How does the CrashPlan app detect away and present settings?

Overview

The CrashPlan app adjusts settings, such as CPU and bandwidth usage, based on if a user is using the device or if a user is away from the device. This article explains how the CrashPlan app detects when a user is present or away.

The method to detect away/present status depends on your operating system and your version of the CrashPlan app, as described below.

CrashPlan app version 8.6 and later

Windows

The CrashPlan app evaluates several factors to determine if you are using your device:

  • Mouse and keyboard activity
  • If media is playing, including streaming video in web browsers and video conference applications
Considerations
  • Mouse and keyboard activity includes detection over remote desktop (RDP) connections.
  • Media detection is not supported for per user installations.
  • The CrashPlan app does not access the camera and does not require any extra permissions to determine if video is active.
  • It may take up to 30 seconds to detect a change in status.

Mac

The CrashPlan app evaluates several factors to determine if you are using your device:

  • Mouse and keyboard activity
  • CrashPlan app versions 8.6 - 8.8 only: If media is playing, including audio, streaming video in web browsers, and video conference applications
Considerations
  • Mouse and keyboard activity is not detected over remote connections.
  • It may take up to 30 seconds to detect a change in status.
  • CrashPlan app versions 8.6 - 8.8 only:
    • Media detection requires macOS 10.15 or later.
    • The CrashPlan app does not access the camera and does not require any extra permissions to determine if video is active.

Linux

The CrashPlan app for Linux relies on mouse and keyboard activity to determine if you are using your device.

Considerations
  • Keyboard and mouse activity is not detected over remote connections.
  • It may take up to 30 seconds to detect a change in status.
  • Activity detection requires these packages:
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 7libXScrnSaver
    • RHEL 8libXScrnSaver and libnsl
    • Ubuntulibgconf-2-4

CrashPlan app version 8.5 and earlier

Windows

In Windows, the CrashPlan app relies on mouse and keyboard activity to determine if you are using your device. It may take up to 30 seconds to detect a change in status.

Mac

The CrashPlan app for Mac relies on mouse and keyboard activity to determine if you are using your device.

Linux

The CrashPlan app for Linux always uses the away setting.

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