{"id":"freeing-space.what-does-delete-all-backed-up-do","url":"/faq/freeing-space/what-does-delete-all-backed-up-do","category":{"id":"freeing-space","title":"Freeing up space"},"subcategory":{"id":"snapshots-held-space","title":"Local snapshots and held space"},"question":"What does Delete all backed-up do in Local Snapshots?","alt_questions":["Bulk delete snapshots","Delete all backed up snapshots button","Remove every snapshot already on Time Machine","Will Delete all backed-up remove local-only snapshots?","Clear all snapshots at once"],"short_answer":"It deletes every snapshot already backed up to Time Machine in one step, after a confirmation. Local-only and system-required snapshots are always skipped.","answer_markdown":"It removes, in one step, every snapshot that's already safely backed up to Time Machine — the ones with the green check. Snapshots that exist only on this Mac, and those macOS requires, are always skipped, even here.\n\nIt asks you to confirm first, a failure on one snapshot never stops the others, and the window stays responsive while it works. The result appears in the outcome banner at the bottom. To free a specific amount instead, use [Custom reclaim](/faq/freeing-space/what-is-custom-reclaim).","answer_html":"

It removes, in one step, every snapshot that's already safely backed up to Time Machine — the ones with the green check. Snapshots that exist only on this Mac, and those macOS requires, are always skipped, even here.

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It asks you to confirm first, a failure on one snapshot never stops the others, and the window stays responsive while it works. The result appears in the outcome banner at the bottom. To free a specific amount instead, use Custom reclaim.

","answer_text":"It removes, in one step, every snapshot that's already safely backed up to Time Machine — the ones with the green check. Snapshots that exist only on this Mac, and those macOS requires, are always skipped, even here.\n\nIt asks you to confirm first, a failure on one snapshot never stops the others, and the window stays responsive while it works. The result appears in the outcome banner at the bottom. To free a specific amount instead, use Custom reclaim.","tags":["local snapshots","bulk delete","time machine"],"related":[{"id":"freeing-space.what-is-custom-reclaim","question":"How do I free a specific amount of space from snapshots before a macOS update?","url":"/faq/freeing-space/what-is-custom-reclaim"},{"id":"freeing-space.is-it-safe-to-delete-a-local-snapshot","question":"Is it safe to delete local snapshots with Storage Studio?","url":"/faq/freeing-space/is-it-safe-to-delete-a-local-snapshot"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"What does Delete all backed-up do in Local Snapshots? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"It deletes every snapshot already backed up to Time Machine in one step, after a confirmation. Local-only and system-required snapshots are always skipped.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Freeing up space","path":"/faq/freeing-space/"},{"name":"What does Delete all backed-up do in Local Snapshots?","path":"/faq/freeing-space/what-does-delete-all-backed-up-do"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/freeing-space/what-does-delete-all-backed-up-do","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What does Delete all backed-up do in Local Snapshots?","alternateName":["Bulk delete snapshots","Delete all backed up snapshots button","Remove every snapshot already on Time Machine","Will Delete all backed-up remove local-only snapshots?","Clear all snapshots at once"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"It removes, in one step, every snapshot that's already safely backed up to Time Machine — the ones with the green check. Snapshots that exist only on this Mac, and those macOS requires, are always skipped, even here.\n\nIt asks you to confirm first, a failure on one snapshot never stops the others, and the window stays responsive while it works. The result appears in the outcome banner at the bottom. To free a specific amount instead, use Custom reclaim.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/freeing-space/what-does-delete-all-backed-up-do"}}]},"fragment":"
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Freeing up space · Local snapshots and held space

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What does Delete all backed-up do in Local Snapshots?

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Short answer: It deletes every snapshot already backed up to Time Machine in one step, after a confirmation. Local-only and system-required snapshots are always skipped.

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It removes, in one step, every snapshot that's already safely backed up to Time Machine — the ones with the green check. Snapshots that exist only on this Mac, and those macOS requires, are always skipped, even here.

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It asks you to confirm first, a failure on one snapshot never stops the others, and the window stays responsive while it works. The result appears in the outcome banner at the bottom. To free a specific amount instead, use Custom reclaim.

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