Choosing a Preset Backup Plan


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Choosing a Preset Backup Plan

You have lots of important files stored on your Mac. You know you want to back up–your photo albums, iTunes purchased music, presentations, spreadsheets, and text documents. Other files, such as application preferences and passwords, you might not have considered backing up, but they’re just as important.

Backup makes protecting your files easy, whether you know you need to back them up or not. The first time you open Backup, you can select from four preset backup plans. Once you choose a backup plan, Backup lets you easily customize it to fit your schedule.

If you don’t see the Welcome to Backup sheet

If you don’t see the Welcome to Backup sheet when you start Backup 3, you have probably opened the Backup 3 application before. To add a preset backup plan, choose New Plan from the Plan menu. A sheet opens allowing you to select one of the four preset plans or create your own custom plan.

Choose the backup plan that’s right for you

Everyone has different information that’s important to them. Backup 3 makes it easy to create backup plans to suit your needs. You can choose to back up everything in your home folder or only specific files, such as passwords, application preferences, iLife projects, or music you’ve purchased from the iTunes Music Store.

Rename a backup plan

You can change the name of a backup plan at any time. In the Backup window, select a backup plan, choose Rename Plan from the Plan menu, and then type the new name.

What are QuickPicks?

QuickPicks are groups of related files, such as email messages, documents created by a particular application, or preference files. QuickPicks make it easy to make sure you don’t miss any important files when creating a backup, no matter where you’ve saved them in your home folder.

Know what time a backup will take place

In the main Backup window, you can easily see when the last backup was and when the next backup will be. Knowing when the next backup will occur makes it easier to remember to have your Mac turned on at that time.

Canceling a backup before it happens

Before a backup occurs, a message letting you skip the backup will appear. This can be useful if the backup location is temporarily unavailable.

Choose and customize a preset backup plan

Double-click the Backup icon in the Applications folder to start Backup 3.

In the Welcome to Backup sheet that appears, select one or more of the preset backup plans and click Continue.

Select one of the preset backup plans in the Backup window, and then choose Edit Plan from the Plan menu.

Click the Add (+) button below Backup Items to add QuickPicks to your backup list.

Double-click the item in the Destination and Schedule field to change the day and time you would like the backup to happen and where to save your backups.

Close the window to save your changes, or click the Back Up Now button to run the backup.

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