OS X Tips and Tweaks: How to Easily Change Time Machine Backup Intervals with Automator and Applescript

In this video I show you how to easily make an Automator app that will allow you to change your Time Machine backup interval in mere seconds and avoid painful visits to the terminal window to do it manually. Applescript code: You can copy and paste this code into an Applescript editor or into a "Run Applescript" task in Automator. Its that easy. Save as an app and you're ready to go! You can customize your time intervals. Simply replace the numbers in the curly braces {1, 2, 3, ... to any numbers you want, keep in mind, however that these are in hours. set hours to choose from list {1, 2, 3, 6, 12, 24} with prompt "Set your Time Machine interval:" OK button name "Go" cancel button name "Cancel" if hours is false then return "user cancelled" set interval to hours * 3600 do shell script "defaults write /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.backupd-auto StartInterval -int " & interval with administrator privileges display dialog "Your Time Machine backup will now occur every " & hours & " hours." Alternatively, you can use this terminal command, and replace the backup interval in seconds at the end. In this command it is set to 7200 seconds, or two hours. sudo defaults write /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.backupd-auto StartInterval -int 7200 Hope this has helped you manage your Time Machine Backups more efficiently.