Backblaze and macOS Mojave - this is how the backup service works again!

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The online backup service Backblaze and macOS Mojave don't get along so well at first.

Today I received an email from my favorite online backup service Backblaze one that advised me that my online backup is currently no longer running. Mojave's new security measures require user intervention as the Backblaze program does not have the necessary permission to access the hard drive. The instructions in English that came with the mail may be a bit cryptic to some people. For this reason, I would like to briefly describe the necessary steps in more detail with screenshots.

The online backup service Backblaze and macOS Mojave don't get along so well at first.
The online backup service Backblaze and macOS Mojave don't get along so well at first.

 

Instructions in condensed form

If the detailed instructions with screenshots are too extensive for you, I have a compilation with short bullet points that describe the procedure:

  1. Latest BackblazeDownload and install version
  2. Open System Settings -> Security
  3. Select the "Privacy" tab and "Full access to hard drive".
  4. Click on the lock at the bottom left and unlock it
  5. Click the plus symbol (+) in the window
  6. Select Backblaze from the program list

Step-by-step instructions with screenshots

Update the Backblaze Client

First we go to the download or updates page of Backblaze and download the latest version for the Mac: https://secure.backblaze.com/update.htm

This is actually necessary because the Backblaze client doesn't seem to update itself. At first I thought I must have the latest version installed, but if you click the Backblaze icon (that flame) at the top of the menu bar and choose About, a window pops up with the version number that's currently installed - and here I was a few version jumps behind the currently available version:

The Backblaze version number can be found by clicking on Backblaze in the menu bar and then selecting About.
The Backblaze version number can be found by clicking on Backblaze in the menu bar above and then selecting About. The current version that is available for download (when I wrote the article) is already 5.4.0.246 ... so I'm still running an old version.

Once you have loaded and started the Backblaze installer, you will be asked whether you really want to start the program from the Internet. Yes, we would! Then a few more steps follow and you have to enter your password so that the old client can be replaced by the new one. Once the installation is finished, there are brief instructions on how to give Backblaze the necessary access rights to the hard drive. I explain this in the following section.

Grant Backblaze access to the hard drive

Under macOS Mojave, programs are no longer allowed to access any part of the hard drive without the user's consent in order to protect the user's privacy. With a backup program, however, this restriction is a bit impractical, because every file must be able to read in order to save it. Accordingly, we are now giving Backblaze the appropriate rights.

First we open the security control panel in the system settings.
First we open the “Security” control panel in the system settings.

 

In the "Security" window we click on the "Data protection" button at the top and then on "Full access to hard disk" at the bottom left. Finally, we click on the lock below to allow changes to the settings.
In the “Security” window we now click on the “Privacy” button at the top and then on “Full access to hard drive” at the bottom left. Finally we click on the lock below to allow changes to the settings.

 

In the last step, we open a Finder window with the "Applications" folder and drag the "Backblaze" program icon from it onto the window with the programs that already have full access to the hard drive.
In the last step, we open a Finder window with the "Applications" folder and drag the program icon "Backblaze" from it onto the window with the programs that already have full access to the hard drive. Alternatively, you can also click the “+” symbol in the window and then select Backblaze from the program list and add it to the list.

 

Now in the list of programs with “Full access to disk” you should see Backblaze, like mine above. Please excuse the “High Sierra” background. I hadn't changed the desktop background when I took the screenshot. But my system is already running on Mojave. :D

In the Preferences of Backblaze there should be a green tick if everything went well.
In the Preferences of Backblaze there should be a green tick if everything went well.

You can see whether Backblaze is running again by clicking on the Backblaze icon in the menu bar and then selecting “Backblaze Preferences”. There should be a green tick in the top left corner of the window.

 

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