The Recovery Tool
For everyday restores, use the main app - it is faster, does more, and its restore is never license-gated. The Recovery Tool is a separate safety net for independence: it is free, open-source, and reads the published archive format directly, so your data stays recoverable even if you no longer have the app, do not want to install its background service, or Nyx is no longer around.
What it is
- Free and always works - no license, no trial, no account. Restoring your own data should never depend on a payment.
- Open source - published under the Apache 2.0 license so anyone can read, build, and audit it. Source: github.com/nyxbackup/nyxbackup-recovery.
- Independent - a separate, minimal program that reads the published archive format directly. It does not share the main app’s code, so it cannot inherit the main app’s bugs.
When to use it
The Recovery Tool runs on the same systems as the main app, so this is never about a machine the app “can’t run on” - for an actual recovery, install the main app and use it; it is faster, does more, and restores better. Reach for the Recovery Tool when what you want is independence, not capability:
- Long-term insurance. If Nyx (the company) is ever gone, or you stop trusting the app, a tiny open-source reader still gets your data back from the published format - no vendor required.
- No install, no service, no admin. It is a single portable binary that reads your backups directly, without installing a background service or needing administrator rights - handy on a locked-down or shared computer, or when you just want to pull a few files without a full install.
- Independent assurance. Verify your backups are readable with something completely separate from the program that wrote them - useful for audits and peace of mind.
- Scriptable and standalone for developers and administrators.
Most people will never need it - and that is the point. For everyday restores, use the main app; the Recovery Tool exists so your data is never trapped in a single program.
What you need
- The Recovery Tool itself - download it from nyxbackup.com/download-recovery.
- Read access to your destination (the same bucket or server and its credentials).
- Your recovery passphrase - the one you wrote down at first run.
Point it at your storage, enter the passphrase, browse your snapshots, and restore. Because it reads the same documented format, it sees exactly the same backups the main app does.