Is there anyway to backup Trash in Time Machine?

Joined
Dec 3, 2008
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Hi,


I looked around and found a few threads on trash and time machine, and I was a bit disappointed to find out time machine does not backup your trash.

Is there anyway to add Trash to Time Machine to be backed up?


Any suggestions welcome,

Phil
 

vansmith

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2008
Messages
19,924
Reaction score
559
Points
113
Location
Queensland
Your Mac's Specs
Mini (2014, 2018, 2020), MBA (2020), iPad Pro (2018), iPhone 13 Pro Max, Watch (S6)
I don't have my TM drive with me but are you sure it's not there? Have you looked at ~/.Trash (~ = home directory)?

From what I have read, you have to explicitly tell TM not to back it up.
 
Joined
Mar 30, 2004
Messages
4,744
Reaction score
381
Points
83
Location
USA
Your Mac's Specs
12" Apple PowerBook G4 (1.5GHz)
Time Machine should have backed up the original folder(s) that your files were in before you put them into the Trash.

For example, if you move an image from your Pictures folder to the Trash, and then empty the Trash, you should restore it from Time Machine into your Pictures folder.
 
OP
B
Joined
Dec 3, 2008
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Hi,

Thanks for the help.

At first from checking on google, it seems that you can:
Apple - Support - Discussions - Timemachine and trash ...

But I then found a correction to this thread at:
Apple - Support - Discussions - Backup of Trash? ...


And from a bit more googling around, I found more people saying that 'trash' is excluded from time machine by default.

I noticed this problem when I went to search for something that had been in my trash all day yesterday and was no where to be found.

There surely must be a way in which I can get TM to backup my trash?
 
OP
B
Joined
Dec 3, 2008
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Points
1
My last reply was directed at vansmith.


technologist,

TM backs up every hour, but I will often download and place something in the trash within that hour, so is this just lost once I empty my trash?

Thanks for the help.
 
Joined
Sep 30, 2007
Messages
9,962
Reaction score
1,235
Points
113
Location
The Republic of Neptune
Your Mac's Specs
2019 iMac 27"; 2020 M1 MacBook Air; macOS up-to-date... always.
TM backs up every hour, but I will often download and place something in the trash within that hour, so is this just lost once I empty my trash?

Thanks for the help.

It doesn't look like it's possible. Backing up the Trash makes no sense anyway... it's trash. Why not just re-download that something? Or change your habits?
 
OP
B
Joined
Dec 3, 2008
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Points
1
I will just have to get on without it.

Surely it makes sense to have time machine save files when the trash is emptied, or at least give the option.

I am guessing that part of the idea behind TM was to give you a backup if you accidently deleted something...



Thanks for your suggestions and help,

much appreciated,

Phil
 

bobtomay

,
Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
26,561
Reaction score
677
Points
113
Location
Texas, where else?
Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
Best practice would be to not empty the trash every time you put something in it. The main purpose for having a trash or recycle bin, instead of just deleting the thing to begin with, is to allow some time in case you do need something back or have deleted by mistake. Trash really is not there just to make you have to do something twice to get rid of a file.

Set up a once a week (or 2) time for emptying the trash and running whatever maintenance program(s) you use.
 
Joined
Sep 30, 2007
Messages
9,962
Reaction score
1,235
Points
113
Location
The Republic of Neptune
Your Mac's Specs
2019 iMac 27"; 2020 M1 MacBook Air; macOS up-to-date... always.
In addition to Bob's excellent point, if you want to be sure something you have downloaded gets into your Time Machine backup, then make a folder of "Stuff to be trashed" and periodically dump the contents once you are certain that a TM backup has been made. You could easily write an Automator action to do this periodically or at certain hours.
 
OP
B
Joined
Dec 3, 2008
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Thanks for the suggestions.

I like the idea about having a stuff folder and using Automator to empty it.

I will give it a go.


Thanks again.

:)
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top