time (My Mac is a laptop that travels all over the house) and rely on the Time Capsule to do the wireless backups automatically.
My Time Capsule is also still my main router and I also have a 2 TB NAS on the network for file storage. I guess having some solution to act as a wireless Time Machine backup and a network file server would be good (and possibly a new, more modern router). I was considering a TP-Link WiFi 7 be65 router which has a usb port and can do Time Machine backups, but it seems even this uses AFP and will be rendered incapable of Time Machine backups with MacOS 27...
My Time Capsule is also still my main router and I also have a 2 TB NAS on the network for file storage. I guess having some solution to act as a wireless Time Machine backup and a network file server would be good (and possibly a new, more modern router). I was considering a TP-Link WiFi 7 be65 router which has a usb port and can do Time Machine backups, but it seems even this uses AFP and will be rendered incapable of Time Machine backups with MacOS 27...
JohannesO
macrumors 6502
Use it from iPhone or iPad
AirPort Utility App - App Store
Download AirPort Utility by Apple on the App Store. See screenshots, ratings and reviews, user tips, and more apps like AirPort Utility.
apps.apple.com
Apple abandoning software is one of the many reasons I still keep an Intel iMac under my desk and it is quite busy.
Btw: I get no warning opening Airport Utility on Tahoe like I get with other Intel software.
jbachandouris
macrumors 603
The drive itself would not be a brick. You can remove it and put it into an external enclosure.