Quick Tip: Restoring a Single File From a Time Machine Backup

In this podcast, Carlos Taylor gives a walk-through of how to restore a single file from a Time Machine backup using VoiceOver.

Note: In macOS Ventura, rather than locating a backup by interacting with a slider, each backup is represented by a button in the timeline controls window; clicking this button selects the backup. Aside from that minor change, the process is still largely the same as it was at the time this podcast was recorded.

Written steps for how to do this are as follows:

1. In Finder, navigate to the folder where the file was located. If you don’t know, press Command-Option-Space to open the full search window and search for the file there.
2. Enter Time Machine either through the menu bar or with Spotlight or Siri. As Time Machine starts, Voiceover will play a swishing sound several times, after which you will be focused in the folder in the current time.
3. Select “Timeline controls” from the window chooser, accessed by pressing VO-F2 (or VO-Globe-2 if you’re using a Mac with a Touch Bar).
4. Click the time you last had the file, and navigate back to the folder via the window chooser.
5. Brows the folder as you would any other to locate the file. When you find it, you can press space to open Quick Look to preview it, making sure it’s the one you want.
6. Select “Restore” from the context menu, accessed by pressing VO-Shift-M. Alternatively, you can click the restore button in the Timeline controls window.

If the folder where the file was located still exists in the present, the file will be restored and Voiceover will announce “Time Machine dismissed.” If the folder no-longer exists, you’ll be asked to choose a new location via the standard open and save dialog.