TimeMachineEditor
TimeMachineEditor is a software for OS X 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).
This is useful if you don’t need to backup every hour and don’t want the performance penalty. This is also especially useful if you manipulate lots of data within one hour as you would spend the whole day backing up.
Download (updated 09.20.17)
Additional screenshots
Requires OS X 10.9 or newer.
What’s new?
-
-Supports APFS local snapshots in High Sierra.
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.
Contact
You can contact us by e-mail.
FAQ
Should I turn Time Machine to OFF in System Preferences?
TimeMachineEditor will do that automatically for you. Doing that just 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.
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.
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.
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.
Donations
TimeMachineEditor is totally free to use. Donations contribute to the web hosting and developer account fees. Any remainder will go to foundations such as wikimedia and EFF which defend our rights in the digital world.
You can donate via paypal (contact email address). Bitcoin is fine too, shoot me an email for that.
