macOS 27 ends Time Capsule Time Machine backups — SMB NAS still works

1h ago

macOS 27 drops AFP, so Time Machine can no longer use AirPort Time Capsule or AirPort Disk — Apple still backs SMB NAS and local disks; restore old backups before you upgrade.

If you still rely on an AirPort Time Capsule (or an AirPort Disk) for Time Machine, macOS 27 Golden Gate is the hard stop.

Apple’s Backup disks you can use with Time Machine support page — Published Date September 14, 2026 — now says Time Capsule / AirPort Extreme backup paths use Apple Filing Protocol (AFP), which isn’t supported in macOS 27 or later. The same page steers Mac owners toward SMB-capable NAS, another Mac on the network (macOS 11+), or a directly attached drive.

AppleInsider frames the practical next step: pick a modern diskless NAS that exposes Time Machine over SMB, then migrate before (or immediately after) upgrading.

What still works — and what doesn’t

Still usable as a router/Wi‑Fi box: AppleInsider notes the macOS change targets Time Machine destinations, not necessarily every radio function of an old AirPort unit.
Not usable as a Time Machine target on macOS 27: built-in Time Capsule disks and USB disks shared via AirPort that depended on AFP.
Supported network path: third-party NAS that supports Time Machine over SMB (Apple’s wording), plus Mac-to-Mac sharing on modern macOS.

Anyone whose only copy of files lives inside an old Time Capsule backup should restore those files first, keep the old archive until a new destination finishes a full backup, and test a restore of a sample file.

NAS angle (utility, not a shopping mandate)

AppleInsider’s morning roundup highlights several sub‑$300 diskless two-bay-class enclosures that the site says can host Time Machine over SMB once you add your own drives — including options from , , , , and . Prices, firmware, and exact Time Machine UI labels change; confirm support on the firmware you actually buy.

TerraMaster

Ugreen

LincPlus

Synology

QNAP

SMB Time Machine

Other low-friction paths for many households:

USB/Thunderbolt disk plugged into the Mac you are backing up
Another Mac sharing a folder/disk as a Time Machine destination (both on macOS 11+)
A router USB share only if the vendor explicitly documents Time Machine over SMB (many ISP gateways do not)

RAID 1 on a two-bay NAS can survive a single drive failure, but it is not a substitute for an off-site or second copy of irreplaceable data.

Upgrade checklist

Confirm you are on (or about to install) macOS 27 via our OS 27 update how-to.
If Time Capsule is your only backup, restore → new destination → verify.
Prefer SMB network backups going forward; treat AFP/Time Capsule as retired for macOS 27 Macs.
Optional community SMB patches for old hardware exist, but they are unofficial — AppleInsider says it is still evaluating such approaches and ultimately calls the hardware too old to keep relying on.

Sources: Apple Support HT102423, AppleInsider NAS roundup.