Overview
The CrashPlan app is designed to preserve user files from devices, not operating system files or applications. Therefore, the CrashPlan app excludes certain temporary files and system files. This article describes the files that are excluded from backup by default. On a regular basis, CrashPlan will assess and add additional backup file exclusions as needed.
You can exclude additional files. For directions, see Include and exclude files for backup from CrashPlan.
Types of files excluded
Some of the excluded file types and folders are:
- Browser caches, cookies, and temporary files
- System working files
- System logs
- Slack
Excluded files
All patterns are in Java Regular Expression format.
mac:^/Users/[^/]+/Library/(.DS_Store|.*/\.DS_Store)$
mac:^/Users/[^/]+/Library/.+/[^/]+(\.lock|\.pid|\.tmp)$
mac:^/Library/(.DS_Store|.*/\.DS_Store)$
mac:^/Library/.+/[^/]+(\.lock|\.pid|\.tmp)$
mac:^/System/Library/(.DS_Store|.*/\.DS_Store)$
mac:^/System/Library/.+/[^/]+(\.lock|\.pid|\.tmp)$
mac:^/opt/homebrew/.+/[^/]+(\.lock|\.pid|\.tmp)$
mac:^/opt/homebrew/(.DS_Store|.*/\.DS_Store)$
mac:^/private/var/.+/[^/]+(\.lock|\.pid|\.tmp)$
mac:^/private/var/(.DS_Store|.*/\.DS_Store)$
mac:^/usr/local/.+/[^/]+(\.lock|\.pid|\.tmp)$
mac:^/usr/local/(.DS_Store|.*/\.DS_Store)$
mac:^/Users/[^/]+/Library/.+/[^/]+(\.bin|\.dat|\.db|\.db\.\d+|\.db\.gz|-journal|\.kgdb|-lock|\.pma|\.stat|-shm|\.sqlite|\.sqlite3|\.srd|-wal)$
mac:^/Library/.+/[^/]+(\.bin|\.dat|\.db|\.db\.\d+|\.db\.gz|-journal|\.kgdb|-lock|\.pma|\.stat|-shm|\.sqlite|\.sqlite3|\.srd|-wal)$
mac:^/System/Library/.+/[^/]+(\.bin|\.dat|\.db|\.db\.\d+|\.db\.gz|-journal|\.kgdb|-lock|\.pma|\.stat|-shm|\.sqlite|\.sqlite3|\.srd|-wal)$
mac:^/opt/homebrew/.+/[^/]+(\.bin|\.dat|\.db|\.db\.\d+|\.db\.gz|-journal|\.kgdb|-lock|\.pma|\.stat|-shm|\.sqlite|\.sqlite3|\.srd|-wal)$
mac:^/private/var/.+/[^/]+(\.bin|\.dat|\.db|\.db\.\d+|\.db\.gz|-journal|\.kgdb|-lock|\.pma|\.stat|-shm|\.sqlite|\.sqlite3|\.srd|-wal)$
mac:^/usr/local/.+/[^/]+(\.bin|\.dat|\.db|\.db\.\d+|\.db\.gz|-journal|\.kgdb|-lock|\.pma|\.stat|-shm|\.sqlite|\.sqlite3|\.srd|-wal)$
mac:^/Users/[^/]+/Library/.+/[^/]+(\.log|\.LOG)$
mac:^/Library/.+/[^/]+(\.log|\.LOG)$
mac:^/System/Library/.+/[^/]+(\.log|\.LOG)$
mac:^/opt/homebrew/.+/[^/]+(\.log|\.LOG)$
mac:^/private/var/.+/[^/]+(\.log|\.LOG)$
mac:^/usr/local/.+/[^/]+(\.log|\.LOG)$
mac:^/Users/[^/]+/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/.+$
mac:^/Users/[^/]+/Library/Application Support/Firefox/Profiles/[^/]+/(datareporting/|sessionstore-backups/|storage/|weave/).+$
mac:^/Users/[^/]+/Library/Application Support/Firefox/Profiles/[^/]+/(AlternateServices.txt|broadcast-listeners.json|SiteSecurityServiceState.txt)$
mac:^/Users/[^/]+/Library/Application Support/Firefox/Profiles/[^/]+/(prefs\.js|prefs.+\.js)$
mac:^/Users/[^/]+/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/(AutofillStates/|CertificateRevocation/|ClientSidePhishing/|Crashpad/|Crowd Deny/|DesktopSharingHub/|MEIPreload/|OptimizationHints/|PKIMetadata/|Policy/|SafetyTips/|Snapshots/|Snapshots[^/]+/|Subresource Filter/|TrustTokenKeyCommitments/).+$
mac:^/Users/[^/]+/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/(chrome_shutdown_ms.txt|Last Version|Local State)$
mac:^/Users/[^/]+/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/[^/]+/(Application Cache/|blob_storage/|databases/|File System/|Extensions/|Local Extension Settings/|Search Logos/|Sessions/|Service Worker/|shared_proto_db/).+$
