TimeMachineEditor is a software for macOS that lets you change the default one-hour backup interval of Time Machine. You can change the interval or create other types of scheduling (see the screenshots below).
This is useful if you don’t need to backup every hour and don’t want the performance penalty. For example you might be frequently creating or modifying files which would cause long-running backup operations throughout the day.
TimeMachineEditor is a software for macOS that lets you change the default one-hour backup interval of Time Machine. You can change the interval or create a more sophisticated scheduling (see screenshots below). TimeMachineEditor is a GUI-based software that allows the customization of how frequently Time Machine will backup. If you do not feel comfortable manually changing the frequency (or have a need to change the value quite often), this may be a more appealing option Go to the homepage for TimeMachineEditor.
Download
TimeMachineEditor 5.1.8 (2021, January 13) - macOS 10.9 or newer
This version includes minor fixes and improvements
Note to Catalina and Big Sur users
In macOS Catalina and Big Sur, a security dialog might prevent you from installing the application claiming that Apple cannot check it for malicious software. Apple (the trillion dollar company) is forcing developers to pay $99/year in order to get rid of this dialog, this I do not agree with. All developers contribute to the platform and buy a fair amount of Apple devices which should be plenty enough money back into Apple's pockets to provide free signing certificates and notarization.
You can still install: control-click the installer package, then choose Open from the shortcut menu, then click Open. Alternatively you can install version 5.0.8 and update from within the application (main application menu > Check for Updates).
How does it work?
TimeMachineEditor triggers Time Machine backups when it is most appropriate, the whole backup process is still handled by Time Machine. TimeMachineEditor is not a “hack”, it does not modify system files.
Command Line Tool
The tmectl(1) command line tool allows to print and modify settings, enable/disable the scheduler and uninstall the application. Just fire up the command without any argument to see its usage.
FAQ
Should I disable automatic backups in System Preferences > Time Machine?
Yes. Doing this disables the default one-hour scheduler which is what you want since you will now be using TimeMachineEditor to schedule the backups.
Do I need to keep the application running or launch it at login time?
No. You just need to use the application when you want to change the settings.
Will it back up while the machine is sleeping?
TimeMachineEditor supports Power Nap which you can enable in System Preferences > Energy Saver. If you are using a laptop computer, make sure you are on the “Power Adapter” tab, as this feature only works when connected to AC power.
How does TimeMachineEditor preserve/discard backups?
TimeMachineEditor does not change that, it is handled by Time Machine. Time Machine will coalesce and discard backups as described in System Preferences > Time Machine.
What are local snapshots?
Local snapshots are APFS snapshots. They are very fast to make, stored on the local disk and provide additional restoration points. Since they are local they do not protect against a disk crash but can be useful if the machine goes away from the backup disk for awhile. The lifetime of snapshots is not well defined but they usually live no longer than 24 hours.
You can't totally disable snapshots. New snapshots are created every time a regular backup is made (snapshots are used as the data sources for the backups). That's how Time Machine works.
How do I uninstall TimeMachineEditor?
Just select the “Uninstall...” command located under the application main menu. Alternatively the tmectl(1) command line tool can be used with the “uninstall” argument.
Apple Time Machine Software
Donations
TimeMachineEditor is totally free to use. Donations contribute to the web hosting and developer account fees.
You can donate via paypal.
Contact
You can contact me by email at timemachineeditor@tclementdev.com.
Additional screenshots
When Time Machine starts kicking into gear as you're working, do you groan? Does it slow down your system? Do you immediately look to click on the Stop Backing Up option? If the default one-hour Time Machine backup interval doesn't suit your lifestyle, TimeMachineEditor from Time Software lets you change your backup schedule.
Time Machine Editor App
This free download lets you set the backup frequency using a simple GUI. You can choose from calendar intervals or set the backup interval to a certain number of hours, such as every two or six hours. With calendar intervals, you can set your backups on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. For example, you might back up on the 1st and 15th of the month at 1am, or every Wednesday at 12pm.
Other options let you trigger or disable backups when you mount disks and when the computer wakes from sleep. The site FAQ suggests that event triggered backups are responsible for many of the nuisance issues users encounter when Time Machine seems to start backing up for no reason.
TimeMachineEditor works by updating the Time Machine configuration file on your Mac to match these three files. There's no 'restore to defaults' option in the program but you can easily reset the options to back up every one hour, when disks mount, and when the computer wakes from sleep.
Time Machine Editor App
Hat tip Jon Price