Setting up NAS automatic backups on Mac means your files, photos and documents get copied to a network drive on a schedule, without you needing to remember to plug anything in. This guide walks through connecting a Mac to a NAS, configuring Time Machine to run automatically over the network, and setting up extra backup software for files Time Machine does not cover. It suits anyone who has just added a NAS to their home network and wants their Mac backing up to it reliably.

What you’ll need

  • A NAS device already set up on your home network, with a shared folder or Time Machine-compatible volume created
  • A Mac running a reasonably recent version of macOS
  • Both the Mac and NAS connected to the same network, ideally with the NAS on Ethernet for speed and stability
  • An admin account on the NAS with permission to create and access shared folders
  • Enough free space on the NAS to hold your backups, plus room to grow over time

If you have not yet configured your NAS itself, it is worth reading a guide on setting up a NAS at home before continuing, since the steps below assume the device is already reachable on your network.

Step 1: Connect your Mac to the NAS

  1. Open Finder on your Mac and select “Go” from the menu bar, then choose “Connect to Server”.
  2. Type the NAS address using the SMB protocol, for example smb:// followed by the NAS name or IP address.
  3. Enter the username and password for your NAS account when prompted.
  4. Select the shared folder you plan to use for backups and confirm it mounts successfully in Finder.

If the NAS does not appear or the connection fails, double-check that file sharing and SMB access are enabled on the NAS itself. A dedicated walkthrough on how to set up NAS network shares and SMB access covers this in more detail if you run into permission or discovery issues.

Step 2: Set up Time Machine backups to the NAS

Most modern NAS platforms include built-in support for Apple’s Time Machine protocol, which lets the NAS act as a network backup destination rather than requiring a directly attached drive.

  1. On the NAS, create or designate a shared folder specifically for Time Machine, and enable the Time Machine or “Apple Time Machine support” option in the NAS storage settings.
  2. On your Mac, open System Settings and go to the Time Machine section.
  3. Click “Add Backup Disk” (or the equivalent option) and select the NAS Time Machine share from the list of available network destinations.
  4. Enter your NAS credentials if prompted, then confirm the selection.
  5. Turn on “Back Up Automatically” so macOS runs backups on its normal schedule without manual intervention.

Once enabled, Time Machine keeps hourly, daily and weekly backups automatically as long as the Mac is on the same network as the NAS. For a deeper explanation of the specific settings involved on different NAS brands, see this guide to help you configure your NAS for Time Machine backups.

Step 3: Add automatic backups beyond Time Machine

Time Machine is excellent for full system backups, but many people also want specific folders, like Documents or a photo library, mirrored to the NAS on a schedule using different software. This is useful if you want a separate, simpler backup that does not rely on Time Machine’s snapshot system.

  1. Check whether your NAS vendor offers a dedicated Mac backup client (Synology, QNAP and Asustor all provide their own backup or sync applications).
  2. Install the client on your Mac and sign in with your NAS account.
  3. Choose the local folders you want backed up and select the destination shared folder on the NAS.
  4. Set a backup schedule, such as continuous syncing, hourly, or daily, depending on how often the files change.
  5. Run an initial manual backup to confirm the connection and permissions work before relying on the schedule.

If you prefer not to install extra software, macOS also supports scheduled backups through Terminal using rsync commands paired with a scheduling tool, though this requires more technical comfort and careful testing before you trust it with important data.

Tips and troubleshooting

  • Keep the NAS powered on and connected via Ethernet where possible, since Wi-Fi backups over Time Machine can be slow or drop out on larger backup sets.
  • If Time Machine repeatedly fails partway through, check that the NAS has sufficient free space and that the network connection stays stable during the backup window.
  • For an extra layer of protection, consider pairing NAS backups with a portable drive, such as a multi-drive NAS setup or a compact external SSD like the Lexar Muse Ultra Slim Portable SSD, so you always have an offline copy in case the network backup is ever unavailable.
  • Name and organise backed-up folders sensibly on the NAS so they do not get mixed up with media libraries or shared files; a guide on how to organise and name files for NAS storage offers useful structuring ideas that apply just as well to backups.
  • Remember that a NAS is also commonly used to store footage automatically from other devices on the network, such as security cameras, so keep backup shares separate from those folders to avoid confusion over storage use.

Frequently asked questions

Can a NAS fully replace Time Machine on Mac?

A NAS can act as the storage destination for Time Machine, but it does not replace the Time Machine software itself. macOS still manages the backup schedule and versioning; the NAS simply provides the network location where those backups are stored.

Do NAS backups work if the Mac is asleep?

Scheduled Time Machine and most vendor backup apps only run while the Mac is awake and connected to the network. If your Mac sleeps overnight, backups typically resume the next time it wakes and reconnects to the NAS.

Why does my Mac keep asking for the NAS password?

This usually happens when the login credentials are not saved in Keychain Access, or when the NAS account password has changed. Reconnect through Finder and choose to remember the password when prompted to avoid repeated login requests.

Is Wi-Fi fast enough for automatic NAS backups?

Wi-Fi can work for smaller, incremental backups, but an Ethernet connection on the NAS (and ideally the Mac) gives more consistent speed and reliability, especially for the first full backup, which can be quite large.