---
id: backups.what-should-i-back-up-on-my-mac
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/backups/what-should-i-back-up-on-my-mac
category: "Backups & restore points"
subcategory: "Time Machine and backup strategy"
question: "Which folders should I back up?"
alt_questions:
  - "what to include in a Mac backup"
  - "most important folders to back up"
  - "should I back up Downloads"
  - "backup Documents Desktop Pictures"
  - "what needs backing up"
short_answer: "Anything you couldn't recreate — Documents, Desktop, Pictures and your photo library, project folders, and what you've moved to your fast drive. Apps, caches and re-downloadable files usually don't need it."
tags: ["strategy", "folders", "photos"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/backups/what-does-data-backup-skip", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/backups/what-is-the-fast-drive-working-set"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# Which folders should I back up?

Back up anything you couldn't recreate: usually **Documents**, **Desktop**, **Pictures** and your photo library, project and work folders, and anything you've moved to your fast drive (the built-in **Fast drive working set** covers that).

You usually don't need to back up apps (you can reinstall them), caches, or **Downloads** you can fetch again — Data Backup already skips caches and temporary files by default. Start with the irreplaceable, then add more sets as you go.