I want to back up multiple Macs or source volumes to the same hard drive

Backing up multiple volumes or multiple Macs to a single hard drive can be a messy proposition. If you back up each source volume to the same destination volume without some pre-planning, data from each source volume will be merged in a heap on the backup volume. Additionally, your tasks will archive or delete each other's backed up content.

Add dedicated volumes to an existing APFS-formatted backup disk

When you're backing up multiple volumes to the same APFS-formatted backup disk, create a dedicated volume on that backup disk for each source volume. In CCC:

1. Click on the Destination selector and select any volume on your backup disk. If you already have a volume selected, click on the Destination selector and select Backup Volume Setup Assistant.
2. Click Add a volume to the destination in the Backup Volume Setup Assistant.
3. Name the new volume and click Add Volume.

Or in Disk Utility:

1. Open Disk Utility
2. Choose "Show all devices" from the View menu
3. Select your current CCC destination volume in the sidebar
4. Choose Add APFS Volume... from the Edit menu
5. Name your new volume and click the Add button
6. Configure each of your CCC backup tasks to back up to its own dedicated volume on the destination

Add dedicated partitions to an HFS+ formatted backup disk

We recommend APFS for all backup volumes. If you have a disk formatted with the legacy format that cannot be erased or converted to APFS, you can add a partition to that disk for use as a backup:

1. Open Disk Utility
2. Choose "Show all devices" from the View menu
3. Click on the top-most parent device of your backup disk
4. Click the "Partition" button in the toolbar
5. Click the "+" button to add a second partition to the backup disk
6. Set the format of the new partition to APFS or APFS (Encrypted)
7. Configure each of your CCC backup tasks to back up to its own dedicated volume on the destination (see the section above for adding additional volumes)

Related Documentation

• Preparing your destination disk for a backup or restore

Backing up multiple data volumes to a non-APFS formatted disk

The easiest way to back up multiple data-only volumes to the same non-APFS formatted backup disk is to create a folder on the backup disk for each volume that you want to back up. Then you'll configure a task for each source volume that you want to back up, setting the destination to that disk's dedicated folder on the backup disk.

Note: This method is not recommended for making a backup of your startup disk. Backups of the startup disk that are made to a folder will not be compatible with Migration Assistant.

1. Click the New Task button in CCC's toolbar.
2. Choose your data volume from CCC's Source selector.
3. Create a new folder on the destination volume in the Finder, then drag that folder onto CCC's Destination selector.
4. Schedule the task, if desired, or choose Save from CCC's Task menu. You can run this task immediately or let it run on schedule later.
5. Repeat the steps above for other source volumes, creating a new folder for each at the root level of the destination volume.