Backups & restore points · Versions and restoring
Can I open my backed-up files directly in Finder?
Short answer: No. Backups are stored as encrypted, compressed pieces, not ordinary copies. Browse them with Versions… and Browse Files… in Data Backup, and never edit the backup folder by hand.
No — and that's by design. Backups are stored as encrypted, compressed pieces, not as ordinary copies, so the folder on the destination isn't something you can browse or open file by file.
To see what's in a backup, use Versions… in Data Backup and Browse Files… on any version. To get files out, use Restore… or Export…. Don't move, rename or delete anything inside the backup folder by hand; that can damage the backup.