Mac maintenance basics: updates, storage, FileVault and Time Machine

Macs have a reputation for looking after themselves, and in many ways they do. But "low maintenance" isn't "no maintenance". A business Mac that's missing updates, running out of space, unencrypted or not backed up is a risk, however reliable it feels day to day.

This is the routine we'd suggest for each Mac in a small business. The first run-through takes around half an hour; after that, a monthly check takes a few minutes. All menu names below are for recent versions of macOS, which use System Settings (older versions called it System Preferences and laid things out differently).

1. Check which macOS version you're running

Open Apple menu > About This Mac. Note the macOS version and the Mac's model and year.

This matters because Apple only provides security updates for recent versions of macOS, and each new version only supports certain Mac models. If a Mac can no longer move to a supported version, it will eventually stop receiving security fixes, and that's worth planning for rather than discovering later.

2. Install updates — and turn on automatic updates

1. Open Apple menu > System Settings, select General in the sidebar, then Software Update.
2. If an update is available, click Update Now (or Restart Now) and enter your administrator password if asked.
3. Click the info button (i) next to Automatic Updates and turn on the options you want. Apple's options include Download new updates when available, Install macOS updates and Install Security Responses and system files.

For most small businesses, we'd recommend turning on at least the security option, so urgent fixes arrive without anyone having to remember. Keep the Mac plugged in and don't close the lid while an update installs.

Don't forget apps. Open the App Store and select Updates for apps installed from there. Apps installed from elsewhere — web browsers, Microsoft Office, Adobe apps, video-call tools — usually have their own updater, often under the app's own menu, such as Check for Updates.

3. Keep enough free storage

A Mac that's nearly full can slow down and may not have room to install updates.

1. Go to System Settings > General > Storage.
2. Wait for the bar to calculate, then review the Recommendations. Depending on your setup these include Store in iCloud, Optimise Storage, Empty Bin Automatically and Reduce Clutter.
3. Below the recommendations, select the info button next to categories such as Applications or Documents to find large or unused files.

Be careful with Store in iCloud and Optimise Storage on business Macs: they move files into iCloud and may keep only recent items on the Mac. That's fine if your business deliberately uses iCloud, but it's worth a conscious decision, especially for client data.

4. Turn on FileVault

FileVault encrypts the data on your Mac's startup disk, so if a laptop is lost or stolen, its contents can't be read without the login password or a recovery key.

1. Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security.
2. Scroll to FileVault and click Turn On.
3. Choose how you'll be able to unlock the disk if you forget your password: using an iCloud account, or by creating a recovery key.

If you choose a recovery key, store it somewhere safe and separate from the Mac — for example, in your business password manager. If both the login password and the recovery key are lost, the data on the Mac can't be recovered. For business Macs, it's sensible for the business, not just the individual user, to have a record of how each Mac can be unlocked.

The Mac can carry on being used while encryption runs in the background.

5. Check Time Machine is actually backing up

1. Go to System Settings > General > Time Machine.
2. Check that a backup disk is listed and look at when the latest backup finished.
3. If there's no backup disk yet, click Add Backup Disk, select a drive, and choose to encrypt the backup when offered.

Once a month, restore one file to prove it works — our guide to testing a restore on Windows and Mac walks through it. The NCSC also recommends keeping backups separate from the device they protect, so a backup drive shouldn't stay plugged in permanently, and it's worth having a second copy in the cloud or off site.

6. Turn on the firewall

The macOS firewall blocks unwanted incoming connections.

1. Go to System Settings > Network, then select Firewall.
2. Turn the firewall on.

Most everyday apps work normally with it switched on. If something specific stops working, the Options button lets you allow it.

7. Review login items and background apps

Apps that open at login or run in the background use memory and can slow start-up.

1. Go to System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions (called Login Items on some versions).
2. Under Open at Login, remove apps you don't need straight away by selecting them and clicking the minus (–) button.
3. Under Allow in the Background, review what's allowed. Turning something off here can stop features like syncing or backup, so only switch off items you recognise and don't need.

8. A few other good habits

• Restart occasionally. Some updates and system processes only complete after a restart.
• Use a standard account for daily work where practical, and keep the administrator account for installing software and changing settings.
• Turn on 2-step verification for the Apple Account signed in on each Mac.
• Check battery health on laptops. In System Settings > Battery, select the info button next to Battery Health. If macOS recommends service, plan for it before the battery lets you down.

A monthly checklist

• Software Update: anything waiting?
• Storage: plenty of free space?
• FileVault: still on?
• Time Machine: recent backup, and one test restore?
• Firewall: on?

Where People's Digital fits

Monthly checkups, backups and updates monitoring, and security checks are all part of our Business Care plan at £90/month, for Macs and PCs alike. If you'd like a hand bringing a set of office Macs up to date, contact us.