mac:^/Users/[^/]+/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/[^/]+/(Cookies|DownloadMetadata|Favicons|Network Action Predictor|QuotaManager|Reporting and NEL|Safe Browsing Cookies|Secure Preferences|Shortcuts|Trusted Vault|Web Data)$
mac:^/Users/[^/]+/Library/Application Support/Slack/(blob_storage/|Crashpad/|IndexedDB/|sentry/|Session Storage/|shared_proto_db/).+$
mac:^/Users/[^/]+/Library/Application Support/Slack/(Cookies|CrashpadMetrics.pma|CrashpadMetrics-active.pma|local-settings.json|Network Persistent State|QuotaManager)$
mac:^/Users/[^/]+/Library/Application Support/Slack/.+com.tinyspeck.+$
win:(^\w+:/){1}Users/[^/]+/AppData/.+/[^/]+(\.bin|\.dat|\.db|\.dll|-journal|\.kgdb|-lock|\.pma|-shm|\.sqlite|\.sqlite3|\.srd|-wal)$
win:(^\w+:/){1}(ProgramData/|Program Files/|Program Files \(x86\)/|Windows/).+/[^/]+(\.bin|\.dat|\.db|\.dll|-journal|\.kgdb|-lock|\.pma|-shm|\.sqlite|\.sqlite3|\.srd|-wal)$
win:(^\w+:/){1}Users/[^/]+/AppData/.+/[^/]+(\.lock|\.pid|\.tmp)$
win:(^\w+:/){1}(ProgramData/|Program Files/|Program Files \(x86\)/|Windows/).+/[^/]+(\.lock|\.pid|\.tmp)$
win:(^\w+:/){1}Users/[^/]+/AppData/.+/[^/]+(\.log|\.LOG)$
win:(^\w+:/){1}(ProgramData/|Program Files/|Program Files \(x86\)/|Windows/).+/[^/]+(\.log|\.LOG)$
win:(^\w+:/){1}Users/[^/]+/AppData/Local/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/User Data/[^/]+/(Cache/).+$
win:(^\w+:/){1}Users/[^/]+/AppData/Local/Google/Chrome/User Data/(BrowserMetrics/|CertificateRevocation/|hyphen-data/|MEIPreload/|OptimizationHints/|PKIMetadata/|Safe Browsing/|SafetyTips/|Snapshots[^/]+/|Subresource Filter/|SwReporter/|TrustTokenKeyCommitments/).+$
win:(^\w+:/){1}Users/[^/]+/AppData/Local/Google/Chrome/User Data/(BrowserMetrics-spare.pma|CrashpadMetrics-active.pma|chrome_shutdown_ms.txt|Last Browser|Last Version|Local State|lockfile)$
win:(^\w+:/){1}Users/[^/]+/AppData/Local/Google/Chrome/User Data/[^/]+/(AutofillStrikeDatabase/|blob_storage/|BudgetDatabase/|data_reduction_proxy_leveldb/|Download Service/|Extension State/|Extensions/|Feature Engagement Tracker/|File System/|IndexedDB/|Local Extension Settings/|Managed Extension Settings/|optimization_guide_model_and_features_store/|Platform Notifications/|Service Worker/|Session Storage/|Sessions/|shared_proto_db/|Site Characteristics Database/|Storage/|Sync Data/|Sync Extension Settings/|VideoDecodeStats/).+$
win:(^\w+:/){1}Users/[^/]+/AppData/Local/Google/Chrome/User Data/[^/]+/(Favicons|Login Data|Network Action Predictor|QuotaManager|Reporting and NEL|Shortcuts|Trusted Vault|Web Data)$
win:(^\w+:/){1}Users/[^/]+/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Edge/User Data/(Ad Blocking/|BrowserMetrics/|Edge Shopping/|GrShaderCache/|SmartScreen/|Snapshots/|Snapshots[^/]+/|Subresource Filter/).+$
win:(^\w+:/){1}Users/[^/]+/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Edge/User Data/(BrowserMetrics-spare.pma|CrashpadMetrics.pma|edge_shutdown_ms.txt|Local State|lockfile)$
win:(^\w+:/){1}Users/[^/]+/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Edge/User Data/[^/]+/(Cache/|Code Cache/|data_reduction_proxy_leveldb/|Extensions/|Feature Engagement Tracker/|IndexedDB/|old_Cache[^/]+/|Service Worker/|Sessions/|shared_proto_db/).+$
win:(^\w+:/){1}Users/[^/]+/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Edge/User Data/[^/]+/(Network Persistent State|Preferences|QuotaManager|Reporting and NEL|TransportSecurity)$
