A guide to backing up and restoring a Mac without Time Machine

Time Machine is the simplest way to back up a Mac. With an external drive or NAS, you can restore everything—from system settings to installed apps—with minimal effort.

But what if you don’t want to buy a large external drive, or you prefer the cleaner setup that comes with restoring things manually? In that case, a more hands-on backup strategy can still protect what matters most while keeping your setup lean and intentional.

This post walks through a backup approach that doesn’t rely on Time Machine.

1. Store documents in iCloud Drive

I keep all my documents in iCloud Drive. If my Mac is lost or damaged, my files remain accessible from other devices. If I accidentally delete something, iCloud.com lets me recover it within 30 days.

Do note that iCloud’s web interface only allows downloading individual files, not entire folders. See this discussion for details.

For development work, I place them outside of iCloud Drive and rely on GitHub.

2. Back up key files manually

There are certain files and libraries that I manually back up time to time:

Photos Library
Music library
Some config files such as .zprofile.

3. Reconfigure system settings manually

I’ve experimented with scripts to automate system preferences but found it wasn’t worth maintaining. Reconfiguring System Settings from scratch is quick.

For settings buried in multi-step menus, I just write them down in a note so they’re easy to redo.

4. Reinstall apps

App Store

When setting up a new Mac, I manually redownload my App Store apps. This lets me reassess what I actually use. If I come across an app I no longer need, I hide it on the App Store’s My Apps page.

Homebrew

I use Homebrew, and I can create a Brewfile by running:

brew bundle dump

This file includes my installed formulae, casks, and taps. To restore everything, run:

brew bundle

Other apps

For apps outside the App Store and Homebrew, I keep a simple list in a note.

Why this approach works

You don’t need external drives, and manual restoration keeps your Mac clean.

Since I don’t set up a new Mac often, this process stays manageable. It feels like a small reset that brings me back to essentials.