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joanramu
User level: Level 1 (4 points)

Unable to open Time Machine when clicked in MacBook Pro's General settings

Why doesnt Time Machine open. when clicked on inGeneral? This is in MacBook Pro, Tahoe, 26.8.2.


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Time Machine problem.


Posted on Oct 2, 2026 1:50 PM

1 reply

neuroanatomist
User level: Level 9 (72,871 points)

Oct 2, 2026 5:57 PM in response to joanramu

That is the expected behavior. System Settings is for managing the backup process, not accessing the backups.


Browsing and Restoring via Time Machine Interface

  • Open Time Machine: Click the Time Machine icon in the menu bar and choose Browse Time Machine backups (or Enter Time Machine). If the icon is missing, go to Apple menu > System Settings > Control Centre, scroll to Time Machine, and select Show in Menu Bar. 
  • Navigate Backups: Use the up/down arrows or the timeline on the edge of the screen to browse through past versions of your files and folders.
  • Search: Type a file name, phrase, or date into the Spotlight search field inside Time Machine to find specific missing items. 
  • Restore: Select the item or disk you want back and click Restore to send it back to its original location.


More info from Apple: Recover files using Time Machine and Spotlight on Mac – Apple Support


Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256369285