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A home NAS can collect backups from Macs, Windows PCs, and other devices, but “backed up” can mean anything from a copy of selected folders to a full-computer recovery image. Choose the right backup method for each device, set up separate destinations and permissions where needed, then add a second copy somewhere outside the NAS. One machine makes household backups easier to organize; on its own, it is not a complete disaster-recovery plan.
What a shared NAS can—and cannot—back up
A network-attached storage device (NAS) is a storage machine available to devices on your home network. A compatible NAS can act as a shared destination for computer and mobile-device backups. Synology lists Windows and Linux PC backup, macOS Time Machine, external drives, and mobile phones among its backup paths in its Backup & Data Protection overview.
The important choice is backup scope. A file backup copies chosen folders or files; a full-device backup is intended to support recovery of a computer more broadly. Neither is the same as synchronizing folders for convenient access: synchronization can carry deletions or unwanted changes between locations rather than preserve a recoverable older copy. Before configuring each device, decide what you need to get back—a particular document, a photo library, or a working computer after a failure.
Choose a backup path for each device
Different computers in one home do not necessarily use the same backup application or protect the same data. Synology’s personal backup overview identifies Synology Drive Client for computer file backup on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and Active Backup for Business for full Windows PC backup. The available features depend on the NAS model, software, and source-platform compatibility; check the relevant compatibility information before relying on a particular restore option.
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| Device or recovery goal | Possible path | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Mac, with a Time Machine backup | Time Machine to a NAS shared folder over SMB | That the NAS supports the required setup, and that the share has adequate quota and permissions. |
| Windows, macOS, or Linux files and folders | Synology Drive Client, where supported | Which folders are selected and what files or versions can be restored. |
| Full Windows PC backup and recovery | Active Backup for Business, where supported | NAS-model and Windows compatibility, plus the available restore methods. See the Active Backup for Business specifications. |
| Phones, external drives, or other data sources | A compatible NAS backup application or destination | Whether the particular device and data type are supported; support for one source does not establish support for every device. |
For a household with several people, use distinct NAS accounts and, where the configuration supports it, separate shared folders or quotas. This helps keep backups organized and limits each backup’s permitted access. A quota can also prevent one computer’s backup from taking more NAS space than intended.
Set up Time Machine on a Synology NAS
Synology’s Mac-to-NAS Time Machine guide, last updated June 4, 2026, describes a setup using a NAS shared folder, SMB, a DSM user with read/write permission, and a quota. The guide’s menu labels vary by macOS release.
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- Create a shared folder on the NAS. In DSM, create a folder intended for Time Machine backups rather than using an indiscriminate shared destination.
- Enable SMB file services. Time Machine connects to the NAS share using SMB. The guide also describes optionally advertising the folder as a Time Machine destination through Bonjour.
- Create or select a NAS user. Give the user read/write permission for the Time Machine folder. Use that account when the Mac prompts for NAS credentials.
- Set a quota for the backup folder or user. Synology recommends a quota for Time Machine data. Choose a limit based on the Mac’s backup needs and the capacity reserved for other household devices; the guide does not prescribe one universal size.
- Select the NAS destination on the Mac. On macOS Ventura 13 or later, open System Settings > General > Time Machine. On macOS Monterey 12 or earlier, open System Preferences > Time Machine. Add the NAS share as the backup destination and authenticate with the NAS account if prompted.
- Confirm that the first backup completes. Check Time Machine’s status and the NAS share before treating the Mac as protected. Then verify that you can browse or restore a file, not just that a destination was selected.
Make the NAS useful for recovery, not just collection
Set up backups according to the recovery problem you expect to solve. If losing a few current documents is the main concern, selected-folder backup may be enough. If replacing a failed computer without rebuilding it file by file matters, confirm that the chosen software supports full-device backup and the recovery method you need. Synology’s DSM 7.4 NAS User’s Guide describes backup destinations and browsing or restoring Hyper Backup data; the exact options depend on the configured software and supported source.
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- List each household device and the important data it contains.
- Record which folders, libraries, or full systems each backup job includes.
- Keep login credentials and recovery instructions accessible to the household, not only on a computer that may fail.
- Periodically test a small file restore and, for full-system protection, learn the recovery procedure before an emergency.
Is one NAS enough protection?
No. A NAS is one local destination, so it can make recovery more convenient while remaining exposed to a drive or RAID failure, theft, fire, or another event affecting the home. RAID can help with some drive-failure scenarios, but it is not a separate backup. Versions or snapshots stored on the same NAS may help recover from accidental deletion or corruption, but they do not remove the risk of losing that NAS.
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Synology’s NAS backup strategy article, last updated May 8, 2026, recommends the 3-2-1 approach: “3 copies; 2 storage mediums; 1 offsite.” This is the vendor’s guidance, not a measured guarantee. In practical terms, retain another copy on a different medium and keep one copy away from the home, such as in a suitable remote or cloud destination. Those additional copies require their own configuration and should be checked for successful backup and restore.
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