Warning: Apple Says macOS 27 Won't Support AirPort Time Capsule Backups

I wish Apple would make routers again.

I could use a combo Router+AppleTV in my setup

...would love a new Apple router.

They were such beautiful products. We used to have Time Capsule, Extreme and Express running simultaneously and that was so easy to run. I can’t imagine a more seamless experience when it comes to networking. Apple could do more in this space but I guess they’re busy with subscription based cloud services.

('https://www.macrumors.com/2025/06/10/macos-27-wont-support-airport-time-capsule/')

Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, Apple offered a line of Wi-Fi routers that it referred to as AirPort base stations. There was a standard AirPort Express, a higher-end AirPort Extreme with more advanced networking features, and an AirPort Time Capsule that doubled as an external storage drive for backing up a Mac with Time Machine.



Apple discontinued the AirPort line ('https://www.macrumors.com/2018/04/26/apple-officially-discontinues-airport-wireless-router-lineup/') in 2018, and this week it shared more sad news that will impact the AirPort Time Capsule specifically.

As noticed by @StellaFudge ('https://x.com/StellaFudge/status/1932449171572998310'), and by other users who have installed the first macOS Tahoe beta, the Time Machine page in the System Settings app now indicates that the next major version of macOS — aka macOS 27 — will no longer support the AirPort Time Capsule or any other storage drives that use the Apple Filing Protocol (AFP).

Apple already announced that its AFP client had been deprecated, in its enterprise release notes for macOS Sequoia 15.5 ('https://support.apple.com/en-us/121011') last month.

Starting with macOS 27, Time Capsule backups will require a storage drive that supports more current file-sharing protocols like SMBv2 and SMBv3.

macOS 27 will be released next year.

Article Link: Warning: Apple Says macOS 27 Won't Support AirPort Time Capsule Backups ('https://www.macrumors.com/2025/06/10/macos-27-wont-support-airport-time-capsule/')

Well, that's freaking stupid.

They're obviously seeing telemetry that shows that these devices are still being used (Otherwise why bother coding the notification re: dropping support?), that there's a demand for them, but they won't continue to support them, never mind introduce a new version...

But, man just look at these custom emojis !!!! /me rolls eyes so far into my head I can see my own birth.

The priorities inside Apple are so backwards and upside down it's just comical at this point.

Well, that's freaking stupid.

They're obviously seeing telemetry that shows that these devices are still being used (Otherwise why bother coding the notification re: dropping support?), that there's a demand for them, but they won't continue to support them, never mind introduce a new version...

But, man just look at these custom emojis !!!! /me rolls eyes so far into my head I can see my own birth.

The priorities inside Apple are so backwards and upside down it's just comical at this point.

So wanting to get rid of tech debt and giving users a YEAR notice on a service thats long discontinued and using older non secure Wifi standards is bad? The last AirPort device launched over a DECADE ago!

I had already seen that AFP was being discontinued, but this is sad to hear official confirmation. I guess I'll have to relegate my Time Machine backup on my Snow Leopard Server to only older Macs in a couple years, and get an external SSD finally. I put it off because backing up wirelessly is just so handy. I also liked the added peace of mind that if I ever had my house broken into, it was likely my backup drive would be left behind because the server is in the basement.