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Does Time machine backup apps data and OS configuration or just apps and files?

Coming from Windows with a 3rd party full disk image backup(Note :I mean a disk clone, not the Windows' default backup an restore and functionality) , I would expect to be able to use time machine to restore the mac as it was in the moment I made a time machine backup.

I am honestly not aware how apps store data on MacOS though

dragonmnl
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  • Most app data (for well-behaved apps, anyway) is stored in the hidden Library folder in the user's home folder; this means that anything that backs up the user home folder will automatically get most app data. But as the answers @RichardBrockbank linked explain, Time Machine backs up almost everything on the startup volume, not just the home folders, so it's actually possible to do a bare-metal restore (restoring OS, apps, and user files onto a blank drive) from a TM backup. – Gordon Davisson May 04 '19 at 00:04

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Simple answer is yes.

Time Machine essentially creates incremental backups from everything. Can roll back folders and files to previous points - a more detailed explanation can be found on Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Machine_(macOS) or setup a new Mac or reinstall Mac OS from a time machine backup detailed at Apple Support page here https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203981

Jerimiah Young
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