---
name: "backintime-qt"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "backintime-qt"
version: "1.5.5-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/backintime-qt"
---

# backintime-qt(1)

a simple backup tool.

## NAME

backintime-qt - a simple backup tool.

## SYNOPSIS

**backintime-qt** \[--checksum\] \[--config PATH\] \[--debug\] \[--delete\] \[--help \| -h\] \[--keep-mount\] \[--license\] \[--local-backup \| --no-local-backup\] \[--no-crontab\] \[--only-new\] \[--profile NAME \| --profile-id ID\] \[--quiet\] \[--share-path PATH\] \[--version\]

{ backup \| backup-job \| benchmark-cipher \[FILE-SIZE\] \| check-config \| decode \[PATH\] \| last-snapshot \| last-snapshot-path \| pw-cache \[start\|stop\|restart\|reload\|status\] \| remove\[-and-do-not-ask-again\] \[SNAPSHOT\_ID\] \| restore \[WHAT \[WHERE \[SNAPSHOT\_ID\]\]\] \| shutdown \| smart-remove \| snapshots-list \| snapshots-list-path \| snapshots-path \| unmount }

## DESCRIPTION

Back In Time is a simple backup tool for Linux. This is the Qt version. For more information about Back In Time see backintime man page.

If you want to run it as root you need to use 'backintime-qt\_polkit'.

## OPTIONS

- \--checksum

  Force to use checksum for checking if files have been changed. This is the same as 'Use checksum to detect changes' in Options. But you can use this to periodically run checksums from cronjobs. Only valid with *backup*, *backup-job* and *restore*.

- \--config PATH

  Read config from PATH. Default = ~/.config/backintime/config

- \--debug

  Show debug messages.

- \--delete

  Restore and delete newer files which are not in the snapshot. WARNING: deleting files in filesystem root could break your whole system!!! Only valid with *restore*.

- \-h, --help

  Display a short help

- \--keep-mount

  Don't unmount on exit. Only valid with *snapshots-path*, *snapshots-list-path* and *last-snapshot-path*.

- \--license

  Show license

- \--local-backup

  Create backup files before changing local files. Only valid with *restore*.

- \--no-crontab

  Do not install crontab entries. Only valid with *check-config*.

- \--no-local-backup

  Temporary disable creation of backup files before changing local files. Only valid with *restore*.

- \--only-new

  Only restore files which does not exist or are newer than those in destination. Using "rsync --update" option. Only valid with *restore*.

- \--profile NAME

  Select profile by name

- \--profile-id ID

  Select profile by id

- \--quiet

  Suppress status messages on standard output.

- \--share-path PATH

  Write runtime data (locks, messages, log and mountpoints) to PATH.

- \-v, --version

  Show version

## COMMANDS

- backup \| -b \| --backup

  Take a snapshot now.

- backup-job \| --backup-job

  Take a snapshot (if needed) depending on schedule rules (used for cron jobs). Back In Time will run in background for this.

- benchmark-cipher \| --benchmark-cipher \[FILE-SIZE\]

  Show a benchmark of all ciphers for ssh transfer.

- check-config

  Verify the profile in config, create snapshot path and crontab entries.

- decode \| --decode \[PATH\]

  Decode encrypted PATH. If no PATH is given Back In Time will read paths from standard input.

- last-snapshot \| --last-snapshot

  Display last snapshot ID (if any)

- last-snapshot-path \| --last-snapshot-path

  Display the path to the last snapshot (if any)

- pw-cache \| --pw-cache \[start\|stop\|restart\|reload\|status\]

  Control the Password Cache Daemon. If no argument is given the Password Cache will start in foreground.

- remove\[-and-do-not-ask-again\] \| --remove\[-and-do-not-ask-again\] \[SNAPSHOT\_ID\]

  Remove the snapshot. If SNAPSHOT\_ID is missing it will be prompted. SNAPSHOT\_ID can be an index (starting with 0 for the last snapshot) or the exact SnapshotID (19 characters like '20130606-230501-984'). *remove-and-do-not-ask-again* will remove the snapshot immediately. Be careful with this!

- restore \| --restore \[WHAT \[WHERE \[SNAPSHOT\_ID\]\]\]

  Restore file WHAT to path WHERE from snapshot SNAPSHOT\_ID. If arguments are missing they will be prompted. To restore to the original path WHERE can be an empty string '' or just press Enter at the prompt. SNAPSHOT\_ID can be an index (starting with 0 for the last snapshot) or the exact SnapshotID (19 characters like '20130606-230501-984')

- shutdown

  Shutdown the computer after the snapshot is done.

- smart-remove

  Remove snapshots based on the configured Smart-Remove pattern.

- snapshots-list \| --snapshots-list

  Display the list of snapshot IDs (if any)

- snapshots-list-path \| --snapshots-list-path

  Display the paths to snapshots (if any)

- snapshots-path \| --snapshots-path

  Display path where is saves the snapshots (if configured)

- unmount \| --unmount

  Unmount the profile.

## SEE ALSO

[**backintime-qt**(1)](/backintime-qt/1.md), [**backintime-config**(1)](/backintime-config/1.md), [**backintime-askpass**(1)](/backintime-askpass/1.md)

**Back In Time** project website: https://github.com/bit-team/backintime

**Back In Time** mailing list: https://mail.python.org/mailman3/lists/bit-dev.python.org

## AUTHOR

**Back In Time** Team