Files excluded from backup by default

Overview

The Code42 agent is designed to preserve user files from devices, not operating system files or applications. Therefore, the Code42 agent excludes certain temporary files and system files. This article describes the files that are excluded from backup by default. On a regular basis, Code42 will assess and add additional backup file exclusions as needed. 

You can also add your own exclusions. For directions, see Include and exclude files for backup.

Types of files excluded

Some of the excluded file types and folders are:

• Browser caches, cookies, and temporary files
• System working files
• System logs
• Application and program files
• Files over 10 GB

Excluded files

All patterns are in Java Regular Expression format.

(?i).*/CrashPlan.*/(?:cache|log|conf|manifest|upgrade|backupArchives|metadata)/.*
(?i).*/Main Identity.*/Data Records/.*
(?i).*/VMMHIBER\.W9X
(?i).*/\.TemporaryItems/.*
(?i).*\.ldb
(?i).*/.*leveldb
(?i)^.*/(.*\.?leveldb)/.*$
(?i)^.*(/Apple.*/Installer Cache/|/Cache/|/.cache2?|/Caches|/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/).*
(?i)^.*(\.class|-journal|Win386\.SWP|PM_HIBER\.BIN|SAVE2DSK\.BIN|SYSTEM\.DAT|TOSHIBER\.DAT|USER\.DAT|\.bck|\.bkf|\.cdt|\.hdd|\.hds|\.icloud|\.ini|\.lrprev|\.manifest|\.mum|\.nib|tmpm-.*|\$.*|\~.*|\.nvram|\.ost|\.part|\.pvm|\.pvs|\.rbf|\.tibx?|/Lightroom.*Previews\.lrdata|/(cookies|permissions)\.sqlite(-.{3})?|\.crdownload)$
(?i)^.*(\.kgdb|\.db|\.srd|-shm|-wal|-lock|\.musicdb|\.tvdb)$
(?i)^.*(\.pid|\.tmp|\.lock|\.upd|\.avhdx|\.ova|\.vdi|\.vfd|\.vhd|\.vhdx|\.vmc|\.vmdk|\.vmem|\.vmsd|\.vmsn|\.vmss|\.vmtm|\.vmwarevm|\.vmx|\.vmxf|\.vsv|\.vud|\.xva|\.qcow2?|\.iso|\.pkg|\.cab|\.ppd|\.mui|\.etl|\.raw|memory\.dmp|\.backupbundle|\.sparsebundle|\.sparseimage|\.mrimg)$
(?i)^.*(\.pst|\.dll|\.msi|\.exe|\.mdb|\.pma|\.sqlite|\.dmp|\.msix|\.dmg|\.tflite|(?<!ScanState)\.log)$
.*/(?:42|\d{18})/(?:cp\.properties|cpbf\d{18}.*/.*|\d{18}|cpbp|cpfmf(?:(?:\.compacttmp[psx])|[psx])?|cphdf|cprp|cptl)
.*/(cookies|permissions)\.sqllite(-.{3})?
linux:(?i)^/(usr/(?!($|local/$|local/crashplan/$|local/crashplan/print_job_data/.*))|opt/|etc/|dev/|home/[^/]+/\.config/google-chrome/|home/[^/]+/\.mozilla/|sbin/).*
linux:^/(cdrom/|dev/fd/|devices/|dvdrom/|initrd/|kernel/|lost\+found/|proc/|run/|selinux/|srv/|sys/|system/|var/(:?run|log|lock|spool|tmp|cache)/|proc/).*
linux:^/lib/modules/.*/volatile/\.mounted
mac:(?i).*/Google/Chrome/User Data/Default/IndexedDB/.*
mac:(?i)^((?!.*Bookmarks).*\.plist|.*\.DS_Store|.*\.strings)$
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:(?i)^.*\.photoslibrary/(private/|resources/|database/).*$
mac:(?i)^/(Users/(?!XCode)[^/]*/Library/(?!($|Group Containers\/$|Group Containers\/group\.com\.apple\.notes\/.*|Keychains\/.*|Containers\/com\.apple\.stickies\/$|Containers\/com\.apple\.stickies\/.*|Safari/$|Safari/Bookmarks\.plist$))).*
mac:(?i)^/(Users/(?!XCode)[^/]*/\.orbstack/data/)data.img
mac:(?i)^/(usr/|opt/|etc/|var/|Users\/(?!XCode)[^/]*\/Applications\/|Users\/(?!XCode)[^/]*\/Downloads\/|Users\/(?!XCode)[^/]*\/\.sonarlint\/|Users/Shared/|dev/|Library/(?!($|Application Support/$|Application Support/CrashPlan/$|Application Support/CrashPlan/print_job_data/.*))|proc/|Users/.*/.vscode/extensions/).*
mac:.*/Code42/Code 42 Service\.app/.*
mac:.*Private Directory Data.*/.*
mac:^.*(/Trash/|/\.fcpcache/|/\.?MobileBackups/|\.Spotlight-.*/|\.fseventsd|\.hotfiles\.btree|/bin/|/home/|/sbin/|/cores/|/private/|/var/).*
mac:^/(Applications/|Desktop DB|Desktop DF|Network/|Previous Systems|System/|Users/.*/\.cisco/vpn/log/|Users/.*/\.dropbox/|\.DocumentRevisions-V100/|\.PKInstallSandboxManager-SystemSoftware|\.*adobeTemp/|\.vol/|afs/|automount/|lost\+found/|net/).*
win:(?i).*/Packages/Microsoft\.Windows\.Cortana.*
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:(?i)^.:(/Users/.*/OneDrive.*/.*|/Users/.*/Downloads/.*|/Users/.*/.cisco/.*)
win:(?i)^.:/(Config\.Msi|pagefile\.sys|HIBERFIL\.SYS|HIBRN8\.DAT|autoexec\.bat|boot\.ini|bootmgr|bootnxt|bootsect\.bak|config\.sys|io\.sys|msdos\.sys|ntdetect\.com|ntldr|swapfile\.sys)$
win:(?i)^.:/(swsetup/|Recovery/|boot/|ESD/|Recycler/|Dell/|Intel/|Oracle/|PerfLogs/|Program Files/|Program Files (\(x86\))?/|ProgramData/(?!$|CrashPlan/$|CrashPlan/user_settings/)|Users/All Users/|Users/[^/]+/Apple/MobileSync/|Users/[^/]+/\.sonarlint/|Windows(\.old)?/|\$WINDOWS.~(BT|WS)/|\$SysReset/|\$GetCurrent/|_RESTORE/|_SMSTaskSequence/|safeboot/|swsetup/).*
win:(?i)^.:/Users/[^/]+/AppData/.*
win:.*DfsrPrivate.*
win:.:/winnt/.*
win:^.*(/Local Settings/Temp|/Local.*/History/|/LocalService/|/MSOCache|/NetHood/|/NetworkService/).*

January 2024 updates
Additional exclusions were applied to the Code42 cloud on January 5, 2024. View details.

Custom global exclusions

You can exclude additional directories and files from all backups with global exclusions.

Related topics

• Include and exclude files for backup 
• Exclude or filter files using file type and regular expressions (regex) 
• Reference information for including or excluding files for backup
• Optimize Code42 console settings for the backup agent