How to Time Machine Backup with Mac OS Extended Journaled instead of APFS

Solution 1:

1. First find a machine running an earlier version of Mac OS prior to Big Sur.
2. Format your SSD for HFS+ (Mac OS Extended etc)....
3. Create time machine backup of this earlier OS.
4. Then take the same drive to your Big Sur or later machine, and use the same drive to backup. This time, Time Machine will not wipe / format your drive as APFS because it will detect that there already is a Time Machine backup stored on the drive. As an added bonus, you can use the drive to store other files on it as well!

EDIT: Here is where its mentioned: https://support.apple.com/sq-al/guide/mac-help/mh15139/11.0/mac/11.0

The key thing is, the drive should already contain a time machine backup. If it does, then Time Machine won't wipe it / format to APFS, and will just continue with the previous format (Mac OS Extended)