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I have a MacBook Air and I want to back up to a storage disk but I don't have a usb drive. what do I do?

I have a MacBook Air and I want to back up to a storage disk but I don't have a usb drive. what do I do?


Posted on Jul 9, 2023 1:48 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 9, 2023 1:58 PM

questiongirlie wrote:

I have a MacBook Air and I want to back up to a storage disk but I don't have a usb drive. what do I do?

Get an external usb drive and use Time Machine to backup your Mac.

Back up your Mac with Time Machine - Apple Support

Backup disks you can use with Time Machine - Apple Support



4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 9, 2023 1:58 PM in response to questiongirlie

questiongirlie wrote:

I have a MacBook Air and I want to back up to a storage disk but I don't have a usb drive. what do I do?

Get an external usb drive and use Time Machine to backup your Mac.

Back up your Mac with Time Machine - Apple Support

Backup disks you can use with Time Machine - Apple Support



Jul 9, 2023 2:18 PM in response to questiongirlie

  1. You can upload files to iCloud or many other cloud services.
  2. You can Airdrop the files to your iPhone/iPad, or transfer to your Android phone.
  3. If you have other Macs you can move files there by sharing, airdrop or via Target disk mode.
  4. If you are using older Mba, you may have a SD card slot. Move files to a SD card.
  5. Borrow or buy a USB disk.

Jul 9, 2023 3:27 PM in response to questiongirlie

External HDDs are about as cheap as they'll ever be. Geta reputable brand, not some store brand special, and you're good to go.


For backing up a somewhat slow HDD, compared to an SSD, is entirely sufficient.


iCloud is not a backup solution. It's an interactive service that will not maintain all you files untouched over the long haul.

Jul 9, 2023 7:59 PM in response to questiongirlie

Get into the habit of making backups to at least two places. Preferably with one backup stored off-site (e.g., at a relative's house, or in a cloud backup service) most of the time.


Backup drives can fail. Thieves can break into your home and take your computer, and any nearby backup drives, leaving you only with backups that they didn't see and didn't have the chance to take. Likewise with disasters like fires, tornadoes, and hurricanes.


I have a MacBook Air and I want to back up to a storage disk but I don't have a usb drive. what do I do?

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