How to Install Timeshift in Linux | Backup and Restore

In this video, I go over how to install Timeshift in Linux. This includes the setup, backup and restore of your Linux operating system. .

[TerryC]

Hi Chris! Mint user here. I am a mere padawan in my Linux journey, so I was VERY grateful for your easy to understand and straightforward approach to the tutorial. Thanks, I have subscribed.

[rwbimbie]

Windows : Find, Buy, and install software
Linux : Click a couple things in package manager

Windows users: _whaaa Linux is too hard_

[ritual]

Because it has saved me on a several occasions, Timeshift might just be one of my favorite apps in Linux. Really useful tool.

[raffaelesilletti]

Great tutorial, the only one that tells what to do in case system doesn't reboot.

[Miguel_GM]

When excluding home directories, while you are right about not including the whole home directory, it is a good thing to include only the hidden files, so you can keep all your config files (browser etc.).

[drummindog]

Geez, Man. Timeshift saved my bacon. I installed a program that completely took over and hosed my audio up. Even after uninstalling it, my audio was not right. It would play system sounds and MP3s but not YouTube video's audio. It was so easy to go back and get my working system back. So Good!

[corkerydan]

I have been using Timeshift since watching this video. Today was my first time to need it and it worked perfectly. I booted into a live session of my distribution and restored a safe snapshot. I was anxious, but no need. Thanks.

[patriotic]

Holy shit man literally watched this vid, went through the process and saved. bout an hour later i was "tinkering" and borked it. no boot. i watched this again on my other device. I owe you an adult beverage! amazing stuff, TYVM this noob on Linux violence must stop!

[sebastiangonzales]

Crazy to look back on your videos, still helpful to this day

[geoman]

Timeshift is similar to Apple Time Machine. Saved me more than once from failing HDs...

[sams_gaming_lounge]

funny thing, I'm pretty new to linux. watched your video here 2 days ago, set it up. Need to backup now because I messed up all my gui(s) of linux during an update that I didn't know was running still(It's been running all night and wasn't done & I force shutdown.). This guide was good. 10/10 will reccomend to any one of my friends who want to try or use linux.
Great Videos!

[Jeff_Seely]

Yes it is really great (powerful and resilient) and it's easy to deploy. Between Timeshift and Garuda's 'rsync before system updates' these two features have really saved my bacon! They have really made my transition to a Linux daily driver possible. And I keep Windows 10 and Windows XP virtual machines within Linux for when I need to have windows. That need is diminishing at a very nice rate of speed! Thanks Chris for all of your time, effort, content, and coin with producing all of your awesome content!

[benriful]

Note, TimeShift won't use up extra space if nothing has changed. It only copies the altered files - even when using rsync. In which case it "conjoins" the old files onto the new backup by creating symbolic links to those old files. In effect it works the same way the OverlayFS does when you work with Docker. Thus you can have one backup each hour and it would take up minimal space, only once you do go changing your system, the backup actually needs to copy something again. Else it just lists: "still the same".

The reason BTRFS is so fast at this is due to it already having this feature built in - in its case it calls this CopyOnWrite. I.e. whenever a file gets a new version, the old one isn't erased, instead it still lives on the drive and is still available until space becomes an issue when the old versions of the files start to be erased - setting to adjust this is how TimeShift then manages multiple backups. And why it goes so quickly is because it just needs to reset the file pointer to the previous version.

[stellatoweett]

I love gnome boxes because of you. Thank you.

[korrupted]

Hi there! I first used linux in the college around 2003/2004. That time it was Redhat and using telnet with terminal. Now things have changed a lot. I'm glad it did as a long time Windows user I'm getting tired of Microsoft's monopolistic system. I still have to use it due to my work environment & customers. I'm installing Elementary OS Hera to get back on to Linux. Anyways you have gained a Subscriber. Keep up the good work!

[TheSteveTheDragon]

I had RollBackRX on windows and was hoping there would be something similar in Linux. Glad to see there is! Thank you for the info!

[emilianogarciamastuerzo]

TimeShift is GUI for rsync..you need BTRFS filesystem to make properly snapshots and rollbacks

[smccrode]

I just set this up yesterday on Pop! OS. Very easy to snapshot. Haven't tested the restore yet.

[rbrock]

Thanks Chris. You were very clear and easy to understand.

[therealrickychii]

Thanks alot for this tips, I was using macrioum on windows 10, but I get into arch, I really fall in love with it and I was looking for this kind of software. I cannot live without it because I upgrade very often my system :D. greetings from Italy.