Using Timeshift to Snapshot a Linux System

Tadios Abebe | Feb 18, 2024 min read

Timeshift is a powerful backup and system restore utility for Linux, designed primarily for creating and managing system snapshots.

Installing timeshift

  • For debian based distributions
sudo apt install timeshift -y
  • For red-hat based distributions
sudo yum install timeshift -y

Creating a snapshot

  • Creating a snapshot without any argument
sudo timeshift --create
  • Creating a snapshot on a specific device with a comment
sudo timeshift --create --comment "snapshot comment" --snapshot-device device-uuid-or-device-path

Listing snapshots

sudo timeshift --list
  • Listing timeshift snapshot from specific device
sudo timeshift --list --snapshot-device device-uuid-or-device-path

Restoring snapshot

sudo timeshift --restore

Timeshift generates a configuration file at /etc/timeshift. The files in this directory can be modified to manipulate the behaviour of timeshift

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