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macOS setup guide

Connect your SuperDuper! backups to OpenBackup

Install the OpenBackup monitor on your Mac, connect it to SuperDuper!, synchronize the generated status file, and view your backup status on Android.

Before you start

You need:

  • A Mac running macOS
  • SuperDuper! installed and configured
  • The OpenBackup Setup wizard
  • Google Drive, Dropbox, or another supported HTTPS location
  • The OpenBackup app on an Android device
Privacy: OpenBackup does not upload or inspect your backup contents. It only uses a small JSON status file created after SuperDuper! completes a backup.
1

Install OpenBackup on your Mac

Open the OpenBackup Setup wizard and continue to the Install step.

  1. When macOS displays the security warning, click Done — do not select Move to Trash.
  2. Open System Settings and select Privacy & Security.
  3. Scroll down to the Security section.
  4. Find the message about OpenBackup Setup and click Open Anyway.
  5. Confirm with your administrator password or Touch ID.
  6. Click Open once more when macOS asks for confirmation.
  7. Return to the wizard and select your installation location.
  8. Keep the default location unless you have a specific reason to change it: ~/OpenBackup.
  9. Select Install OpenBackup.
  10. Enter an administrator password when macOS asks for authorization.
Why is an administrator password required? SuperDuper! requires the monitor script to be owned by root:wheel. macOS handles the password prompt. OpenBackup cannot see or store your password.

After installation, the selected folder contains:

OpenBackup/
├── BackupMonitor.sh
├── backup_status.json
└── logs/
    └── BackupMonitor.log

The initial backup_status.json contains clearly named demo data, allowing you to test the Android app before running a full backup. Your first real SuperDuper! run updates the file with actual backup status.

2

Connect the script to SuperDuper!

Configure SuperDuper! to run the monitor after a copy completes.

  1. Open SuperDuper! and select the backup you want to monitor.
  2. Open Options, followed by Advanced.
  3. Under After copy, enable Run shell script after copy completes.
  4. Select BackupMonitor.sh from your chosen OpenBackup folder.
  5. Save the SuperDuper! settings.
The script is installed with owner root:wheel and permissions 755, as required by SuperDuper!.
3

Run a test backup

Confirm that SuperDuper! starts the monitor correctly.

  1. Run the configured SuperDuper! backup.
  2. Wait until the copy completes.
  3. Open your OpenBackup folder in Finder.
  4. Confirm that backup_status.json has been updated.
  5. If needed, inspect logs/BackupMonitor.log for details.

OpenBackup supports multiple backup jobs. Each job appears as a separate entry inside the backups array in the JSON file.

4

Synchronize the OpenBackup folder

Make the status file available to your Android device.

  1. Configure Google Drive, Dropbox, or your preferred supported service to synchronize the OpenBackup folder.
  2. Wait until backup_status.json has synchronized.
  3. Create a read-only share link for backup_status.json.
  4. Test the link in a private browser window. It should be accessible without editing permission.
Keep the share link read-only. OpenBackup only needs permission to retrieve the status file.
5

Connect the Android app

Add the shared status-file link to OpenBackup.

  1. Open OpenBackup on your Android device.
  2. Open the connection settings.
  3. Select your connection method.
  4. Paste the read-only link to backup_status.json.
  5. Save the configuration and refresh the backup status.

Before your first real backup, the app displays the demo entries created by the setup wizard. After SuperDuper! runs, the file is updated with real source, destination, completion time, result, and free-space information.

Troubleshooting

SuperDuper! refuses to run the script

Reinstall the script with OpenBackup Setup and approve the administrator prompt. SuperDuper! requires BackupMonitor.sh to be owned by root:wheel.

The Android app still shows demo data

Confirm that a real backup completed, that backup_status.json was updated on the Mac, and that the cloud copy has finished synchronizing.

No log file appears

BackupMonitor.log is written when the monitor script runs. Confirm that the script is selected under SuperDuper!'s After copy setting.

The status link does not work

Test the link in a private browser window. Check that the file is shared read-only and that the link does not require access to your personal cloud account.