Recommended global exclusions
You can exclude additional directories and files from all backups with global exclusions. We recommend you set the following global exclusions:
(?i)^.*(\.class|-journal|\.Win386\.SWP|PM_HIBER\.BIN|SAVE2DSK\.BIN|SYSTEM\.DAT|TOSHIBER\.DAT|Thumbs\.db|USER\.DAT|\.bck|\.bkf|\.cdt|\.hdd|\.hds|\.icloud|\.ini|\.lrprev|\.manifest|\.mum|\.nib|\.nvram|\.ost|\.part|\.pvm|\.pvs|\.rbf|\.tibx?|\.tmp|\.upd|\.avhdx|\.vdi|\.vfd|\.vhd|\.vhdx|\.vmc|\.vmdk|\.vmem|\.vmsd|\.vmsn|\.vmss|\.vmtm|\.vmwarevm|\.vmx|\.vmxf|\.vsv|\.vud|\.xva|\.qcow2?|iso|pkg|raw|memory\.dmp|/Lightroom.*Previews\.lrdata|\.sparsebundle|\.sparseimage|/(cookies|permissions)\.sqlite(-.{3})?|\.crdownload)$
(?i)^.*(/Apple.*/Installer Cache/|/Cache/|/Cookies/|/Music/Subscription/|/Plex Media Server/|/Steam/|/Temp/|/\.dropbox\.cache/|/\.git/|/iPod Photo Cache/|/node_modules/|/tmp/|/tsm_images/|\.Trash|\.hdd/|\.pvm/|\.cprestoretmp|\.nvm|\.npm|/\.gradle/).*
linux:(?i)^/(usr/(?!($|local/$|local/crashplan/$|local/crashplan/print_job_data/.*))|opt/|etc/|dev/|home/[^/]+/\.config/google-chrome/|home/[^/]+/\.mozilla/|sbin/).*
linux:^/(cdrom/|dev/fd/|devices/|dvdrom/|initrd/|kernel/|lost\+found/|proc/|run/|selinux/|srv/|sys/|system/|var/(:?run|lock|spool|tmp|cache)/|proc/).*
linux:^/lib/modules/.*/volatile/\.mounted
mac:(?i)^.*(/iTunes/Album Artwork/Cache/|/Network Trash Folder/|/Photos Library.*/Thumbnails/|/backups\.backupdb/|/iP.* Software Updates/|/iPhoto Library.*/Thumbnails/|/iPhoto Library/iPod Photo Cache|/migratedphotolibrary/Thumbnails/|\.imovielibrary/.*/Analysis Files/|\.imovielibrary/.*/Render Files/).*
mac:^.*(/Trash/|/\.fcpcache/|MobileBackups/|\.Spotlight-.*/|\.fseventsd|\.hotfiles\.btree|/bin/|/home/|/sbin/|/cores/|/private/|/var/).*
mac:(?i)^.*(\.imovielibrary/\.lock)$
mac:(?i)^.*(\.DS_Store|\.plist|\.strings)$
mac:(?i)^/(usr/|opt/|etc/|var/|Users/((?!XCode).)*/Applications/|Users/Shared/|dev/|Library/(?!($|Application Support/$|Application Support/CrashPlan/$|Application Support/CrashPlan/print_job_data/.*))|proc/|/Users/.*/.vscode/extensions/).*
mac:^/(Applications/|Desktop DB|Desktop DF|Network/|Previous Systems|System/|Users/.*/\.cisco/vpn/log/|Users/.*/\.dropbox/|Users/[^/]+/Library/|\.DocumentRevisions-V100/|\.PKInstallSandboxManager-SystemSoftware|\.adobeTemp/|\.vol/|afs/|automount/|lost\+found/|net/).*
win:(?i)^.*(/I386|/System Volume Information/|/Temporary Internet Files/|/Windows Update Setup Files/|\$RECYCLE\.BIN/|/NTUSER|/Safari/Library/Caches/|/Windows Defender/|/cygwin(64)?/(bin|dev|etc|lib|sbin|tmp|var|usr)/|UsrClass\.dat).*
win:^.*(/Local Settings/Temp|/Local.*/History/|/LocalService/|/MSOCache|/NetHood/|/NetworkService/).*
win:(?i)^.*(/pagefile\.sys|\.etl|\.mui)$
win:(?i)^.:/(Recovery/|boot/|ESD/|Recycler/|Dell/|Intel/|Oracle/|PerfLogs/|Program Files( \(x86\))?/|ProgramData/(?!$|CrashPlan/$|CrashPlan/user_settings/)|Users/All Users/|Users/[^/]+/AppData/|Users/[^/]+/Apple/MobileSync/|Windows(\.old)?/|\$WINDOWS.~(BT|WS)/|\$SysReset/|\$GetCurrent/|_RESTORE/|_SMSTaskSequence/|safeboot/|swsetup/).*
win:(?i)^.:/(Config\.Msi|HIBERFIL\.SYS|HIBRN8\.DAT|autoexec\.bat|boot\.ini|bootmgr|bootnxt|bootsect\.bak|config\.sys|io\.sys|msdos\.sys|ntdetect\.com|ntldr|swapfile\.sys)$
(?i)^.*(\.kgdb|\.db|\.srd|-shm|-wal|-lock|\.musicdb|\.tvdb|\.pid)$
(?i)^.*\.photoslibrary/(private/|resources/|database/).*$
(?i)^.*/(.*\.?leveldb)/.*$