The Time Machine Mechanic, T2M2 for short, now works better with the new feature of backing up to APFS volumes in macOS 11 Big Sur. Version 1.16 is strongly recommended for anyone who intends using that exciting new feature.

The main report, produced when you click on the Check Time Machine button, now gives results which are specific to APFS backups, including an analysis of each backup in terms of space used and total number of files. At present, these are taken straight from the report in the log made by Time Machine, as I expect them to change over the coming months. I will progressively incorporate them into the main report as they stabilise.

Because APFS backups differ in many respects from those to HFS+ and NAS, there’s also an APFS button which displays a log excerpt which gives a blow-by-blow account of backups over the selected period. These should be ideal for anyone wanting to understand the new process better, and in the event that you encounter problems. If you contact Apple Support, they might well appreciate this level of detail too.

T2M2 version 1.16 is available from here: t2m2116
from Downloads above, from its Product Page, and through its auto-update mechanism.