# TimeMachine Backup while Plex is running

**URL:** <https://forums.plex.tv/t/timemachine-backup-while-plex-is-running/878081>\
**Category:** Plex Media Server\
**Tags:** server-mac\
**Created:** [May 20, 2024, 2:10pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/timemachine-backup-while-plex-is-running/878081 "2024-05-20T14:10:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Shadowfax-Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@Shadowfax-Master](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Shadowfax-Master)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 2:10pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/timemachine-backup-while-plex-is-running/878081/1 "2024-05-20T14:10:41Z")

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Does anyone know if it hurts the Plex Database if a TimeMachine backup is being made while PMS is running? I’m guessing not but want to be sure since I had a corrupted Database once…

Thanks for any insights!

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**Author:** ![tom80H](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/tom80h/32/19753_2.png) [@tom80H](https://forums.plex.tv/u/tom80H)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 2:19pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/timemachine-backup-while-plex-is-running/878081/2 "2024-05-20T14:19:01Z")

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The Time Machine backups of your Plex database are likely to be corrupted… creating a backup should however not impact your regular database.

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**Author:** ![Shadowfax-Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@Shadowfax-Master](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Shadowfax-Master)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 2:28pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/timemachine-backup-while-plex-is-running/878081/3 "2024-05-20T14:28:01Z")

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Wow, thanks for the fast reply! It is only important to know that the actual DB won’t get hurt. For the DB, Plex does the backup by itself every 3 days right?

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![tom80H](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/tom80h/32/19753_2.png) [@tom80H](https://forums.plex.tv/u/tom80H)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 2:31pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/timemachine-backup-while-plex-is-running/878081/4 "2024-05-20T14:31:45Z")

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> [@Shadowfax-Master](#):
>
> For the DB, Plex does the backup by itself every 3 days right?

Yes, if enabled as part of the server scheduled tasks.

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**Author:** ![Shadowfax-Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@Shadowfax-Master](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Shadowfax-Master)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 2:34pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/timemachine-backup-while-plex-is-running/878081/5 "2024-05-20T14:34:56Z")

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OK; many thanks for all the infos!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Shadowfax-Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@Shadowfax-Master](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Shadowfax-Master)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 5:26pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/timemachine-backup-while-plex-is-running/878081/6 "2024-05-20T17:26:12Z")

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One last question: Will the DB in the TimeMachine backup likely not be corrupt if I quit Plex Server before starting a TimeMachine Backup?

Thanks again!

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**Author:** ![tom80H](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/tom80h/32/19753_2.png) [@tom80H](https://forums.plex.tv/u/tom80H)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 5:40pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/timemachine-backup-while-plex-is-running/878081/7 "2024-05-20T17:40:56Z")

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That should do – though in that case you could also stop the server and create an archive of your entire server data directory.

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**Author:** ![Shadowfax-Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@Shadowfax-Master](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Shadowfax-Master)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 5:48pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/timemachine-backup-while-plex-is-running/878081/8 "2024-05-20T17:48:18Z")

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OK; then I leave the things all how they are, was quitting plex and then schedulded a TimeMachine Backup before. While Plex is not running I do also a complete Backup of the Plex data directory…

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2024, 5:48pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/timemachine-backup-while-plex-is-running/878081/9 "2024-08-18T17:48:56Z")

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