Time Machine No Longer Allowing Mac OS Extended (Journaled)

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Level 1

4 points

Time Machine No Longer Allowing Mac OS Extended (Journaled)

Since upgrading to Mac OS 15.4, my Time Machine no longer works with my USB, which I have formatted to Mac OS Extended (Journaled). If I reformat my USB to be Mac OS Extended (Journaled), with the USB connected directly to my Mac, then add the USB as a backup disk in Time Machine, it will run the backup, but in so doing, will reformat my USB to APFS. This is NOT what I want - I would like to keep my USB formatted as Mac OS Extended (Journaled)... Is anyone else encountering this, and are there any solutions?

iMac (M4)

Posted on Apr 2, 2025 4:26 PM

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Answer 1

lkrupp

Level 7

22,219 points

Apr 2, 2025 4:31 PM in response to joffs123

As of the previous version of macOS Sonoma Time Machine MUST be formatted APFS. Time Machine will simply not work any longer with Mac OS Extended. Sorry, you cannot do what you wish to do.

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Answer 2

joffs123 Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 2, 2025 5:14 PM in response to lkrupp

Many thanks. How unfortunate.

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Answer 3

lkrupp

Level 7

22,219 points

Apr 3, 2025 7:44 AM in response to joffs123

The upside is that APFS is much more robust than HFS+ in maintaining data integrity and error correction with the use of Snapshots that are similar to backups.

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Answer 4

Apr 18, 2025 8:54 AM in response to joffs123

Isn't it outrageous to change such a vital format issue apparently without warning ?! I loose all my backup history - might just as well not have any at all !!!!!!!

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