
A “Delete local snapshot + (date)” message appears in the window to confirm the successful deletion. The typed result should look something like this: tmutil deletelocalsnapshots -002010. To get rid of a particular snapshot, you need to use the sudo tmutil deletelocalsnapshots command and add the specific date. This command provides you with a list of the snapshots which are named something like this: com. Notice the space before the forward slash. Access “Terminal” and execute the tmutil listlocalsnapshots / command. To work around this issue, you can use a simple Terminal command. Some users might experience problems when deleting the backups from Trash. Using Terminal to Delete Time Machine Backups
Select “Delete Backup of…” and you’re all done.
Select one or all of the old files in that backup and click the gear icon in the Menu bar to reveal the drop-down window. Click or tap the Time Machine icon in the Menu bar and browse the backup files to find the one you want to delete. You can also select “Open” to delete individual files if you want to keep other trashed items.ĭeleting Time Machine Backups within The App Select “Empty Trash” to permanently delete the old backups so they are gone for good. Hover over the Trash Can icon in your Dock, and then perform a two-finger tap or use “control + trackpad-click” to bring up the options. Now, click “Move to Trash” to delete the files. Select the one you want to delete and press “command + trackpad-click” or use the two-finger tap to access the pop-up window with more actions. By default, they are sorted from the oldest to the newest.
Navigate to the “Backups.backupdb” folder to locate the old files.Launch Finder and choose the location that includes your Time Machine backups.
Delete Old Time Machine Backups Using Finder Of course, both methods require you to connect to the external/network drive, and the following explanations assume you are connected. You can delete old backups via Time Machine or Finder.
REMOVE TIME MACHINE EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE HOW TO
The following sections deliver a quick guide on how to utilize all Time Machine removal methods. If you’re struggling to delete the Time Machine backups from Trash, a simple Terminal command does the trick! There are a couple of methods to remove old backup files and get some extra space. If you are diligent with backups, the old backup files can quickly pile up on your external or network drive.