# Backing up from any Linux Server

# Proxmox Backup Client Installation

# Debian Based Installation

For Debian based systems, please add the following information to your system.

To configure the repository, you will need to setup the Proxmox release key first. On your server, get the key from the following site below:

```
https://enterprise.proxmox.com/debian/proxmox-release-[debian version].gpg
```

Once you have the key on your server, move it to /usr/share/keyrings/

To add the repository, in /etc/apt/sources.list.d, create a file named proxmox.sources and add the following below:

```
Types: deb
URIs: http://download.proxmox.com/debian/pbs
Suites: [debian version]
Components: pbs-no-subscription
Signed-By: /usr/share/keyrings/proxmox-release-[debian version].gpg
```

Once you have this saved go ahead and run the following commands:

```
apt update
apt-get install proxmox-backup-client
```

When the installation finished you should be able to run proxmox-backup-client and get the following manual:

[![Screenshot 2026-02-06 134620.png](https://kb.tac.global/uploads/images/gallery/2026-02/scaled-1680-/screenshot-2026-02-06-134620.png)](https://kb.tac.global/uploads/images/gallery/2026-02/screenshot-2026-02-06-134620.png)

If you have any issues installing the client, please refer to [Proxmox's Official Documentation](https://pbs.proxmox.com/docs/installation.html#install-pbc) or reach out to support@untangledtechnology.com

# Backing Up

# How to Backup Your Data

To backup your data/files from your server, you will need your encryption key file and password.

Your repository will be:

```
Account_Name@pbs@hostname/IP:Account_Name
```

Example command for backing up a folder or file

```
proxmox-backup-client backup [linux_user].pxar:[folder/file path] --repository [your repository link]  --keyfile /path/to/encryption/file.key
```

For more in depth or complex backup commands, please refer to [Proxmox's Backup Usage Manual](https://pbs.proxmox.com/docs/backup-client.html).

# Restoring Backups

# How to Restore Your Backups

[Proxmox's Official Documentation](https://pbs.proxmox.com/docs/backup-client.html#restoring-data)

First, ensure that you have the encryption key file and the encryption file password ready to go. If you have forgotten either, please check your onboarding email for the details.

To connect to the backup server repository, login with the following command. You will be prompted to enter your password.

```
proxmox-backup-client login --repository "FirstName_LastName@pbs@[Hostname or IP]:[Datatore Name]
```

Once you have successfully logged in, run the following command to see your backup snapshots.

```
proxmox-backup-client snapshot list
```

To restore your selected files you can use the following command

```
proxmox-backup-client restore [host/example/2026-01-30T23:06:35Z] index.json --repository "" --keyfile /path/to/keyfile
```

# Removing/Pruning Backups

# How to Remove Backups

To remove backups, please refer to the following [documentation](https://kb.tac.global/books/backing-up-from-proxmox-ve/page/how-to-remove-backups)

For additional information on how to use the proxmox-backup-client to prune your backups, please refer to [Proxmox's Official Documentation](https://pbs.proxmox.com/docs/backup-client.html#pruning-and-removing-backups)