How to Schedule SuperDuper! Backups

  Matt Cone       December 14, 2011      Tutorials Mac Apps Backups

Automation is an important part of any backup system. With a third-party application called SuperDuper!, you can schedule automatic backups of your Mac’s hard drive. This is a great feature that takes all of the guesswork out of making backups - you don’t have to do anything except make sure that your backup drive is connected to your Mac.

There are two ways to schedule SuperDuper! backups. You can set backups to occur at a specific time on certain days of the week, or whenever you connect an existing SuperDuper! backup drive to your computer.

Scheduling Backups for Specific Days and Times

Those who own a desktop computer - an iMac, Mac mini, or Mac Pro - should consider scheduling backups for specific days and times. Users with these computers probably leave their backup drive connected all of the time, making this the ideal option. If you own a MacBook and do not usually leave the backup drive connected to your computer, consider skipping to the next section.

Here’s how to schedule SuperDuper! backups for specific days and times:

1. Connect the backup drive to the computer, if it is not already connected.

2. Open the SuperDuper! application.

3. Configure SuperDuper! to perform Smart Updates. For instructions, see How to Update a SuperDuper! Backup. (Follow all of the instructions, but do not press the Copy Now button - you probably don’t want to perform the update right now.)

4. Click Schedule. The window shown below appears.

   

5. Select the On the following schedule checkbox.

6. Select one or more weeks of the month to perform the backup.

7. Select one or more days of the week to perform the backup.

8. Enter a time to perform the update.

9. Click OK.

The schedule has been added. SuperDuper! will now automatically backup your hard drive using the Smart Update feature according to the schedule you specified. Just remember, the backup drive must be connected to your computer on the week, day, and time that you specified in the schedule.

Automatically Backing Up on Drive Connection

If you own a MacBook, scheduling a backup on a specific day and time might not be the best option. After all, you probably take your computer with you wherever you go, and the backup drive probably isn’t connected all of the time. SuperDuper! provides a different option that semi-automates the backup process whenever you connect the backup drive to the computer. (You just have to remember to connect it whenever you want to back up your hard drive.)

Here’s how to configure SuperDuper! to automatically back up your hard drive when the backup drive is connected:

1. Connect the backup drive to the computer, if it is not already connected.

2. Open the SuperDuper! application.

3. Configure SuperDuper! to perform Smart Updates. For instructions, see How to Update a SuperDuper! Backup. (Follow all of the instructions, but do not press the Copy Now button - you probably don’t want to perform the update right now.)

4. Click Schedule. The window shown below appears.

   

5. Select the When you connect Backup Drive to your Macintosh checkbox.

6. Click OK.

Now SuperDuper! will automatically backup your hard drive using the Smart Update feature every time you connect the backup drive to your Mac.

Related Articles

• Back Up (Clone) Your Mac’s Hard Drive with SuperDuper!
• How to Update a SuperDuper! Backup
• How to Test Your SuperDuper! Backup
• Restore from a SuperDuper! Backup