Backups & restore points · Speed, progress and the first backup
Why is my first backup so much slower than the ones after it?
Short answer: The first backup copies every file once; later backups only save what changed. For a faster first backup use an external SSD, or bucket storage such as Amazon S3 for cloud.
Because everything in it is new. The first backup has to copy every file once; after that, each backup only saves what actually changed, so day-to-day backups are quick.
To make a big first backup finish sooner: - Back up to an external SSD — it's the fastest destination. - For cloud, prefer bucket storage such as Amazon S3 over services that throttle uploads. - Leave the Mac plugged in and awake; the backup can keep going in the background.
Adding a large new folder to an existing set has the same effect for that folder: its first pass is the big one.