{"id":"mac-storage-basics.can-time-machine-back-up-to-a-network-drive","url":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/can-time-machine-back-up-to-a-network-drive","category":{"id":"mac-storage-basics","title":"Mac storage basics"},"subcategory":{"id":"time-machine","title":"Time Machine basics"},"question":"Can Time Machine back up to a network drive or another Mac?","alt_questions":["time machine nas","time machine smb share","back up to another mac time machine","network time machine backup","time machine over wifi"],"short_answer":"Yes — a NAS with Time Machine support, or another Mac sharing a folder as a Time Machine destination. Add it with Add Backup Disk; the first backup is slow over Wi-Fi.","answer_markdown":"Yes. Time Machine can use a network share that supports it (many NAS devices offer a Time Machine option) or another Mac sharing a folder as a Time Machine destination (in that Mac's File Sharing settings). Choose it with **Add Backup Disk** in Time Machine settings.\n\nNetwork backups are slower than a direct drive, especially the first one, so a wired connection helps.","answer_html":"

Yes. Time Machine can use a network share that supports it (many NAS devices offer a Time Machine option) or another Mac sharing a folder as a Time Machine destination (in that Mac's File Sharing settings). Choose it with Add Backup Disk in Time Machine settings.

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Network backups are slower than a direct drive, especially the first one, so a wired connection helps.

","answer_text":"Yes. Time Machine can use a network share that supports it (many NAS devices offer a Time Machine option) or another Mac sharing a folder as a Time Machine destination (in that Mac's File Sharing settings). Choose it with Add Backup Disk in Time Machine settings.\n\nNetwork backups are slower than a direct drive, especially the first one, so a wired connection helps.","tags":["time machine","nas","network"],"related":[{"id":"mac-storage-basics.how-big-should-a-time-machine-drive-be","question":"How big should my Time Machine backup drive be?","url":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/how-big-should-a-time-machine-drive-be"},{"id":"mac-storage-basics.can-i-use-a-nas-for-mac-storage","question":"Can I use a network drive (NAS) to free up space on my Mac?","url":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/can-i-use-a-nas-for-mac-storage"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Can Time Machine back up to a network drive or another Mac? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Yes — a NAS with Time Machine support, or another Mac sharing a folder as a Time Machine destination. Add it with Add Backup Disk; the first backup is slow over Wi-Fi.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Mac storage basics","path":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/"},{"name":"Can Time Machine back up to a network drive or another Mac?","path":"/faq/mac-storage-basics/can-time-machine-back-up-to-a-network-drive"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/can-time-machine-back-up-to-a-network-drive","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Can Time Machine back up to a network drive or another Mac?","alternateName":["time machine nas","time machine smb share","back up to another mac time machine","network time machine backup","time machine over wifi"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. Time Machine can use a network share that supports it (many NAS devices offer a Time Machine option) or another Mac sharing a folder as a Time Machine destination (in that Mac's File Sharing settings). Choose it with Add Backup Disk in Time Machine settings.\n\nNetwork backups are slower than a direct drive, especially the first one, so a wired connection helps.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/can-time-machine-back-up-to-a-network-drive"}}]},"fragment":"
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Mac storage basics · Time Machine basics

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Can Time Machine back up to a network drive or another Mac?

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Short answer: Yes — a NAS with Time Machine support, or another Mac sharing a folder as a Time Machine destination. Add it with Add Backup Disk; the first backup is slow over Wi-Fi.

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Yes. Time Machine can use a network share that supports it (many NAS devices offer a Time Machine option) or another Mac sharing a folder as a Time Machine destination (in that Mac's File Sharing settings). Choose it with Add Backup Disk in Time Machine settings.

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Network backups are slower than a direct drive, especially the first one, so a wired connection helps.

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Last reviewed

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