Know When It's Safe to Disconnect
A lightweight macOS menu bar app that monitors your Time Machine backups. Green means safe, red means wait.
Safe to Disconnect
No backup in progress
How It Works
Three steps. No configuration needed.
Install the app
Download and drop it into Applications.
Check the menu bar
A small LED appears in your menu bar.
Green means go
When the LED is green, it’s safe to disconnect your backup drive.
Features
Everything you need, nothing you don't.
LED Status
Green or red LED in your menu bar. One glance tells you everything.
Backup Details
Click the LED to see progress, last backup time, next scheduled backup, and storage info.
Back Up Now
Trigger a manual backup anytime with one click.
Notifications
Get notified when backups complete or fail.
Launch at Login
Set it and forget it. Starts automatically with your Mac.
Lightweight
Lives in the menu bar only. No dock icon, no windows, no clutter.
What the LED Means
One indicator, two states. No guessing required.
Safe to Disconnect
No backup is running. You can safely eject your external drive or disconnect from your network backup destination.
Backup in Progress
Time Machine is actively writing data. Wait for the LED to turn green before disconnecting to avoid incomplete backups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to common questions.
What does Full Disk Access do?
Full Disk Access lets the app read detailed backup information from tmutil. Without it, the app still works but with limited information about your backup status.
Does it work with APFS snapshots?
Yes. It monitors both local APFS snapshots and external Time Machine backups.
Is it really free?
Yes. Backup Bar is free and open source under the MIT license.
What macOS versions are supported?
macOS 13 (Ventura) and later.
Does it work with network backup destinations?
Yes. It monitors whatever Time Machine is configured to use, including network drives and NAS devices.