Common questions

Short answers to the questions people ask in their first week. Each one links to the full article.

Does it run on a Mac or on Linux?#

No. GBM AI runs on Windows 10 (version 1809 or later) and Windows 11, on x64 and ARM64 PCs. See Installing Genie Backup Manager AI.

Is Free really free?#

Yes, for ever, on one PC. Free runs two jobs to local and USB drives, with full and incremental backups. Home and Pro add network shares, encryption, cloud and more. See Editions compared.

What happens when the trial ends?#

Backups pause until you choose. Nothing is deleted, and restore keeps working. You can buy Home or Pro, keep two jobs on Free, or enter a key you already have. See When the trial ends.

Do I need a licence to restore?#

No. Restore works in every edition and every state: on Free, after the trial, with a lapsed updates window, and on a PC that has never seen the job. See Restore a file or folder.

Can I open my backups without GBM AI?#

Do not plan on it. A backup is GBM AI's own set: small files are packed together, identical files are stored once, and the files may be compressed or encrypted. Restore through GBM AI instead. Any edition, Free included, restores any set on any PC. See Restoring backups made on another PC.

I used Genie Backup Manager 9. Can GBM AI restore my old backups?#

No. GBM AI cannot read GBM 9 backups or import GBM 9 jobs, and GBM 9 keys do not activate it. Keep GBM 9 installed for your old backups and set up new jobs in GBM AI. See Coming from Genie Backup Manager 9.

Does it need the internet?#

Not for backups, restores, schedules or Find. The internet is needed for Ask Genie, signing in, claiming a licence, update checks and emails sent by Genie9. A paid licence also checks in with Genie9 now and then: after 45 days without a connection the app asks you to connect, and paid features stay on for 14 more days. See Signing in, and what it is for.

Does anything about my files leave my PC?#

Your backups go only to the destinations you choose. The app sends no usage statistics. Ask Genie, when you press Ask or Send, sends your prompt and a description of your drives and jobs to Genie9's server, which passes it to OpenAI to write the job. See What is sent to Genie, and what never is and Security and privacy.

How much space do I need?#

The wizard tells you. The Where step shows whether the first backup fits, for example Room for the estimated 8.4 GB many times over. The Settings step estimates the history your retention keeps, for example History costs about 1.6× the source size. See Retention: how long backups are kept.

Can a backup start when I plug in my USB drive?#

No, plugging in a drive never starts a backup. Give the job a daily schedule instead: a run that is due waits for the drive and starts when you plug it in. See Plugging in a drive does not start a backup.

How do I skip tonight's backup?#

Right-click the GBM AI icon in the notification area and choose Pause scheduled backups ▸ For 24 hours, or turn one job off with its On switch. See Pausing scheduled backups.

Does the PC have to be on and signed in?#

It has to be on, or woken by Wake the computer to run. It also has to be signed in, unless service mode is on (Pro). A backup that could not start runs later if it is less than 12 hours late. See Keeping the PC awake for a backup and Running backups with nobody signed in.

Can it back up files that are open, like an Outlook mailbox?#

Yes, with a snapshot of the drive (VSS). Windows lets only an administrator take one. Without that right, open files are skipped and listed in the report. See Needs administrator: open files, VSS and three ways round it.

Can I back up my OneDrive or Google Drive folder?#

Yes, as a source, including files kept online only: GBM AI downloads each one for the backup and makes it online-only again, so your disk does not fill. The first backup of a large OneDrive takes as long as downloading it; later incremental backups fetch only what changed, while each full backup downloads it all again. Google Drive's G: drive is backed up like any other. Do not use a cloud-sync folder as the destination; the wizard warns you if you pick one. See OneDrive, Dropbox and Google Drive folders.

Does it protect against ransomware?#

GBM AI does not detect or stop ransomware. What helps is what it keeps: older restore points stay on the destination until retention removes them. Keep one copy on a USB drive that you unplug between backups, where nothing on the PC can reach it. See Choosing where backups go.

Can it back up Windows itself, as a system image?#

No. GBM AI backs up files and folders. A system image and bare-metal recovery are not part of Free, Home or Pro. After a Windows reinstall, reinstall your programs and restore your files. See Moving to a new PC.

I forgot my encryption password. Can Genie9 reset it?#

No. Nobody can recover a lost encryption password, and the sets made with it cannot be read. Keep the password in a password manager from the day you set it. See Restoring an encrypted backup.

How many PCs can one licence cover?#

Home covers 3 PCs and Pro covers 5. A seat is per PC, not per Windows user. See Moving a licence to another PC.

Does uninstalling delete my backups?#

No. The uninstaller asks Also remove your settings and backup jobs?, and either way Your backup files on their destinations are never deleted by this uninstaller. See Installing Genie Backup Manager AI.

Is the help in my language?#

The app speaks 18 languages and Setup speaks 15. The help centre is in English for now.

Related articles#

• Installing Genie Backup Manager AI
• Your first backup
• A scheduled backup did not run