On macOS26 Tahoe, is there a way to delete certain items from a TimeMachine backup? I didn't exclude certain folders until after the first backup and would like to remove them from that backup, if at all possible.
MacBook Pro (2017 – 2020)
Need_help_give_help wrote:
It is a concern not being able to delete individual files on TM backups something I will raise with
Apple as a security/privacy concern.
It is not recommended to micro-manage the TM backups. The recommended interface is through the TM drop down in the menubar. Full stop.
The main advantage of TM is that it creates recursive backups—enabling you to restore a specific file or the entire drive— from a certain point in time. This is a complex datatbase with an element of magic sprinkled in, and easily corrupted deleting parts ie files/folders...
You are better off erasing and starting over if you got in there and starting removing deleting parts— I would not trust this back up. Do not wait for some catastrophic failure to discover you have corrupted the backup.
If you value your user data
3-2-1 Backup Strategy: three copies of your data, two different methods, and one offsite.
More than one device, more than one backup methodology— and backup regularly.
Not possible. You could always start over with the excluded folders.
It is a concern not being able to delete individual files on TM backups something I will raise with
Apple as a security/privacy concern.
Rather than wait around for a particular backup to be replaced, though that might never happen, or avoid deleting all the history of TM by deleting the complete backup and starting again, I have been doing some experimenting.
I have arranged for TM backup disk to be formatted as Mac Extended (Journaled) not APFS – another story.
“Caveat emptor”
I tried various methods to delete individual files from all the backups. Having been ‘told’ they would be gone immediately and forever they reappeared later.
I have/had TM backups 6/9/25, 15/9/25, 5/10/25 … 9/11/25.
I found I could delete a particular dated backup by using Terminal:
Sudo tmutil delete -p <then drag the backup file of a specific date here, which will give the full and correct path>
I deleted the 15/9/25 backup.
TM seems to work perfectly. I restored files unique to 6/9/25 and 5/10/25, that is, either side of the one I had deleted.
I then checked it would work with Migration Assist. It showed all the TM backups and I specifically chose both 6/9/25 and 5/10/25. It did all the right things e.g. calculating the sizes. I did not continue with Migration Assist though (yet?).
I have arranged subsequent backups today without a hitch.
Again I emphasise this what I did, “caveat emptor”, and seems to work. Note also this is with Sequoia not Tahoe. Any takers to confirm with Tahoe?
Although I will continue to test, if anyone would like me to try something I shall see if I can to do.
If there is a particularly dated backup or more which has a file that needs to be removed, this seems to be a solution, as Dangthrimble would like. Nothing like as good or as flexible as can be done with Mojave TM backup et al but better than the alternatives.
Need_help_give_help wrote:
It is a concern not being able to delete individual files on TM backups something I will raise with
Apple as a security/privacy concern.
Rather than wait around for a particular backup to be replaced, though that might never happen, or avoid deleting all the history of TM by deleting the complete backup and starting again, I have been doing some experimenting.
I have arranged for TM backup disk to be formatted as Mac Extended (Journaled) not APFS – another story.
Yes, with a TM backup on an HFS+ drive, you can delete individual files. Apple (and most users) have moved on from HFS+ to APFS, and for the latter you cannot delete individual files. It is not possible to migrate an existing APFS TM backup to HFS+. So, not sure your method is useful to anyone using current systems.
leroydouglas: It is not recommended to micro-manage the TM backups. The recommended interface is
through the TM drop down in the menubar. Full stop.
Certainly in Sequoia the facility to delete files and backups have gone so the drop down menu is inadequate compared with previous MacOS. So Apple does not provide that facility then we have to be innovative and think outside the box
leroydouglas: You are better off erasing and starting over if you got in there and starting removing deleting parts— I would not trust this back up. Do not wait for some catastrophic failure to discover you have corrupted the backup.
