macOS Installation

To back up a client's Mac, download the Magnus Box .pkg installer from the Web Portal, run it on the Mac, sign in with the client's user, and give the app Full Disk Access. The app needs macOS 12 Monterey or later.

Note: Partners can white-label the backup app, so app names, paths and labels may show your own brand instead of "Magnus Box".

System requirements

* The app doesn't use 8 GB of RAM by itself. Memory use depends on the job being run.

Older Macs: macOS 10.13 High Sierra to macOS 11 Big Sur were last supported by the 26.4.x releases, and older macOS versions need older releases still. If a client has a Mac on an unsupported macOS version, email support@magnusbox.com to talk through the options, and plan to upgrade the OS, since Apple no longer patches it. See Supported platforms and system requirements.

Install

1. In the Web Portal, go to Download backup agent. In the macOS panel, click x86_64 for an Intel Mac or Apple silicon for an M-series Mac.

   

2. On the Mac, double-click the .pkg file and follow the prompts. If macOS won't open it, right-click the file and choose Open. macOS only opens a downloaded .pkg with a double-click if it's codesigned.
3. Once it's installed, the app asks for the username and password of the client's user. See Logging into the Magnus Box Software.
4. Give the app Full Disk Access (below).

If you run the .pkg from the Downloads folder, macOS will offer to move it to the Trash after successful installation.

Full Disk Access

The app needs the Full Disk Access permission to back up everything on the Mac. macOS doesn't let apps grant this to themselves, and a silent install can't set it.

• Manual: follow the steps below on the Mac.
• Via MDM: if your RMM acts as the device's MDM (Jamf, Addigy, Meraki Systems Manager, etc.), push a Privacy Preferences Policy Control (PPPC) profile that grants Full Disk Access to the app's application ID. The application ID is set in your macOS branding settings.

Signs it's missing: backups skip files or the job log shows "Operation not permitted" errors.

Grant Full Disk Access manually

1. Open the Apple menu and go to:
   • macOS 13 Ventura or later: System Settings > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access.
   • macOS 12 Monterey: System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy tab > Full Disk Access. Click the padlock in the lower-left corner and enter an admin password (or use Touch ID) to allow changes.
2. Turn on Full Disk Access for the Magnus Box app. If it isn't in the list, click + and add it from the Applications folder.
3. If macOS asks you to quit and reopen the app, click Quit & Reopen.
4. Run a backup and check the job log for "Operation not permitted" errors.

Silent installation (advanced)

Recommended: remote registration (lobby mode). Install silently, then join the registration lobby, and assign the Mac to a user from the Devices page of the Web Portal. No user passwords reach the Mac.

sudo /usr/sbin/installer -allowUntrusted -pkg "Magnus Box.pkg" -target /
"/Applications/Magnus Box.app/Contents/MacOS/backup-tool" login join-lobby "https://YOUR-PORTAL-URL/"

The lobby connection doesn't survive a restart of the app, so register the Mac soon after the install.

With username and password. This puts the user's password in plain text on the Mac, so use lobby mode where you can:

sudo /usr/sbin/installer -allowUntrusted -pkg "Magnus Box.pkg" -target /
(
  echo "$USERNAME";
  echo "$PASSWORD";
) | OVERRIDE_INSTALL_SERVER="https://YOUR-PORTAL-URL/" "/Applications/Magnus Box.app/Contents/MacOS/backup-tool" login prompt

For RMM deployment scripts, see Remote Installation Guide.

Upgrading

The installer safely replaces any earlier version, including ones with different branding. To upgrade silently, push the same installer -allowUntrusted command from your RMM, or start the upgrade remotely from the Web Portal.

Uninstall

sudo -u root "/Applications/Magnus Box.app/Contents/Resources/uninstall"

This stops the app, removes its launchd services and deletes the app files. The saved login is kept for a reinstall. To remove it too, add --also-remove-saved-passwords to the command, or run backup-tool login disconnect before you uninstall.

Notes for white-labeled deployments

App names and paths follow your branding. Use your brand name instead of "Magnus Box" in the paths above.

Need help? Email support@magnusbox.com.

Related articles

• Logging into the Magnus Box Software
• Remote Installation Guide
• Supported platforms and system requirements