---
name: "borg2-extract"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "borgbackup2"
version: "2.0.0b19-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/borg2-extract"
---

# borg2-extract(1)

Extract archive contents

## NAME

borg-extract - Extract archive contents

## SYNOPSIS

borg \[common options\] extract \[options\] NAME \[PATH...\]

## DESCRIPTION

This command extracts the contents of an archive. By default the entire archive is extracted but a subset of files and directories can be selected by passing a list of **PATHs** as arguments. The file selection can further be restricted by using the **--exclude** option.

For more help on include/exclude patterns, see the *borg\_patterns* command output.

By using **--dry-run**, you can do all extraction steps except actually writing the output data: reading metadata and data chunks from the repo, checking the hash/hmac, decrypting, decompressing.

**--progress** can be slower than no progress display, since it makes one additional pass over the archive metadata.

**NOTE:**

Currently, extract always writes into the current working directory ("."), so make sure you **cd** to the right place before calling **borg extract**.

When parent directories are not extracted (because of using file/directory selection or any other reason), borg can not restore parent directories' metadata, e.g. owner, group, permission, etc.

## OPTIONS

See *[borg-common(1)](/borg-common/1.md)* for common options of Borg commands.

### arguments

- **NAME**

  specify the archive name

- **PATH**

  paths to extract; patterns are supported

### options

- **--list**

  output verbose list of items (files, dirs, ...)

- **-n, --dry-run**

  do not actually change any files

- **--numeric-ids**

  only obey numeric user and group identifiers

- **--noflags**

  do not extract/set flags (e.g. NODUMP, IMMUTABLE)

- **--noacls**

  do not extract/set ACLs

- **--noxattrs**

  do not extract/set xattrs

- **--stdout**

  write all extracted data to stdout

- **--sparse**

  create holes in output sparse file from all-zero chunks

- **--continue**

  continue a previously interrupted extraction of same archive

### Include/Exclude options

- **-e** *PATTERN,* **--exclude** *PATTERN*

  exclude paths matching PATTERN

- **--exclude-from** *EXCLUDEFILE*

  read exclude patterns from EXCLUDEFILE, one per line

- **--pattern** *PATTERN*

  include/exclude paths matching PATTERN

- **--patterns-from** *PATTERNFILE*

  read include/exclude patterns from PATTERNFILE, one per line

- **--strip-components** *NUMBER*

  Remove the specified number of leading path elements. Paths with fewer elements will be silently skipped.

## EXAMPLES

```
# Extract entire archive
$ borg extract my-files
# Extract entire archive and list files while processing
$ borg extract --list my-files
# Verify whether an archive could be successfully extracted, but do not write files to disk
$ borg extract --dry-run my-files
# Extract the "src" directory
$ borg extract my-files home/USERNAME/src
# Extract the "src" directory but exclude object files
$ borg extract my-files home/USERNAME/src --exclude '*.o'
# Restore a raw device (must not be active/in use/mounted at that time)
$ borg extract --stdout my-sdx | dd of=/dev/sdx bs=10M
```

## SEE ALSO

*[borg-common(1)](/borg-common/1.md)*, *[borg-mount(1)](/borg-mount/1.md)*

## AUTHOR

The Borg Collective