Time Machine icon missing and no manual backup option after update

Since the update from Tahoe to Golden Gate, my Time Machine icon has disappeared from my menu bar. No big deal... I went to System Settings > Time Machine, to try to get it to show in the menu bar (like I have before) but I no longer see the option, which was weird. So I tried to get it in Control Panel > Edit, but out of all of the icons there, Time Machine was not one of them.

So I went to Applications in the Dock to open Time Machine. It did open, and I see options to restore a backup... but what I want to do is manually do a backup right now. I simply have options to have it automatically run weekly or daily or hourly. I suppose that will work - but I really do not want to wait an hour for a backup to start when I need one.

I tried shutting down, then restarting... no change. Any thoughts on why I can't get the icon up in my menu bar, or find an option to backup now? I also included a screenshot of my Menu Bar. I used to have more icons than this before updating to Golden Gate, so I know the bar isn't full. It only spans about a third of the way across the screen.

Posted on Sep 17, 2026 1:12 PM

2 replies

neuroanatomist

Level 9 (72,871 points)

Sep 17, 2026 1:40 PM in response to gsyrba

Simple solution – the place to turn on the Menu Bar item has changed. It's no longer in the Time Machine settings pane, rather it (like other Menu Bar items) is in the Menu Bar controls.

Go to System Settings > Menu Bar, and tick the box for Time Machine.

More info: Change Menu Bar settings on Mac – Apple Support

Once that's done, you should see the Menu Bar icon, and the usual options accessible that way including Back Up Now. (Note that my Backup Failed is expected, I'm away from home and my primary backup destination is the Synology NAS sitting on my desk). Time Machine is working fine for me on macOS 27, to my NAS and to the SSDs that are my secondary backups.

Also, FYI you can access the Back Up Now function in the TM settings pane. Secondary-click (control-click, right-click, two-finger click) on the desired backup disk and the option to Back Up Now to that disk will be there.

gsyrba Author

Level 3 (543 points)

Sep 17, 2026 4:34 PM in response to neuroanatomist

Thank you for pointing out where it moved to. That worked, and from the icon I was able to start a backup.

As for the Back Up Now function in the TM settings pane, I tried that before posting this thread, and that didn't work for me. Tried again after reading your reply... still does not. But no matter... the Menu bar option works, and that's what I prefer anyway.

I appreciate your help!!

Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256359252