restic
restic is an open-source backup tool designed to secure and preserve files efficiently across local and remote storage. Built in Go, it treats security as a fundamental requirement by encrypting every backup by default. The program incorporates data deduplication to minimize storage requirements, ensuring that only modified blocks are uploaded during subsequent snapshot routines.
github.com · Official website
- ✓ Official source (winget)
- ✓ SHA256 taken from the official repository
- ✓ Last checked: Nov. 4, 2026
- This is not a virus scan. Check on VirusTotal
- Version
- 0.19.1
- Release date
- July 5, 2026
- License
- BSD-2-Clause
- Installer type
- zip
How do I use this?
Type Terminal in the Start menu and open it, paste the command (Ctrl+V or right-click) and press Enter. It uses winget, Windows' own package manager, to install the program from its official source.
winget install --id restic.restic -eSHA256 (file verification)
da948ad707ed690426473aaba2046cd61f8f90f6f0e7dab6be0d5796531de67dgithub.com · Official website
- ✓ Official source (Homebrew)
- ✓ SHA256 taken from the official repository
- ✓ Last checked: Nov. 4, 2026
- This is not a virus scan. Check on VirusTotal
- Version
- 0.3.3
- License
- BSD-2-Clause
- Installer type
- zip
How do I use this?
This command needs Homebrew; if you don't have it, first run the install command from brew.sh. Then open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal), paste the command and press Enter.
brew install --cask restic-browserSHA256 (file verification)
d2e772dd19912f0eed3053ba654cdd14ca44ea5039164be548362a8b0ab57e18We couldn't find a Linux version of restic in the official repositories; check the publisher's website.
We couldn't find a Android version of restic in the official repositories; check the publisher's website.
restic 0.19.1: what's new?
- Prevents mounting onto paths overlapping with the repository directory to avoid kernel deadlocks.
- The backup command now skips inaccessible source paths instead of creating an empty snapshot.
- Restored default grouping by host and path for "snapshots --latest <n>" when "--group-by" is not specified.
- Fixed the "latest" symlink not updating after snapshot reloads in "mount", and hid the progress bar in "stats --json".
Summarized from the publisher's release notes.
Highlights
- Built-in encryption enabled by default for all backed-up data
- Content-defined chunking and deduplication to save storage space
- Support for local disks, SFTP, and multiple cloud storage backends
- Snapshot-based versioning for precise and reliable file restorations
Who is it for?
Intended for system administrators, developers, and power users who need an automated, encrypted, and storage-efficient backup solution.
Good to know before installing
- Operates primarily through a command-line interface without an official built-in GUI.
- Loss of the repository password makes data recovery impossible due to strong cryptography.
- Requires basic understanding of command-line tools and storage repository initialization.
How to install
Windows
- Use the official download link on this page or execute the winget command in PowerShell.
- Extract the executable file from the zip archive and place it in a designated folder.
- Launch Command Prompt or PowerShell to configure and run your initial backup.
macOS
- Click the official download button on this page or run the brew command in Terminal.
- Extract the downloaded archive and place the binary into a folder within your system PATH.
- Open Terminal and initialize your first restic repository.
Alternatives
Frequently asked questions
Is restic completely free to use?
Yes, restic is free and open-source software released under the BSD 2-Clause license.
Does restic provide a graphical user interface?
The core program is strictly a command-line interface, though third-party GUI tools exist to browse repositories.
Can I back up directly to cloud storage?
Yes, restic natively supports major cloud object storage services as well as SFTP and local drives.