---
id: backups.how-do-i-read-backup-progress
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/backups/how-do-i-read-backup-progress
category: "Backups & restore points"
subcategory: "Speed, progress and the first backup"
question: "How do I read the progress on a running backup?"
alt_questions:
  - "backup progress bar meaning"
  - "what does excludes idle mean"
  - "backup uploaded number"
  - "time left on backup"
  - "working out how much there is to do"
  - "backup speed shown"
short_answer: "The card shows a progress bar, time left, how much is saved, the transfer speed, and any idle time excluded from the estimate. 'Working out how much there is to do' at the start is normal."
tags: ["progress", "eta", "speed"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/backups/why-is-my-first-cloud-backup-taking-hours", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/backups/why-does-the-backup-time-left-keep-changing"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# How do I read the progress on a running backup?

While a backup runs, its card shows a progress bar and a line of plain figures:

- **about … left** — the estimated time remaining, when it can be worked out.
- **… of …** or **… uploaded** — how much has been saved so far.
- **· … /s** — the current transfer speed.
- **excludes … idle** — time when nothing was moving (the Mac asleep, the network down) is left out of the speed and estimate, so they reflect real work.

At the very start you may see *"working out how much there is to do"* while it scans your folders; that's normal for large sets.