CLI (Command Line Interface)

The Ente CLI is a command-line tool for advanced users that provides programmatic access to Ente Photos. It's particularly useful for automation, server environments, and power users who prefer terminal-based tools.

What is the CLI?

The Ente CLI allows you to:

• Export your entire library or specific albums to local storage
• Set up automated exports with cron jobs
• Sync data to NAS or other storage systems
• Perform bulk operations programmatically

Why use the CLI?

The CLI is particularly useful for:

• Regular automated backups to local/NAS storage
• Server-to-server transfers without a GUI
• Power users who prefer command-line tools
• Scheduled tasks using cron or similar schedulers
• Scripting and automation workflows

Installation

Ente's CLI is distributed directly over GitHub.

Steps:

1. Go to the CLI releases page
2. Download the appropriate version for your platform:
   • Linux (x64, ARM64)
   • macOS (Intel, Apple Silicon)
   • Windows (x64)
3. Follow the installation instructions in the CLI README

Basic usage

Authentication

Before using the CLI, you need to authenticate:

ente account login

This will prompt for your email and password, then store your session securely.

Exporting photos

The CLI supports incremental exports, downloading only new or changed files. Set or change the destination directory per account, then run the export:

# Configure the export directory for your account (run once)
ente account update --app photos --email you@example.com --dir /path/to/backup

# Export all photos to the configured directory
ente export

# Export specific albums
ente export --albums "Album Name","Another Album"

Key features:

• Incremental exports (only new/changed files)
• Gracefully handles interruptions
• Safe to stop and restart without re-downloading
• Preserves album structure and metadata

For complete command documentation, see the CLI README.

Automated exports

Setting up cron jobs

You can automate exports using cron (Linux/macOS) or Task Scheduler (Windows).

Set the export directory for the account once (outside cron) and then schedule ente export:

# Run once to set the directory the export job should use
/usr/local/bin/ente account update --app photos --email you@example.com --dir /nas/ente-backup

# Daily export at 2 AM
0 2 * * * /usr/local/bin/ente export

Steps to set up:

1. Open crontab editor: crontab -e
2. Add the cron job line
3. Save and exit
4. Verify with: crontab -l

NAS sync setup

The recommended approach for keeping NAS and Ente synced is to use the CLI to pull data from Ente to your NAS:

Setup:

1. Install the CLI on your NAS or a machine that can access it
2. Authenticate the CLI with your Ente account
3. Set up a cron job to run periodic exports
4. Use the CLI's incremental export feature to keep data synced

Example for daily NAS sync:

/usr/local/bin/ente account update --app photos --email you@example.com --dir /nas/ente-backup
0 2 * * * /usr/local/bin/ente export

Important: Two-way sync is not currently supported. The CLI only pulls data from Ente to local storage - changes to local files won't sync back to Ente.

Export details

Album structure preservation

Exports maintain your exact album structure from Ente. Each album becomes a separate folder.

Metadata handling

Metadata is exported as JSON files in the same format as Google Takeout, making it compatible with tools that support Google Takeout imports.

Format:

photo.jpg
.meta/photo.jpg.json

Learn more in the Export feature guide.

CLI vs Desktop export

Feature	CLI	Desktop App
Platform	All platforms (terminal)	Desktop GUI
Automation	✅ Cron jobs, scripts	✅ Continuous export
Server use	✅ Headless servers	❌ Requires GUI
Album selection	Command line flags	GUI settings
Incremental	✅	✅
Metadata	✅	✅

When to use CLI:

• Server environments without GUI
• Scheduled automated backups
• Custom scripting workflows
• Power users who prefer terminal

When to use Desktop:

• Visual interface preferred
• Continuous background export
• One-time setup without scripting

Source code and development

The CLI is open source and part of the Ente project:

• Source code: GitHub
• Documentation: CLI README
• Report issues: GitHub Issues

You can review, contribute to, or extend the CLI for your specific needs.

Related FAQs

• What is the Ente CLI?
• How do I install the CLI?
• How do I export photos with CLI?
• How do I sync NAS and Ente?
• CLI not found after installation
• CLI authentication issues
• CLI export interruptions
• NAS export issues with CLI

Related topics

• Export - Desktop export feature
• Watch folders - Automatic uploads