Not necessarily depends on the individual circumstances. I have had fines on TM backup which I have had to delete from privacy and security viewpoint. The only way I have found to delete an individual file on Sequoia is to delete particular dated backup(s). I consider “erasing and starting over” is ‘taking a sledge hammer to crack a nut’ by destroying months or years of backups. There is a risk in everything and some might prefer to do as I have suggested then putting that backup aside and starting a new one in addition. Horses for courses.
Hi Neuroanatomist
Neuroanatomist: Yes, with a TM backup on an HFS+ drive, you can delete individual files. Apple (and most users) have moved on from HFS+ to APFS, and for the latter you cannot delete individual files. It is not possible to migrate an existing APFS TM backup to HFS+. So, not sure your method is useful to anyone using current systems.
Well as you would have read in my post I was unable to find a way to delete an individual file on a sequoia TM HFS hard disk. As you know a way, I and many others, would like to know how, so can you please explain how you did it?
I invited those on this list to check whether my method of deleting a complete dated backup worked on Tehoe as I have found works on Sequoia. Is anyone willing or able to try?
Neuroanatomist: “So, not sure your method is useful to anyone using current systems.”
No one has tested my solution on Tahoe, objectively or not, so the jury is out on that. Anyway I am, though, about giving people options which they can chose or not. I for one, for innumerable reasons, will stick with HFS formatted TM not least as I have a method to delete files if they are not wanted on TM backup. Everyone has a choice.
What you have done may worked as a Work Around which I personally would not expect to work for too much longer
The point being, that TM Backup Utility is Expecting the Destination Drive be Formatted APFS / GUID
Forcing TM Backup to use a HFS Journaled / GUID can have consequences which in turn have repercussions.
These repercussions may not always appear immediately, but when they do, they are often the least expected.
As has been said " “Caveat emptor”
Point for reference when using HFS Journaled / GUID drives
Reliably using HFS+ Format on MacOS 26.1 … - Apple Community
Need_help_give_help wrote:
Hi Owl-53
Not wishing to hijack Dangthrimble’s thread, which I was endeavouring to provide a solution, as we don’t know the future your pessimism could be said about anything.
I didn’t ‘force’ the TM backup on HFS disk “I… arranged” it (with little help from my friends.) It was very simple and if you or others are interested I will start another thread.
Although Apple does not give customers/users a choice what format the TM is eg only AFPS, HFS can be arranged. Apple et al confirm it is happy to have the TM disk in HFS format. So it is not exclusively looking only for AFPS format and if it works so what’s the problem?
How about you try an HFS TM backup on Tahoe! It might/might not work but so far HFS TM on Sequoia is working and also my ‘solution’ of deleting a backup works fine too.
I can now also confirm that I deleted a user on my M1. Using the modified TM, on HFS format disk and Migration Assist I have reinstalled that user successfully. Note again that was after deleting a particularly dated backup from the TM disk, as explain earlier.
I understand the approach you’re describing, but given the architectural changes to TM in Big Sur and later meaning Tahoe —especially the reliance on APFS snapshots—I still consider HFS usage non-standard and unsupported in practical terms.
Rather than prolong a technical debate that’s drifting off-topic, I’ll leave my comments as they were
Hi Owl-53
Not wishing to hijack Dangthrimble’s thread, which I was endeavouring to provide a solution, as we don’t know the future your pessimism could be said about anything.
I didn’t ‘force’ the TM backup on HFS disk “I… arranged” it (with little help from my friends.) It was very simple and if you or others are interested I will start another thread.
Although Apple does not give customers/users a choice what format the TM is eg only AFPS, HFS can be arranged. Apple et al confirm it is happy to have the TM disk in HFS format. So it is not exclusively looking only for AFPS format and if it works so what’s the problem?
How about you try an HFS TM backup on Tahoe! It might/might not work but so far HFS TM on Sequoia is working and also my ‘solution’ of deleting a backup works fine too.
I can now also confirm that I deleted a user on my M1. Using the modified TM, on HFS format disk and Migration Assist I have reinstalled that user successfully. Note again that was after deleting a particularly dated backup from the TM disk, as explain earlier.
Can I delete specific items from a Time Machine backup?
