Back up and restore your Claude Desktop environment, and rebuild it on another machine or account. Cross-platform (Windows, macOS, Linux), 100 % local — nothing is sent over the network.
English first, français plus bas.
A Claude setup has two halves, and this tool covers both:
- Local half (files on disk) —
local/Python scripts back up and restore the config, MCP servers, DXT extensions, marketplace plugins & skills, and personal skills. Fully automated. - Account half (server side: Projects, connectors, installed plugins) —
cloud/bilingual runbooks to inventory and rebuild it, since it cannot be copied from disk.
- Python 3.8+. Config auto-detected per OS (
%APPDATA%\Claude,~/Library/Application Support/Claude,~/.config/Claude); override withCLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR. - For the skill: the Desktop Commander MCP in Claude.
python local/claude_backup.py
Creates ~/Claude-Backups/claude-backup-<date>/ + a .zip.
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
--full |
Include large skills and full session history. |
--destination DIR |
Change the destination folder. |
--keep N |
Backups to keep (default 10; 0 = unlimited). |
--max-item-mb N |
Core-mode size threshold for large skills (default 200). |
--no-zip |
Skip the archive. |
--include-secrets |
Keep MCP secrets inline (not recommended for sharing). |
By default, MCP secrets in claude_desktop_config.json are moved to a separate
secrets.json, excluded from the .zip. The .zip is shareable; the backup
folder (which holds secrets.json) is not — store it safely.
Close Claude Desktop first, then:
# Same account / new machine (reinjects secrets)
python local/claude_restore.py <folder-or-zip> --mode same-machine
# New account / new environment (skips identity files, keeps redacted config)
python local/claude_restore.py <folder-or-zip> --mode new-environment
--force closes Claude if open; --yes skips the prompt; --target DIR restores
elsewhere (for testing). Then follow cloud/RESTORE.md for the account side.
The scripts cover local files only. To capture and rebuild the account half, follow
the runbooks: cloud/export-inventory.md, cloud/export-project.md,
cloud/RESTORE.md.
- Marketplace:
/plugin marketplace add vdenis06/claude-desktop-backupthen/plugin install desktop-env-backup@vdenis06-tools. - .skill file: import
dist/desktop-env-backup.skillvia Settings → Capabilities → Skills. Then say "back up my Claude environment".
Scheduling is Windows-only for now via scripts/Install-Schedule.ps1 (weekly, no
admin); cron/launchd are not yet ported. OAuth tokens and conversations are never
exportable (reconnect / re-auth). Full Project enumeration needs the web app or
account export. A Project's description and custom instructions are re-entered by
hand on restore.
claude_desktop_config.json may contain plaintext secrets — keep the backup folder
safe and, on a leak, revoke and regenerate them. Author: vdenis06. MIT. Made
with Claude.
Sauvegardez et restaurez votre environnement Claude Desktop, et reconstruisez-le sur une autre machine ou un autre compte. Multi-plateforme (Windows, macOS, Linux), 100 % local.
Deux moitiés, toutes deux couvertes : la moitié locale (local/, scripts Python :
config, serveurs MCP, extensions, plugins et skills) et la moitié compte (cloud/,
runbooks : Projets, connecteurs, plugins installés), qui ne se copie pas depuis le disque.
Python 3.8+. Config détectée par OS (override CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR). Pour le skill :
le MCP Desktop Commander.
python local/claude_backup.py → ~/Claude-Backups/claude-backup-<date>/ + .zip.
Options : --full, --destination, --keep, --max-item-mb, --no-zip,
--include-secrets.
Les secrets MCP sont isolés dans secrets.json, hors du .zip par défaut. Le
.zip est partageable ; le dossier (avec secrets.json) ne l'est pas.
Fermer Claude, puis python local/claude_restore.py <dossier-ou-zip> --mode same-machine
(réinjecte les secrets) ou --mode new-environment (exclut les fichiers d'identité).
Options --force, --yes, --target. Puis suivre cloud/RESTORE.md pour le compte.
Marketplace : /plugin marketplace add vdenis06/claude-desktop-backup puis
/plugin install desktop-env-backup@vdenis06-tools. Ou importer
dist/desktop-env-backup.skill (Réglages → Capacités → Skills), puis dire
« sauvegarde mon environnement Claude ».
Planification Windows uniquement pour l'instant (scripts/Install-Schedule.ps1) ;
cron/launchd pas encore portés. Jetons OAuth et conversations non exportables.
Énumération complète des Projets via l'app web / export de compte. Description et
instructions d'un Projet re-saisies à la main. claude_desktop_config.json peut
contenir des secrets en clair : stockez la sauvegarde dans un endroit sûr.
Auteur : vdenis06. Licence MIT. Généré avec l'aide de Claude.
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