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Duplicati — Automated Encrypted Backups (Windows, macOS, Linux)

Free, open-source, cross-platform backup with a web-based GUI. Built-in AES-256 encryption, block-level deduplication, and scheduling. Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

1. Install Duplicati

Download the latest installer for your platform from duplicati.com/download.

  • Windows: run the .msi installer. Duplicati installs as a tray application and a background service.
  • macOS: mount the .dmg and drag Duplicati to Applications.
  • Linux (Debian/Ubuntu): install the .deb package:
sudo apt install ./duplicati_*.deb

On first launch, Duplicati opens the web UI at http://localhost:8200. All configuration happens through the browser.

2. Get your S3 credentials

Log in to your HummingTribe dashboard → S3 Storage tab. Copy your Access Key ID and reveal your Secret Access Key (shown once — save it now). Note your bucket name.

3. Create a new backup job

In the Duplicati web UI, click Add backupConfigure a new backupNext.

Enter a Name for the job (e.g. Laptop → HummingTribe) and an optional description.

4. Configure encryption

On the same page, leave encryption set to AES-256 encryption, built in. Enter a strong Passphrase and confirm it.

If you lose this passphrase, your backups are unrecoverable — Duplicati has no password reset. Store it in a password manager.

Click Next.

5. Configure the S3 destination

On the Destination screen, set Storage Type to S3 Compatible.

Fill in the fields:

FieldValue
ServerCustom server URL
Custom server URLstorage.hummingtribe.com
Bucket nameyour bucket name from the dashboard
Bucket create regionleave blank
Storage class(Default)
Folder pathleave blank (or e.g. laptop-backup for a subfolder)
AWS Access IDyour Access Key ID
AWS Access Keyyour Secret Access Key
Client library to useAmazon AWS SDK

Click Test connection. Duplicati will verify credentials and confirm the bucket is reachable. If prompted to use path-style URLs, accept — HummingTribe requires path-style access. Click Next.

6. Select source data

Expand the filesystem tree and tick the folders you want to back up. Typical selections:

  • Windows: C:\Users\<name>\Documents, Desktop, Pictures
  • macOS: /Users/<name>/Documents, Desktop, Pictures
  • Linux: /home/<user>

Use the Filters tab to exclude caches, virtual machines, or large files you don't need backed up. Click Next.

7. Set schedule

Enable Automatically run backups and set:

  • Next time: today's date and a time after hours (e.g. 02:00)
  • Run again every: 1 Days
  • Allowed days: all

Click Next.

8. Set retention policy

Under Backup retention, pick a policy. Smart backup retention is the sensible default — it keeps one backup per day for the last week, one per week for the last month, and one per month for the last year.

For more control, choose Custom backup retention and enter a policy string like: 7D:1D,4W:1W,12M:1M

This reads as: keep one version per day for 7 days, one per week for 4 weeks, one per month for 12 months.

Set Remote volume size to 50 MB (default) for most connections. Click Save.

9. Run the first backup and verify

From the backup job's panel, click Run now. The first backup uploads all selected data and will take time proportional to the dataset size and your upload bandwidth. Subsequent backups only upload changed blocks.

After completion, click Verify files on the job panel. Duplicati downloads a sample of backup volumes and checks their integrity against the local database. Run this periodically — a backup you haven't verified is a backup you don't have.

10. Restore from backup

Click Restore in the left sidebar → select the backup job → choose a restore point (date/time) → tick the files or folders to restore.

Choose a restore destination — Original location (overwrites existing files) or Pick location (restores to a new folder). Click Restore and wait for completion.

To restore on a different machine (disaster recovery), install Duplicati, choose RestoreDirect restore from backup files, enter the same S3 destination settings, and provide your encryption passphrase. Duplicati will rebuild the local database from the remote backup and let you restore any snapshot.

Manage your bucket and credentials from your HummingTribe dashboard.

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