You can set up a shared folder on a Mac that other Mac computers can use as a Time Machine backup destination. The folder must be located on an Apple File System (APFS) volume and shared using the SMB protocol.
Set up a shared Time Machine backup folder
- On your Mac, choose Apple menu
> System Preferences, then click Sharing.
- Select the File Sharing checkbox.
- Click Options, make sure “Share files and folders using SMB” is selected, then click Done.
- Click the Add button
at the bottom of the Shared Folders list.
- Navigate to and select the folder you want to use for sharing, then click Add.
- Control-click the name of the folder, then choose Advanced Options.
- Make sure SMB is selected in the “Share over” pop-up menu.
Important: You can’t use Apple Filing Protocol (AFP) to share a Time Machine backup destination.
- Select “Share as a Time Machine backup destination.”
- If desired, select “Limit backups to,” then enter a size.
- Click OK.
See also