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Time Machine

2 log locations · macOS

Apple

Where Time Machine keeps its logs

Time Machine logs to log show --predicate 'subsystem == "com.apple.TimeMachine"' --info on macOS. 1 other macOS log location is recorded below.

Paths are printed exactly as Time Machine writes them. Environment variables like %LOCALAPPDATA% and $XDG_STATE_HOME are never expanded, so a path can be pasted straight into a shell. Where a path differs between installer types or shipping flavours, each one is racked as its own card below - why that happens.

Finding your way around macOS.

MAC

Time Machine - macOS

Apple
Backup activity (unified log)log show --predicate 'subsystem == "com.apple.TimeMachine"' --info
Backup errors (unified log)log show --predicate 'process == "backupd" AND category == "TMLogError"'
Time Machine log file locations - macOS · Where Them Logs App