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Run and monitor backups

Start a run​

Select Back up again on a backup card, use Back up all now for all due pairs, or start a run from the notification-area menu. A progress page shows scanning, counts, transferred size, the destination, and the folder currently being processed under Current subfolder.

You can pause or cancel without invalidating earlier completed work. The next run scans again and catches up with outstanding changes.

Choose Continue in background to return to Home without stopping the run. This button is available on every progress page, whether the operation was started from a wizard, Home, a schedule, or the notification area. Select the running operation's card to reopen its progress page; pause and cancel controls remain there while the run is active.

If files fail while the run is still active, choose Show what has gone wrong so far or More information. The live report identifies affected files and groups causes such as a full destination, a failed cloud download, or a Windows read/write error. It continues to grow until the run finishes.

Read the Home page​

Each pair reports its last and next run and whether attention is needed. Typical states include:

  • Protected — the latest run completed.
  • Waiting for the backup drive — reconnect the recorded destination.
  • Paused on battery or metered network — change policy or wait for the condition to clear.
  • Files in use — close the owning application and run again.
  • Destination full or unreachable — restore connectivity or capacity.

Calm waiting states are not failures. They explain why work is pending and what will make it continue.

When a run ends, its card refreshes the counts and status even if Home remained visible throughout the operation.

Notification area​

The tray icon keeps schedules active without leaving the main window open. Its menu can open O&O AutoBackup, start work, show backups, or cancel an active operation.

Notifications default to problems only. Routine “started” and “finished” messages stay quiet; the Home page and log retain that history.

Review the log​

Open Log to inspect completed operations, warnings, and errors. For recurring failures, note the pair, time, source path, destination, and exact message before contacting support.