{"id":"backups.what-does-the-check-button-do","url":"/faq/backups/what-does-the-check-button-do","category":{"id":"backups","title":"Backups & restore points"},"subcategory":{"id":"status-problems","title":"Status and problems"},"question":"What does the Check button on a backup set do?","alt_questions":["verify backup now","Check backup integrity","How do I test my backup?","run a backup verification"],"short_answer":"Check verifies the backup already at the destination without making a new version. It shows Checking…, then Protected if all is well, or Needs attention with a fix if not.","answer_markdown":"**Check** verifies the backup that's already stored at the destination, without making a new version. The set shows **Checking…** while it runs, and returns to **Protected** if everything is sound.\n\nUse it when you want peace of mind — after moving a drive between Macs, after a long time without a backup, or before you rely on a restore. If the check finds a problem, the set shows **Needs attention** with what to do next. You can stop a check with **Stop**.","answer_html":"<p><strong>Check</strong> verifies the backup that&#39;s already stored at the destination, without making a new version. The set shows <strong>Checking…</strong> while it runs, and returns to <strong>Protected</strong> if everything is sound.</p>\n<p>Use it when you want peace of mind — after moving a drive between Macs, after a long time without a backup, or before you rely on a restore. If the check finds a problem, the set shows <strong>Needs attention</strong> with what to do next. You can stop a check with <strong>Stop</strong>.</p>","answer_text":"Check verifies the backup that's already stored at the destination, without making a new version. The set shows Checking… while it runs, and returns to Protected if everything is sound.\n\nUse it when you want peace of mind — after moving a drive between Macs, after a long time without a backup, or before you rely on a restore. If the check finds a problem, the set shows Needs attention with what to do next. You can stop a check with Stop.","tags":["verification","check","integrity"],"related":[{"id":"backups.what-does-protected-mean","question":"What does \"Protected\" mean on a backup set?","url":"/faq/backups/what-does-protected-mean"},{"id":"backups.what-does-the-safety-check-found-a-problem-mean","question":"What does \"the safety check didn't pass\" mean after a backup?","url":"/faq/backups/what-does-the-safety-check-found-a-problem-mean"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"What does the Check button on a backup set do? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Check verifies the backup already at the destination without making a new version. It shows Checking…, then Protected if all is well, or Needs attention with a fix if not.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Backups & restore points","path":"/faq/backups/"},{"name":"What does the Check button on a backup set do?","path":"/faq/backups/what-does-the-check-button-do"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/backups/what-does-the-check-button-do","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What does the Check button on a backup set do?","alternateName":["verify backup now","Check backup integrity","How do I test my backup?","run a backup verification"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Check verifies the backup that's already stored at the destination, without making a new version. The set shows Checking… while it runs, and returns to Protected if everything is sound.\n\nUse it when you want peace of mind — after moving a drive between Macs, after a long time without a backup, or before you rely on a restore. If the check finds a problem, the set shows Needs attention with what to do next. You can stop a check with Stop.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/backups/what-does-the-check-button-do"}}]},"fragment":"<div class=\"wrap fl-wrap\"><div class=\"fl-layout\"><aside class=\"fl-side\" aria-label=\"FAQ topics\"><details open><summary>All topics</summary><ul class=\"fl-tree\"><li><a href=\"/faq/getting-started/\">Getting started</a> <span>70</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/freeing-space/\">Freeing up space</a> <span>182</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/\">Moving folders</a> <span>144</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/apps/\">Apps</a> <span>146</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/external-drives/\">External drives</a> <span>169</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/finder-location/\">Finding things in Finder</a> <span>70</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/cloud-accounts/\">Cloud accounts</a> <span>158</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/icloud/\">iCloud &amp; iCloud Photos</a> <span>168</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/data-transfers/\">Data Transfers</a> <span>119</span></li><li class=\"fl-open\"><a href=\"/faq/backups/\" aria-current=\"true\">Backups &amp; restore