---
id: mac-storage-basics.is-time-machine-enough-as-a-backup
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/is-time-machine-enough-as-a-backup
category: "Mac storage basics"
subcategory: "Time Machine basics"
question: "Is Time Machine on its own enough of a backup?"
alt_questions:
  - "is one backup enough mac"
  - "3 2 1 backup mac"
  - "offsite backup mac"
  - "time machine plus cloud backup"
  - "backup strategy mac"
short_answer: "It's a good start, but a single nearby drive can be lost with the Mac. Keep another copy elsewhere — an off-site drive or cloud backup — and include external-only files."
tags: ["time machine", "backup strategy"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/does-time-machine-back-up-external-drives", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/are-local-snapshots-a-backup"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# Is Time Machine on its own enough of a backup?

It's a great start, but a single backup drive sitting next to your Mac can be lost to the same theft, fire or accident. A common recommendation is to keep at least one copy somewhere else too — a second drive kept off-site, or a cloud backup.

Also remember that files living *only* on an external drive aren't protected by Time Machine unless you include that drive. Storage Studio's Data Backup can back up folders to another drive or to a cloud account. See [backups](https://storagestudio.us/faq/backups/).