Backblaze B2 client for Mac, Windows and Linux

Backblaze B2 client for Mac, Windows and Linux

B2 is Backblaze’s bulk storage service. It is different than their primary backup business in that it is more like Backblaze B2 in that it is an API-driven cloud storage service. It is about 1/4 the cost of Amazon S3, but has a different API making the range of desktop clients much more limited.

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Map or Mount Backblaze B2 as a Network Drive with ExpanDrive

If you’re looking to connect to B2, ExpanDrive is an amazing option for moving data. The core app has been under active development for more than a decade and is designed from the ground up to be a fast multi-platform workhorse. It is one of the fastest and most reliable B2 clients available. ExpanDrive is a B2 client for macOS and Windows that lets you connect to B2 as a fast network drive, so that all your files in the cloud are available from within any application including Finder and Explorer or your favorite Linux File Manager

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B2 desktop client options

Most consumer-focused cloud storage services like Dropbox or Google Drive come with their own desktop sync client. Backblaze B2 differs in that it designed to have custom clients that speak its API move data in and out of the service. So to effectively use B2, you need client like ExpanDrive in order to take advantage of on your desktop. There is a fairly basic web interface, but other than that the only way to get data in and out of it is via the API. There are a handful variety of clients to access B2 but ExpanDrive is unique in that it translates the B2 API into an infinite-capacity external drive for macOS or PC. In practice this means Finder and Explorer now have B2 built in, as does every other app on your machine.

ExpanDrive works as a free B2 Client for macOS and Windows that connects you to Backblaze B2 as a fast network drive. ExpanDrive requires macOS 11 or newer and supports Microsoft Windows 10, Windows 11 and Windows server. ExpanDrive also works great in RDP/Terminal/Citrix services environments by isolating multiple users logged into the same machine.

ExpanDrive for Linux is available as a Deb or RPM package and runs on all major linux distributions including Ubuntu, Mint, Debian, Fedora, Red Hat and many more.

Creating a virtual drive with Backblaze B2

Backblaze provides a simple guide to get started with their B2 service. You’ll need an AWS account, as well as a bucket. From there, you’ll want to get your API keys to authenticate with ExpanDrive. Haystack Software has a nice guide on how to get the keys. As with any AWS keys, it is recommended to use IAM keys rather than your root keys.

Add your Access key and Secret Key, then click Save or Connect and you’re good to go. Backblaze B2 will now be visible as a network drive whenever you login to your computer – letting you access all of B2 from Finder, Explorer, Photoshop, Microsoft Office – whatever!

Drag and drop files to copy them out to the cloud. Or stream movies and media directly from B2 without needing to first download or sync them. For more information, check our documentation.

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