How to Create a System Restore Point

On Mac

1. Attach an external hard drive to your Mac. Plug one end of the hard drive's cable into your Mac, then plug the other end into the external hard drive if it isn't already connected.^[1]

   1. While Mac computers don't have System Restore points in the same way that Windows computers do, you can still create a restore point by using Time Machine.
   2. Your external hard drive must be at least as large as the amount of space that's taken up on your Mac's hard drive.

2. Open Spotlight

   . Click the magnifying glass-shaped Spotlight icon in the top-right corner of the screen. A text box will appear in the middle of the screen.

3. Search for Time Machine. Type time machine into the text box. Doing so will bring up a list of matching results below the text box.

4. Double-click Time Machine. It's below the text box. The Time Machine menu will open.

5. Click Select Backup Disk…. This is in the middle of the Time Machine menu. Doing so opens a pop-up window with different hard drives listed.

6. Select your external hard drive. Click the name of the external hard drive you connected to your Mac.

7. Click Use Disk. It's a blue button in the lower-right corner of the menu. Doing so will select the hard drive as your backup point.

   1. If the external hard drive has files on it or it hasn't been formatted for use with your Mac, you'll be prompted to erase it before proceeding. Click Erase to do so.

8. Click the Time Machine menu icon. This circular arrow icon is near the far-right side of the menu bar that's at the top of your Mac's screen. A drop-down menu will appear.

9. Click Back Up Now. It's in the drop-down menu. Doing so prompts your Mac to begin backing up to your connected external hard drive.