How to Restore a Single File from Time Machine to a New Mac

If you have Time Machine set up on your Mac, you can rest assured that you won't lose any important files. If you're moving to a new Mac, you can restore individual files from Time Machine, or, if you've lost everything, go back in time to restore your computer from the beginning.

1. How to Recover Files Without a Time Machine Backup

With a few simple steps, you can recover lost files from SD cards and external storage device volumes on Mac OS X. Thanks to the Data Recovery Wizard for Mac tool, even those unfamiliar with technology can intuitively recover lost data from macOS.

It comes with a preview mode that lets you look at the found files and easily recover deleted files from the Mac Trash.

Before restoring individual files from Time Machine to your new Mac, watch this video for details about restoring files to a Mac.

• 00:11 - How to restore individual items from a Time Machine backup
• 00:34 - Searching your backups
• 00:49 - Browsing your backups
• 01:13 - Previewing files

Restore Individual Items from a Time Machine Backup

 

Instructions

Note: You can create a backup by first clicking on “Disk Backup” on the left. The software will recover deleted files from the backup image, which prevents further damage to your disk and data, making it safer and more reliable.

Step 1: Scan for the deleted files

Select the hard drive, external drive, or SSD from where your important data and files were deleted, and then click “Search Lost Files.”

Select the location and scan for deleted files on your Mac

Step 2: Filter out missing files

The software will scan the selected volume quickly and deeply, trying to find as many deleted files as possible. Filter the required files by Type and Path options.

Step 3: Recover the deleted files

preview the deleted files by double-clicking on them, and then hit the “Recover” button to get them back.

2. How to Restore the Operating System from Time Machine

If you have replaced the original HDD with another one, macOS recovery is essential. But can Time Machine restore the operating system? Of course, Time Machine for Mac offers this possibility to Mac users.

Time Machine is supported on macOS 10.5 or later. It was first introduced with macOS 10.5 Leopard but received a significant redesign in macOS 11 Big Sur.

Step 1: Boot your Mac into Recovery Mode

Restart your Mac. Hold down the Command + R keys until you see the Apple logo. Release them if you see the Apple logo. In Recovery Mode, select "Restore from Time Machine Backup" and click "Next".

Step 2: Select the backup hard drive

Click the “Continue” button on the “Restore From Time Machine Backup” screen. After selecting your Time Machine backup drive, click “Continue” again to proceed.

Note: You need to provide credentials to decrypt an encrypted drive.

Step 3: Choose to Back Up As Of a Date

After selecting a backup and sorting by date, click "Continue." You can then restore your Mac to a previous date.

Step 4: Restore macOS

Select the disk and click “Restore” to restore the contents of your Mac's hard drive. Restart your Mac when it's done.

Click on “Restore”

3. How to Restore Files from Time Machine

There may be times when you accidentally delete a file, format a hard drive with important data on it, or empty the Trash on your Mac. In these cases, it's necessary to recover the data safely. If you're a Mac user, the good news is that you can do this with Time Machine.

Normally, people restore their computers to an exact state of a few days or weeks ago via recovering from Time Machine backup, depending on the situation. To accomplish this task successfully, you need your Mac and an external hard drive containing the Time Machine backup. However, make sure that you have backed up your files to Time Machine beforehand.

To restore files from Time Machine, follow these steps:

Step 1: Click "System Preferences."

Click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of the screen, then select “System Preferences…” from the drop-down menu.

Step 2: Visit the Time Machine

Click the downward-pointing arrow to the right of the clock icon to open Time Machine. Click this icon to access the Time Machine options.

Step 3: Click on “Time Machine” in the menu bar.

Make sure the “Show Time Machine in menu bar” option is checked. The Time Machine icon should now appear in your menu bar. Click it.

Step 4: Enter the time machine

Click the "Enter Time Machine" button. This will display all of your previous Time Machine backups. Find the file or folder you want to restore to its original location.

Step 5: Recover the files

Then, click “Restore.” This will move the file back to its original location and restore the item.

Restoring Files from Time Machine to Another Mac

You can use Time Machine to restore files to another Mac. To transfer files using Time Machine to another Mac, follow these steps:

Step 1: Insert the USB drive

Plug the USB hard drive containing the Time Machine backup into the Mac you want to transfer data to.

Note: Make sure that the original Mac is running

Step 2: Open a Time Machine backup

There, you should see your Time Machine backup drive. Open it, and then navigate to the database file to look at its backups.

Click on “Database File”

Step 3: Recover the files

Copy and paste the files you want to restore onto the new Mac.

Note: You can also drag and drop files.

How to Fix Grayed Out Restore Button in Time Machine?

You may occasionally encounter the same issue as the user above, where the Restore button in Time Machine becomes grayed out. This could be due to one of the following issues...

Conclusions

Losing data on your Mac is a painful experience, but if you have a Time Machine backup, the problem is usually mitigated. You should be using this program regularly to back up your essential information, as it may be your only recourse in the event of significant data loss. Additionally, hopefully, you now know how to restore from a Time Machine backup!