Timeshift is an exceptional software to take backup of your Linux Mint system. It now comes preinstalled with Linux Mint. However, many users are unaware of its powerful functionalities. 

Here at Ibmi Media, as part of our Server Management Services, we regularly help our Customers to perform related backups and restore queries of files in any Linux distribution.

In this context, we shall look into how Timeshift can help us take multiple and on-demand backups of our selective directories and folders.

In a previous post, we described the Step by Step Procedure to Install Timeshift on Linux Mint 20.

How to run Timeshift For The First Time after Installation ?

Here, we will run Timeshift for the first time on Linux Mint. Timeshift needs sudo authentication to run. You will provide it with your password and the next screen.

More about Timeshift

Timeshift uses RSYNC and BTRFS mode for taking the snapshots. These snapshots can be restored at a later point of time to revert the changes made to the system or to recover the unbootable operating system.

Timeshift calls its backups Snapshots.

We never created any backup or snapshot, so we do not have anything here at all.

To take snapshots, we are going to update our settings. Clicking on the second last button in the top menu of Timeshift will take you to settings where you can select the Snapshot Type (RSYNC / BTRFS).

Without changing anything else, we will click on the schedule tab and edit everything there. This is how you should also do it.

How to Update Backup Levels ?

This can be implemented from the Schedule tab in the Settings page. Here, you can select Snapshot levels and also stop crom emails for scheduled tasks.

Once done, Timeshift will make 3 backups of your entire disk and save it daily. On other hand, it will make 1 weekly and 2 monthly backups. Timeshift makes sure to send an email to the logged user.

How to Select Directories For Backup ?

On the next screen, you will see that we do not allow Timeshift to take full disk backup instead we just want it to create backups of the ~/home directory. Here is how you will do it:

Click on Filters on the top menu, and it will look like as below. Look into settings and implement them on your system as they are.

Now, our settings are finished. We do not need to change anything else for the time being. Once set, Timeshift will keep taking backups and you may choose to delete unwanted or if backups take more space than needed. You can also change how often it takes a backup on a daily basis.

[Need assistance in taking backups of your Linux Mint System files ? We can help you. ]