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Time Machine needs a drive larger than your Mac storage.

This guide is built from Amazon product listings and maker specs, not our own testing, so confirm compatibility, capacity and current price on each product page.

Prices are approximate and were shown on Amazon.com on November 1, 2026; check the current price.

Last updated: November 1, 2026.

Quick Picks

Product Type Best for
WD My Passport for Mac 5TB Mac-formatted portable HDD Time Machine backups
Seagate Portable 2TB External Hard Drive Portable HDD, USB 3.0 Time Machine backups
YOTUO 1TB Portable External Hard Drive (USB-C) Portable HDD Time Machine backups
WD My Passport Ultra for Mac 5TB Mac-formatted portable HDD Time Machine backups
Seagate Expansion Desktop 4TB Desktop HDD, USB 3.0 Time Machine backups

Our Picks

1. WD My Passport for Mac 5TB

A WD My Passport for Mac 5TB (mac-formatted portable hdd), per the listing. It showed at about $249 on Amazon.com on November 1, 2026.

Good for: Time Machine backups. Watch out: Check Mac format and port.

Check on Amazon

2. Seagate Portable 2TB External Hard Drive

A Seagate Portable 2TB External Hard Drive (portable hdd, usb 3.0), per the listing. It showed at about $146 on Amazon.com on November 1, 2026.

Good for: Time Machine backups. Watch out: Slow compared with an SSD.

Check on Amazon

3. YOTUO 1TB Portable External Hard Drive (USB-C)

A YOTUO 1TB Portable External Hard Drive (USB-C) (portable hdd), per the listing. It showed at about $86 on Amazon.com on November 1, 2026.

Good for: Time Machine backups. Watch out: Lesser-known brand.

Check on Amazon

4. WD My Passport Ultra for Mac 5TB

A WD My Passport Ultra for Mac 5TB (mac-formatted portable hdd), per the listing. It showed at about $295 on Amazon.com on November 1, 2026.

Good for: Time Machine backups. Watch out: Higher price.

Check on Amazon

5. Seagate Expansion Desktop 4TB

A Seagate Expansion Desktop 4TB (desktop hdd, usb 3.0), per the listing. It showed at about $195 on Amazon.com on November 1, 2026.

Good for: Time Machine backups. Watch out: Needs wall power.

Check on Amazon

How to Choose

HDD vs SSD

Hard drives cost less per terabyte; SSDs are faster and tougher.

Capacity

Pick 2TB to 5TB for backups and media.

Format

Windows drives may need reformatting for Mac. Back up before reformatting.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do hard drives last?

Often several years; replace and back up regularly.

Do I need external power?

Portable drives use USB power; desktop drives need an adapter.

Is one backup enough?

No. Keep another copy.

Bottom Line

Use a drive at least twice the size of your Mac storage.

More Storage Guides