# Configure disk filters for VM backups

Use disk filters to exclude specific VM disks from backup operations.

You can configure disk filters for VM groups (to apply the same exclusions to all VMs in the group) and for VMs (to make exceptions for a specific VM).

## Choose where to configure disk filters

Use VM group disk filters when you want a consistent backup policy for many VMs that share a similar disk layout.

Use VM disk filters when you need an exception for one VM (for example, a VM has an extra temp disk that other VMs don’t have).

If you configure disk filters at both levels, VM group disk filters are inherited by the VM, and you can choose whether the VM also honors its own VM-level disk filters.

## Requirements

If you need to browse and select disks from the UI, browsing is available only for streaming VM groups and isn’t available for snapshot-enabled VM groups.

## Configure disk filters on a VM group

Use VM group disk filters to exclude disks for all VMs in the group.

1. From the Command Center navigation pane, go to Protect > Virtual machines.

2. On the VM groups tab, click the VM group.

3. On the Configuration tab, in the Disk filters section, click the edit button.

4. To exclude disks, click Browse, select the disks to exclude, and then click OK.

5. To remove a disk from the filter, in the row for the disk, click , and then select Delete.

6. Click Save.

## Configure disk filters on a VM

Use VM disk filters to exclude disks for a single VM.

1. From the Command Center navigation pane, go to Protect > Virtual machines.

2. On the Virtual machines tab, click the VM.

3. On the Configuration tab, in the Disk filters section, click the edit button.

4. To exclude disks, click Browse, select the disks to exclude, and then click OK.

5. To remove a disk from the filter, in the row for the disk, click , and then select Delete.

6. Click Save.

## How VM group and VM disk filters work together

VM group disk filters can appear on a VM as Inherited.

VM disk filters can appear as VM.

You can’t edit or remove inherited disk filters from the VM page. To change inherited filters, update the disk filters on the VM group.

In the Disk filters section on a VM, use Include VM group disk filters to control how VM-level and VM group-level filters interact.

- Enabled (default): honors both VM group disk filters and VM disk filters for the VM.

- Disabled: honors either the VM disk filters for the VM or the VM group disk filters for the VM.

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