OS X Yosemite: Remove a backed-up item from your backup disk

Remove a backed-up item from your backup disk

You can delete all copies of a backed-up file or folder from your Time Machine backup disk.

Note:   These instructions apply only to backups stored on an external backup disk. You can’t delete items from local snapshots stored on your internal drive.
  1. Click the Time Machine icon in the menu bar, then choose Enter Time Machine.

    If the Time Machine menu isn’t in the menu bar, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Time Machine, then select “Show Time Machine in menu bar.”

  2. Use the arrows and the timeline on the right side of your screen to browse the backups Time Machine created.

  3. Select the item you want to delete, then click the Action menu and choose Delete All Backups of [item name].

    Remove items from backup in blur field.

You can move, copy, or delete the Backups.backupdb folder on your Time Machine backup disk as you would other folders. You can also delete folders within the Backups.backupdb folder. You can’t delete individual items inside the dated folders.

Important:   Don’t use Terminal or any app other than the Finder to move, copy, or remove items from the Backups.backupdb folder.
Last Modified: Sep 23, 2015
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