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macOS setup guide

Connect your SuperDuper! backups to OpenBackup

Use OpenBackup Mac to choose SuperDuper! 4 or Classic, select the status location, activate the matching Mac component, and follow your backups on iPhone or Android.

Before you start

You need:

  • A Mac running macOS 13.5 or later
  • SuperDuper! 4.0.6 or later, or SuperDuper! Classic
  • OpenBackup Mac
  • Google Drive, Dropbox, or another supported HTTPS location
  • The OpenBackup app on an iPhone or Android device
Privacy: OpenBackup does not upload or inspect your backup contents. Setup creates a small status file during activation and updates it after SuperDuper! completes a backup.
1

Install OpenBackup Mac

Install the signed macOS package, then open OpenBackup from Applications.

  1. Use OpenBackup.pkg, downloaded from the main OpenBackup page.
  2. Open the package and complete the installation. An administrator password or Touch ID is normal.
  3. When installation finishes, close the installer. The Setup wizard does not open automatically.
  4. Open Finder, select Applications, and double-click OpenBackup.
  5. Continue through the five-step wizard and choose SuperDuper! 4 or SuperDuper! Classic.
Expected Dock behavior: OpenBackup opens as a normal window but does not add an icon to the Dock. Open it again from Applications whenever you need the setup wizard. If an SD4 Monitor is already installed, the Welcome page immediately shows Remove OpenBackup Monitor.

The wizard stores the OpenBackup status in the folder you select. Setup creates backup_status.json during activation. It contains an empty backup list until the first backup completes.

2

Choose SuperDuper! 4 or Classic

OpenBackup prepares the correct route for the SuperDuper! edition you use.

  1. Select SuperDuper! 4 in the Setup wizard.
  2. Choose the folder where OpenBackup should save its status.
  3. If shown, select Install required Shortcut and add the Shortcut in macOS.
  4. Return to OpenBackup and select Activate OpenBackup.
  5. OpenBackup immediately creates backup_status.json with an empty backup list.
  6. Future compatible SuperDuper! 4 runs are followed automatically; no setup is required for each backup job.
SuperDuper! 4: OpenBackup uses the official completion event available in SuperDuper! 4.0.6 and later.

SuperDuper! Classic

Classic uses the trusted BackupMonitor.sh route for each scheduled copy.

  1. Select SuperDuper! Classic in the Setup wizard.
  2. Choose the status folder and select Install OpenBackup.
  3. Approve the administrator prompt. macOS handles the password; OpenBackup cannot see or store it.
  4. Open the Classic backup job you want to monitor.
  5. Open Options, followed by Advanced.
  6. Under After copy, enable Run shell script after copy completes.
  7. Select BackupMonitor.sh from the location shown by OpenBackup.
  8. Save the SuperDuper! settings, then run the backup once to test it.
Existing scheduled copy: In Finder, choose Go → Go to Folder… and open ~/Library/Application Support/SuperDuper!/Scheduled Copies/. Double-click the saved job with the familiar backup name, then configure its After copy action as described above.
3

Run a test backup

Confirm that the selected integration publishes a completed backup.

  1. Run a SuperDuper! 4 backup, or the configured Classic scheduled copy.
  2. Wait until the copy completes.
  3. Open the OpenBackup menu-bar app and refresh the status.
  4. Confirm that the completed backup appears with its current result.
  5. If you use Classic and no result appears, check logs/BackupMonitor.log in the selected OpenBackup folder.

OpenBackup supports multiple backup jobs. Each completed job appears separately in the Mac status menu and in the mobile app.

4

Synchronize the OpenBackup folder

Make the status file available to your iPhone or Android device.

  1. Configure Google Drive, Dropbox, or your preferred supported service to synchronize the OpenBackup folder.
  2. Wait until the OpenBackup status file has synchronized.
  3. In your cloud service, locate the OpenBackup status file and select Share.
  4. Give the file read-only access. Choose a setting such as Anyone with the link can view or Viewer; do not allow editing.
  5. Select Copy link in your cloud service.
  6. Test the copied link in a private browser window. The file should open without requiring sign-in and without offering editing access.
Cloud access: Dropbox in the mobile app requires OpenBackup Pro. Keep the share link read-only; OpenBackup only needs permission to retrieve the status file. OpenBackup currently monitors one Mac status file at a time, so do not configure multiple Macs to write to the same backup_status.json.
5

Connect the iPhone or Android app

Add the read-only status link to OpenBackup.

Apple App Store Google Play
  1. Install and open OpenBackup on your iPhone or Android device.
  2. Open the connection settings.
  3. Select your connection method.
  4. Paste the read-only link copied in step 4 into the status link field.
  5. Give the connection your own clear, recognizable name.
  6. Save the connection and refresh the backup status.

Before the first completed backup, the list can be empty. After SuperDuper! runs, OpenBackup shows the available source, destination, completion time, result and free-space information.

Troubleshooting

Choose the situation that best matches what you see.

A SuperDuper! 4 backup does not appear
  1. Confirm that you use SuperDuper! 4.0.6 or later.
  2. Open OpenBackup and confirm that activation is complete.
  3. Run a new backup and wait until it finishes.
  4. Open the OPB menu and refresh the status.
A SuperDuper! Classic backup does not appear
  1. Open the scheduled copy that you configured for OpenBackup.
  2. Check that its “After copy” action still uses the OpenBackup script.
  3. If needed, reopen OpenBackup and install the Classic connection again.
  4. Run the scheduled copy once and refresh the OPB menu.
The OPB menu item is missing
  1. Open OpenBackup from the Applications folder.
  2. Confirm that the Mac setup has been completed.
  3. Close and reopen OpenBackup.
  4. If OPB still does not appear, restart your Mac once.
The mobile app shows no backup or an old result
  1. Check whether the current result appears in the OPB menu on your Mac.
  2. Wait until your selected cloud service has finished synchronizing.
  3. Refresh OpenBackup on your phone.
  4. If the status link fails, create a new read-only share link and add it to the mobile app.