Your Mac is part of a great team. Your Mac works seamlessly with your other Apple devices. With just a click or a tap, you can extend your Mac desktop using your iPad, effortlessly share files with friends, and more. Learn how to use your Mac and devices together. Create gorgeous documents in minutes with the Pages for Mac word processor. Start with an Apple-designed template to instantly create gorgeous reports, digital books, resumes, posters and more. Or use a blank document and create your own design. Easily add images, movies, audio, charts and shapes.
This content has been archived, and is no longer maintained by Indiana University. Information here may no longer be accurate, and links may no longer be available or reliable.
To make a Mac act as an external hard disk, you can put it in TargetDisk Mode and connect it to another Mac with a FireWire orThunderbolt cable, as follows:
Note: Target Disk Mode is available on most recentMacs; however, computers that do not have FireWire or Thunderboltports are excluded.
- Shut down the computer you want to use as an external hard disk(i.e., the target computer). If you are using a portable computer,make sure it is running on AC power. You don't need to power downthe other computer (i.e., the host computer).
- Connect the FireWire or Thunderbolt cable to the correspondingport of the target computer, and then connect the other end of thecable to the host computer's port.Note: If the computers have different kinds of ports(e.g., one has a FireWire 400 port while the other has a FireWire 800or Thunderbolt port), you will also need one or more adapters.
- Start up the target computer and hold down the letter
t
on its keyboard. Its drive will spin up, andits icon should appear on the host computer. The target computer'sdisplay will show a moving icon.
Alternatively, you can do the following:
- From the Apple menu, select System Preferences....
- In System Preferences, from the View menu, selectStartup Disk.
- In the
Startup Disk
preference pane, click Target Disk Mode....
To exit Target Disk Mode, on the host computer, eject thetarget computer's disk, and then shut down thetarget computer. Disconnect the cable, and then start up thetarget computer; it will boot normally.
Backing up your Mac is simple and important. We recommend it for everyone.
Back up with Time Machine
Time Machine is the built-in backup feature of your Mac. It’s a complete backup solution, but you can use other backup methods as well.
Create a backupStore files in iCloud
You can also use iCloud and iCloud Drive to store files, such as your photos, documents, and music.
Set up iCloud and iCloud DriveRestore your Mac from a backup
![What I Use My Mac For What I Use My Mac For](/uploads/1/1/0/4/110485421/351716126.jpg)
When you have a backup, you can use it to restore your files at any time, including after the original files are deleted from your Mac.
Restore from a backupPrepare your Mac for service
How To Use Mac Computer
Making a backup is an important part of preparing your Mac for service, especially because some types of repair might require erasing or replacing your hard drive.
Get your Mac ready for serviceHow much space do I need for a backup?
To see the size of a specific file or folder, click it once and then press Command-I. To see storage information about your Mac, click the Apple menu in the top-left of your screen. Choose About This Mac and click the Storage tab. For Time Machine backups, it's good to use a drive that has at least twice the storage capacity of your Mac.
Related topics
Free up storage on your Mac
macOS can save space by storing your content in the cloud. This isn't a backup, but it includes new tools to make it easier to find and remove large or unwanted files before you make a backup.
Use Optimized Storage in macOSErase or format a storage device
You can use Disk Utility if you need to erase or format a storage device.
Learn how to use Disk UtilityCan I Use My Passport For Mac On Pc
macOS Community
If you can't back up your Mac
What I Use My Mac For Windows 10
We'll find the best support options for you.