Borg Backup Explorer
Utilities
Free · In-App Purchases · Designed for iPad
Borg Backup Explorer opens the backups you already have. It connects to your own Borg repository over SSH, lists its archives, and lets you walk through them like a file manager - to find the one file you need and get it back, without restoring anything else and without sitting down at a computer.
WHAT IT DOES
- Browse every archive in a Borg repository, folder by folder
- Preview photos and documents before downloading them
- Download a single file and open it in any app on your phone
- Keep what you downloaded, or delete it when you no longer need it
- Show hidden files, or leave them out of the way
ON YOUR PHONE, AND NOWHERE ELSE
The app talks to your backup host itself, over SSH. Your SSH key and your repository password never leave the phone, and there is no server in between that sees anything. The first time an archive is opened it is read through once to build an index, which takes a while and is best done on Wi-Fi; everything after that is fast.
WHAT YOU NEED
An existing Borg repository you can reach over SSH, the SSH key for it, and the repository passphrase. This app does not create backups and does not change them - it only reads. Nothing in your repository is ever written to or deleted.
PRO
The app is free for one repository and for files up to 2 MB, previews included. A pro account downloads files of any size and lets you configure more than one repository. It is a subscription, monthly or yearly.
PRIVACY
The app holds your SSH key and repository password to connect, and nothing else. There are no accounts to create and no personal data is collected.
Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Privacy Policy: https://www.insoso.at/borg-backup-explorer.html
Ratings & Reviews
- This app has not received enough ratings or reviews to display an overview.
Version 3.0.1 - fixes a crash while reading a large archive
- The app no longer quits when the phone locks while a large archive is being read for the first time.
- On iOS 26, the first read of an archive goes on in the background when you lock the phone or switch apps, with its progress shown by the system.
- On earlier versions the screen stays on while an archive is being read, so auto-lock no longer cuts the first read short. If the read is interrupted anyway, it starts again by itself when you return, instead of reporting a lost connection.
Since 3.0, Borg Backup Explorer reads your repositories on your phone only: your SSH key and your repository password never leave the device, and there is no server in between.
The developer, insoso GmbH, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Not Collected
The developer does not collect any data from this app.
Accessibility
The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More
Information
- Provider
- insoso GmbH
- Size
- 8.3 MB
- Category
- Utilities
- Compatibility
Requires iOS 17.2 or later.
- iPhone
Requires iOS 17.2 or later. - iPad
Requires iPadOS 17.2 or later. - Mac
Requires macOS 14.2 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later. - Apple Vision
Requires visionOS 1.1 or later.
- iPhone
- Languages
- English and German
- Age Rating
13+
- 13+
- In-App Purchases
Yes
- Pro Account QAR 9.99
- Pro Account QAR 69.99
- Pro Account QAR 14.99
- Copyright
- © insoso GmbH
