Quickstart

This walkthrough creates two safe checkpoints around a harmless file edit, then uses Version Control and Compare to inspect and recover the earlier state.

1. Finish setup

Open DeltaSnap, approve the helper, and grant Full Disk Access. In Settings → Indexing, leave Full scan enabled so new DeltaSnap snapshots become Version Control history.

2. Select a volume

Choose a writable APFS Data volume in the sidebar. The startup Data volume is mounted at /System/Volumes/Data, although Finder presents its contents at familiar paths such as /Users.

3. Create the first point

Open Snapshots, choose Create, label it Before quickstart change, and keep the default Safety Snapshot (Auto-expiry). Wait until its index state is ready.

For a checkpoint that must not expire, choose Protected Snapshot instead.

4. Make and capture a change

Create or edit a disposable text file on that volume. Create a second safety snapshot named After quickstart change and wait for indexing.

5. Use Version Control

Open Version Control, browse or search for the test file, and select it. The right pane shows the current state and every distinct captured version.

Use Quick Look, compare a version with the current file, then choose Restore → Restore a Copy. DeltaSnap creates a dated copy beside the original without overwriting it.

6. Compare the checkpoints

Open Snapshots, select both quickstart snapshots, and choose Compare. Locate the file in the added/modified path results. This volume-wide view complements the per-item Version Control timeline.

7. Clean up

Unmount any revealed snapshot. Safety snapshots expire after the global safety retention period (24 hours by default), or you can delete them explicitly after confirming the restored copy.

The equivalent snapshot/diff flow in Terminal is:

PRE=$(dsnap snapshot --safety data@before-quickstart)
# Edit the disposable file.
POST=$(dsnap snapshot --safety data@after-quickstart)
dsnap list -t snapshot data
dsnap diff "$PRE" "$POST" --format=tree

--safety gives these CLI checkpoints the same auto-expiring lifecycle as the app's safety snapshots. Without it, the CLI creates a manual point that does not expire by age. Continue with Version Control, AI agent skill, or Schedules and retention. DeltaSnap stays quiet by default; Notifications and email alerts explains how to be told about failures and alarms, in the app or by email.