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Backups and Google

Google is optional. Mail, CalDAV, local, S3 and SFTP backups work without it.

Make a backup

  1. Open Preferences → Backups.
  2. Choose Local folder, Google Drive, S3-compatible storage, SFTP or FTP / FTPS.
  3. Set how many copies to keep. Compression and passphrase encryption start enabled; choose a passphrase of at least 12 characters.
  4. Choose Back up now. After your first copy succeeds, enable automatic backups if wanted.

Each destination can disable compression or encryption independently. Unencrypted copies expose mail and account settings to anyone with file access; account passwords are excluded.

For encrypted copies, keep a separate copy of your passphrase. Shep saves it in the OS keychain for scheduled backups. Changing format options requires a successful first copy before automatic or combined backups resume.

Use Add destination to keep multiple copies in different places. Each destination has its own name, schedule, passphrase and number of copies to keep. Select its row to edit it. Removing a destination keeps its existing backup files.

Choose Back up all to save to every checked destination using its own options and saved passphrase when encrypted. Each needs a successful first copy before joining. Progress and errors appear separately; Retry repeats only that failed destination. Include controls this action independently of automatic schedules.

For S3, enter the HTTPS endpoint, bucket, signing region and folder prefix, then choose Test and save connection with your access key and secret key. Keys stay in your OS keychain. The test checks read access; your first backup checks upload permissions. A compatible service must support conditional object writes and deletes. Existing snapshot limits also apply to S3; versioned buckets may retain older object versions under their own lifecycle rules.

Backups include downloaded original mail, account and calendar settings, and preferences. Account passwords are optional; Google tokens are never included. Calendar events download again from their providers. Backups are limited to 256 MiB of original mail.

For SFTP, enter the server, port, username and an existing absolute backup folder. Choose Check server fingerprint, compare it with your server's trusted settings, then check I verified this fingerprint and use it. You can also paste a SHA256 fingerprint you already verified. Enter your password and choose Test and save connection. A changed host key requires verification again; previous credentials and automatic-backup readiness are not reused for it. SFTP currently supports password authentication. Private keys and SSH agents are not supported yet.

FTP / FTPS defaults to encrypted STARTTLS on port 21; implicit TLS uses port 990. Enter the server, an existing absolute folder, username and password, then choose Test and save connection. FTPS verifies the server certificate and encrypts both login and data transfers. Plain FTP is a separate, clearly labelled choice for servers that require it. The server must support machine-readable listings (MLSD). Each rolling copy occupies its own folder containing the backup archive and a small commit record; unrelated folders and files are preserved.

Restore a copy

Choose a copy in Backups. Enter its original passphrase if encrypted; leave it blank for an unencrypted copy. Older Shep backups remain readable. Restore adds missing mail and connections while keeping your current messages, settings and drafts. It does not upload recovered mail to a server.

If password restore fails because the keychain is locked, unlock it and restore the same copy again.

Move to another computer

  1. On the original computer, open Preferences → Backups → Database transfer, choose Export database… and save the file. Shep saves pending settings/drafts before copying in the background.
  2. Transfer the file to the other computer. In the same Preferences section, choose Import database….
  3. Review its accounts, mail and any unfinished actions, name the new profile, then import. Your existing profile is kept.
  4. Open Preferences → Accounts → Profiles, choose Use on next launch, then close and reopen Shep.
  5. Re-enter account/calendar passwords and reconnect Google in the imported profile.

The SQLite file includes cached original mail, attachments, drafts, accounts, calendars and settings. It is unencrypted and excludes OS-keychain passwords and Google sign-in. It has no additional 256 MiB backup limit. Use Import database… for this file; Restore a copy accepts .shepbackup archives.

You can keep reading mail or cancel while copying. Import checks the database before making it available and pauses unfinished provider changes for review. Check their status on the original device/server before retrying. Automatic backups start disabled in the imported profile.

Profiles can be renamed or selected for the next launch in Accounts. This is a one-time transfer; continuous Google account/profile sync is still being implemented.

Connect Google (optional)

  1. Open Preferences → Accounts or Calendars and find Google connection.
  2. Choose Drive backups, Calendar access, or both.
  3. Choose Sign in with Google, approve access in your browser, then return to Shep.

You do not need a Google Cloud project or any OAuth credentials. Cancel sign-in stops waiting for the browser. If the button says Google sign-in is not configured in this build, that copy of Shep was built without its Google client.

Google sign-in connects Calendar and Drive, not Gmail mail access. Drive copies live in private app storage and do not appear in My Drive.

If you connected with your own Google Cloud client in an earlier version, that connection keeps working. Signing in again switches to Shep's client, and Drive backups made with your own client are no longer listed.

In Accounts → Profiles and sync, review shared connection changes before using them. Keep this device’s connection, or add the shared setup and reconnect it. The previous account and its mail stay available.