TimeMachineEditor
TimeMachineEditor is a free scheduling utility for macOS that allows users to control when Time Machine backups run, rather than relying on the default one-hour automatic interval. Users can define custom schedules — for example, backups only on weekdays at set times, or once daily — which reduces performance impact and battery drain from constant backup operations. The app works as a scheduler only; Time Machine itself continues to handle the actual backup process. It includes a command-line tool (tmectl) for automation and scripting.
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1 suggestionTimeMachineEditor has been discontinued and is no longer maintained by its developer as of February 2023 (version 5.2.2 was the final release). The app runs under Rosetta 2 on Apple Silicon Macs today, but will stop launching entirely when Apple removes Rosetta in macOS 28 (September 2028). There is no native Apple Silicon build and none is planned. A modern actively maintained alternative with confirmed native Apple Silicon support is Time Machine Schedule, which offers similar functionality — custom scheduling of backups, menu bar integration showing backup progress and time to next backup, and automatic retries. Time Machine Schedule is designed for current macOS versions and runs natively on M-series Macs. If you prefer to stay with open-source tools, you could also write a simple launchd schedule (plist) that calls `tmutil startbackup` at your desired times, though this requires basic command-line familiarity.
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