points</a> <span>126</span><ul><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/#data-backup-basics\">Data Backup basics</a> <span>15</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/#destinations\">Where backups go</a> <span>13</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/#encryption-passphrase\">Encryption and passphrases</a> <span>15</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/#scheduling\">When backups run</a> <span>16</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/#speed-progress\">Speed, progress and the first backup</a> <span>14</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/#versions-restore\">Versions and restoring</a> <span>11</span></li><li class=\"fl-on\"><a href=\"/faq/backups/#status-problems\">Status and problems</a> <span>12</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/#managing-sets\">Managing backup sets and destinations</a> <span>5</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/#backup-strategy\">Time Machine and backup strategy</a> <span>12</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/#restore-points\">Restore Points</a> <span>10</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/#self-backup\">Storage Studio&#39;s own settings backup</a> <span>3</span></li></ul></li><li><a href=\"/faq/delta-drive/\">Delta Drive, Delta Trust &amp; My Drive</a> <span>125</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/bridge-devices/\">Bridge &amp; your devices</a> <span>111</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/duplicates/\">Duplicate files</a> <span>74</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/junk-yard/\">Junk Yard</a> <span>113</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/tuhi-assistant/\">Tuhi, your storage assistant</a> <span>105</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/settings/\">Settings &amp; keep-time</a> <span>88</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/performance-battery/\">Performance &amp; battery</a> <span>62</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/privacy-safety/\">Privacy &amp; safety</a> <span>85</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/licensing-payments/\">Licensing &amp; payments</a> <span>131</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/troubleshooting/\">Troubleshooting &amp; messages</a> <span>180</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/comparisons/\">Comparisons &amp; alternatives</a> <span>75</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/mac-storage-basics/\">Mac storage basics</a> <span>315</span></li></ul></details></aside><div class=\"fl-main\"><nav class=\"fl-crumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\"><ol><li><a href=\"/\">Home</a></li><li><a href=\"/faq/\">FAQ</a></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/\">Backups &amp; restore points</a></li><li aria-current=\"page\">What does the Check button on a backup set do?</li></ol></nav>\n<form class=\"fl-search\" action=\"/faq/search\" method=\"get\" role=\"search\" data-fl-search>\n<label class=\"fl-visually-hidden\" for=\"fl-q\">Search the FAQ</label>\n<input id=\"fl-q\" type=\"search\" name=\"q\" value=\"\" placeholder=\"Search 2,816 questions…\" autocomplete=\"off\" spellcheck=\"false\">\n<button type=\"submit\">Search</button>\n<div class=\"fl-suggest\" role=\"listbox\" hidden></div>\n</form>\n<article class=\"fl-entry\">\n<p class=\"eyebrow fl-eyebrow\"><a href=\"/faq/backups/\">Backups &amp; restore points</a> · <a href=\"/faq/backups/#status-problems\">Status and problems</a></p>\n<h1>What does the Check button on a backup set do?</h1>\n<p class=\"fl-short\"><strong>Short answer:</strong> Check verifies the backup already at the destination without making a new version. It shows Checking…, then Protected if all is well, or Needs attention with a fix if not.</p>\n<div class=\"fl-answer\"><p><strong>Check</strong> verifies the backup that&#39;s already stored at the destination, without making a new version. The set shows <strong>Checking…</strong> while it runs, and returns to <strong>Protected</strong> if everything is sound.</p>\n<p>Use it when you want peace of mind — after moving a drive between Macs, after a long time without a backup, or before you rely on a restore. If the check finds a problem, the set shows <strong>Needs attention</strong> with what to do next. You can stop a check with <strong>Stop</strong>.</p></div>\n\n<p class=\"fl-meta\">Last reviewed <time datetime=\"2026-10-01\">October 1, 2026</time></p>\n\n<section class=\"fl-related\"><h2>Related questions</h2><ul><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/what-does-protected-mean\">What does &quot;Protected&quot; mean on a backup set?</a></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/what-does-the-safety-check-found-a-problem-mean\">What does &quot;the safety check didn&#39;t pass&quot; mean after a backup?</a></li></ul></section>\n<p class=\"fl-formats\">Also available as <a href=\"/faq/backups/what-does-the-check-button-do.md\">Markdown</a> and <a href=\"/faq/backups/what-does-the-check-button-do.json\">JSON</a>.</p>\n</article></div></div></div>"}