Installation Guide
Download and install the BackupEngine desktop agent on Windows, macOS, or Linux.
Windows
Supports Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows Server 2016–2025 (64-bit).
- •Download BackupEngine-Setup-x64.exe from the download page
- •Run the installer — no admin rights required for per-user install
- •The agent starts automatically after installation
- •Optional: enable "Start on boot" in Settings
BackupEngine-Setup-x64.exe /S
macOS (file backup)
Supports macOS 12 (Monterey) and later on Apple Silicon and Intel. The desktop agent code is cross-platform and the macOS build path is in place, but a pre-built Mac binary is not yet in the current distribution.
When the Mac binary ships, install will work as follows:
- •Download BackupEngine.dmg, open it, and drag BackupEngine to Applications.
- •Launch from Applications or Spotlight — install runs as a .app bundle, no sudo required.
- •Grant Full Disk Access in System Settings → Privacy & Security so the agent can read protected directories.
- •Auto-start at login uses launchd: a LaunchAgent is registered at ~/Library/LaunchAgents/net.techbench.backupengine.plist. Per-user — no admin password required.
ℹ Note
Linux (file backup)
Supports Ubuntu 22.04+, RHEL 8+, Debian 12+, Fedora, and openSUSE (64-bit). Background-service support landed in v1.5.1 and the agent code is code-complete on Linux. A pre-built Linux binary is not yet in the current distribution.
When the Linux binary ships, install will work as follows:
- •Install via tarball or DEB/RPM (final packaging is TBD).
- •Auto-start at login uses a systemd --user unit at ~/.config/systemd/user/backup-engine.service.
- •Per-user — no sudo required to install or to enable the unit.
systemctl --user enable backup-engine.service systemctl --user start backup-engine.service
Note on Server Workloads
Hyper-V, SQL Server, Bare-Metal Recovery, and System State backup are Windows-only by Windows API constraint and are not available on Mac or Linux. The Mac and Linux builds ship file-backup parity with Windows: source selection, schedules, multi-destination fan-out, encryption, and retention all work identically.
Verifying Your Install
Once the agent is installed, confirm it's on your PATH and reporting the expected version. Both the GUI and the CLI ship in the same installer — there is no separate CLI download.
- •Launch BackupEngine from the Start menu, Applications, or your desktop launcher.
- •Click the gear icon → About — the version string is shown at the top of the panel.
- •Click Connectivity Test in the About panel to confirm the agent can reach BackupEngine Cloud.
backupengine version backupengine connectivity test
System Requirements
| Requirement | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| Disk Space | 100 MB | 500 MB (for local cache) |
| Network | 1 Mbps | 10+ Mbps |