Everything Cadence does
Cadence gives Time Machine its Manual mode back, then backs up on your schedule, only when your backup disk is there. Here is everything it does, and what it leaves alone.
Time Machine’s Manual mode, back
macOS 27 removed “Manually” from Time Machine’s settings, but the switch underneath still exists. Cadence flips it for you through its helper, the same switch as tmutil disable, so macOS stops making an hourly local snapshot every time your backup disk is away.
- One switch in the Cadence menu
- Uses macOS’s own setting: nothing about Time Machine is patched
- Switch Time Machine back to Automatic and Cadence steps aside
Backups on the schedule you choose
Pick an interval and Cadence does the rest. A backup is due when that much time has passed since the last successful one, and a disk that has been away for days is due the moment it returns.
- Every 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12 or 24 hours (2 by default)
- Checked once a minute by the clock, so sleep and restarts don’t throw it off
- A backup only counts when Time Machine records it as complete
- 1 hour
- 2 hours
- 3 hours
- 4 hours
- 6 hours
- 8 hours
- 12 hours
- 24 hours
Every 2 hours is the default.
Only when the disk is really there
Cadence asks Time Machine whether your backup disk is mounted instead of guessing a folder name, and watches for it coming and going. Plug the disk in and a due backup can start within seconds.
- “Back up when the disk connects”
- “Only when on power”, on by default and checked during a backup too
- At least 20 minutes between attempts
Snapshot cleanup that won’t cost you a full backup
After a successful backup, Cadence can delete the local snapshots that piled up on your Mac, keeping the newest one or as many as you choose. A Purge button does the same by hand.
- Never deletes the snapshots Time Machine needs for its next backup, so it never forces a full re-copy
- Only touches local snapshots on your Mac, never the backups on your Time Machine disk
The small things that add up
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Live backup progress
The menu bar icon spins during a backup and shows the percentage. The menu shows files and data copied and the time remaining.
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One Time Machine icon
Cadence can hide Apple’s Time Machine icon while it runs, and puts it back when you quit. Back Up Now, Browse Backups and settings are in its menu.
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Guided setup
A banner shows one next step at a time: install the helper, allow it in Login Items, grant Full Disk Access, switch to Manual.
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Recovers from a stuck helper
Every call has a timeout. If the helper stops reporting, you see a warning and a restart button instead of a false “backing up”.
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Low power by design
One adaptive check drives all background work: once a minute when idle, more often during a backup.
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Runs at login
The helper starts with your Mac, so scheduled backups continue even when the menu bar app isn’t open.
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Signed and notarized
Developer ID signed and notarized by Apple. The app and its helper check each other’s signature, and there’s no third-party code.
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Collects nothing
No analytics, no crash reporting and no network calls. Settings and the log stay on your Mac.
Planned Failure notificationsFree space and last backup size in the menuNetwork backup disks
Try Cadence in the beta
Leave your email and we’ll send you a download link as soon as there’s a beta build for you to try.
Beta builds need a Mac with Apple silicon. Pricing will be announced at launch.
Cadence is an independent app and is not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by Apple Inc. Time Machine, Mac and macOS are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.