The native Windows GUI for BorgBackup.
Borg backups on Windows — with guided setup, scheduling, and restores.
Quick links: Download (Installer) • All Releases • Docs • Testing • Security
WinBorg Manager is a modern Windows 10/11 desktop app that brings BorgBackup to a Windows-native GUI:
- Encrypted, deduplicated, compressed backups (Borg)
- Guided onboarding for WSL2 + Ubuntu + Borg (no CLI wrestling)
- Jobs & schedules, retention/prune, notifications
- Restore, browse, diff, mount — because backups without restore aren’t backups
WinBorg is Windows-first. Your backups remain standard Borg repositories (no vendor lock-in).
- Download & install
- First launch / onboarding
- Launch WinBorg and complete onboarding for WSL2 + Ubuntu + BorgBackup.
- Note: WinBorg runs Borg inside WSL, but you manage everything from the Windows UI.
- Create your Connection (SSH)
- Go to Connections → Add Connection.
- Enter a server URL (example:
ssh://user@host:22; some providers use non-standard ports). - Generate an SSH key if needed → Deploy Key → Test SSH.
- Add your repository
- Go to Repositories → Add Repository.
- Select an existing Connection and enter only the repo path (example:
/./backup). - Click Test SSH & Remote Connection → Connect / Initialize.
- Create your first backup
- Go to Jobs → Create Job → pick source folders (Documents/Desktop/Pictures) → Run.
- Verify you see a new archive under Archives.
- Recommended (quick sanity check)
- Do a small test restore (extract a file from an older archive).
If anything gets stuck, see docs/OPERATIONS.md and docs/TESTING.md.
If you prefer to install dependencies yourself (or you’re in a locked-down environment), you can prepare WSL + Ubuntu + Borg manually and then run WinBorg.
Run PowerShell as Administrator:
wsl --install --no-distribution
# Restart Windows after this finishes.After reboot, run PowerShell as your normal user:
wsl --install -d UbuntuUbuntu may prompt you to create a new Linux username/password — complete that step.
Open the Ubuntu terminal and run:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y borgbackupwhich borg
# Expected: /usr/bin/borgAfter that, open WinBorg and you should be able to skip most onboarding steps.
Borg is most stable and best supported on Linux. WinBorg uses WSL2 to run the official Linux Borg binaries — while giving you a polished Windows UI.
This means:
- maximum compatibility with the Borg ecosystem (CLI, BorgBase, borgmatic, etc.)
- no proprietary backup format
- Windows integration where it matters (tray, autostart, Explorer open, etc.)
- Guided system checks and installation for WSL2, Ubuntu, BorgBackup
- SSH key management (Connections): generate keys, deploy keys per connection, test connectivity
- Optional provisioning: install Borg on a remote Debian/Ubuntu server
- Key export / recovery for Borg repositories
- Jobs with multiple source paths, exclude patterns, compression
- Scheduling (e.g. hourly/daily) + rules (e.g. battery/offline)
- Retention/Prune policies (e.g. keep 7 daily, 4 weekly, …)
- Maintenance: prune + compact
- Archive list with metadata & stats
- Archive browser: find files/folders in older snapshots
- Restore / extract: selectively bring data back
- Diff viewer: see what changed between two archives
- Mounts: mount archives as a filesystem (FUSE inside WSL)
- Native Windows notifications + Discord webhook + SMTP
- Tray menu (quick actions, update check, stop mounts)
- Settings export/import (optionally including secrets)
- Windows users who want Borg but don’t want to live in a Borg CLI
- HomeLab/NAS users with SSH-based repositories
- BorgBase / Hetzner StorageBox users
- Security- and ransomware-aware users (client-side encryption + append-only via BorgBase)
- Windows 10/11 with WSL2 (virtualization enabled)
- Ubuntu WSL distro (WinBorg can install this during onboarding)
- BorgBackup inside Ubuntu (WinBorg can install this during onboarding)
- For remote repos: SSH access to your backup target (StorageBox/BorgBase/VPS/NAS)
- For mounts: FUSE prerequisites inside WSL (WinBorg checks/fixes many things automatically; missing
/dev/fusemay require WSL update + reboot/shutdown)
- WSL setup required / install fails: ensure virtualization (VT-x/AMD-V) is enabled; reboot after
wsl --install. - Ubuntu asks for username/password: expected; complete Ubuntu first-run setup.
- BorgBackup not found: use WinBorg auto-install or run
sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y borgbackupin Ubuntu. - SSH permission denied (publickey): go to Connections → Deploy Key; verify host/user/port (Hetzner StorageBox often uses port 23).
- Mounts fail: FUSE preflight runs; if
/dev/fuseis missing, update WSL and reboot/shutdown; see docs/OPERATIONS.md.
- Vorta: excellent Borg desktop client, but primarily macOS/Linux — WinBorg is Windows-first with WSL onboarding.
- Duplicati: huge range of cloud backends and central management — WinBorg focuses on Borg-native workflows, restore/mount UX, and no lock-in.
- BorgBase: hosting/monitoring/2FA/append-only — WinBorg is a great Windows client for BorgBase repositories.
Please read SECURITY.md.
Important: With Borg, if you lose both your key and passphrase, the data cannot be recovered. WinBorg includes key export/recovery to help prevent this.
See docs/TESTING.md
npm run typecheck
npm test
npm run test:coverage
npm run test:e2e- Renderer: React + TypeScript in
src/ - Main process:
electron-main.js - Unit-testable main modules:
main/
More: docs/README.md and docs/ARCHITECTURE.md
See CONTRIBUTING.md.
Quick notes:
- Create a branch.
- Run checks locally (see docs/TESTING.md).
- Open a Pull Request targeting
main.