🧩 STEP 1: Install Timeshift

On Arch:

sudo pacman -S timeshift

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🧩 STEP 2: Enable Btrfs Snapshots in Timeshift

Run the setup:

sudo timeshift --create --btrfs

Then launch the GUI or TUI:

sudo timeshift-gtk

➕ Setup:

• Snapshot Type: BTRFS
• Snapshot Location: your root (/) subvolume (should auto-detect)
• Set it to manual or boot snapshot (based on your use)
• Make one initial snapshot called "Clean Install" (we’ll mark it special later)

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🧩 STEP 3: Verify Subvolume Structure

Make sure Timeshift is using its own subvolume:

sudo btrfs subvolume list /

You should see something like:

ID 256 gen ... path <root>
ID 257 gen ... path timeshift-btrfs/snapshots

If Timeshift is installed properly, it will auto-create its own subvolume at /timeshift-btrfs.

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🧩 STEP 4: Add Timeshift to GRUB Boot Menu

Timeshift includes a script to do this!

🛠️ Install the boot integration hook:

sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

If you already have snapshots, Timeshift will auto-detect them and inject them into the bootloader.

You can also force it with:

sudo timeshift --grub

This adds entries like: Timeshift: Snapshot 2025-04-21_15-30-00

Now, on boot, GRUB will list your snapshots. You can boot into one just like a regular OS option.

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🧩 STEP 5: Restore Snapshot from GRUB (When Needed)

1. Boot your system
2. Select a snapshot entry under Timeshift in the GRUB menu
3. It boots into that snapshot (readonly)
4. From there, you can:
   • Use Timeshift to restore it permanently
   • Mount and copy back configs manually if needed

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🧩 STEP 6 (Optional): Automate Snapshot on Boot or Weekly

In Timeshift GUI:

• Go to Settings → Schedule
• Enable Boot or Weekly snapshots

You can also automate via systemd timers if you want finer control.

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✅ Summary

Step	What it does
Install Timeshift	Enables snapshot creation on Btrfs
Setup Snapshots	Create initial snapshot after setup
GRUB Hook	Adds snapshots to GRUB boot menu
Boot Restore	Lets you recover system via GRUB entry