JetBackup 5 Commands: Install, Licence, Update, Tiers, CLI and Uninstall

Short answer: the JetBackup 5 CLI is three command-line tools:

Applies to JetBackup 5.4.1.4 (RELEASE tier, trial licence); JetApps CLI 1.1.19; cPanel & WHM 138.0 build 15; AlmaLinux 9.8; lab test 11 Oct 2026

• jetapps handles the package: jetapps --install jetbackup5-cpanel release to install, -u to update, --chtier to change tier, --remove to uninstall.
• jetbackup5 handles the licence and quick jobs: jetbackup5 --license re-fetches the licence, --pkgacct USER backs up one account, --export saves the settings.
• jetbackup5api runs any API function, such as listing jobs, running a job or validating a destination.

Before changing tier, know that JetBackup cannot be downgraded.

We ran these on our cPanel lab server (cPanel & WHM 138.0 build 15, AlmaLinux 9.8, JetBackup 5.4.1.4 on the RELEASE tier with a trial licence) on 11 October 2026:

• the version, licence refresh and update checks;
• a tier change to rc and back (same version on both, so nothing was upgraded);
• a settings export;
• a one-account backup;
• destination validation and API reads.

We did not run the install, the uninstall or a key-based licence on that server. Those commands are from the JetBackup documentation and cPanel’s support article. For restores, see our JetBackup 5 restore guide.

JetBackup 5 CLI quick reference

Task	Command	Notes
Version and tier	jetbackup5 -V	e.g. JetBackup - Base 5.4.1.4 | cPanel Panel 5.4.1.4 (Current Tier RELEASE)
Package info	jetapps -i jetbackup5-cpanel	Installed version, current tier, available tiers, auto update
Installed JetApps packages	jetapps -d	-l also lists available ones
Refresh the licence	jetbackup5 --license	Prints License is Active when valid
Use a licence key	jetbackup5 --license-key KEY	Not tested; from the docs
Back to an IP licence	jetbackup5 --license-key	Without a key; from the built-in help
Force IPv4/IPv6 for licensing	jetbackup5 --license-force-ip 4	0 auto, 4, 6
Update	jetapps -u jetbackup5-cpanel	Prints Up to date when current
Change tier	jetapps --chtier jetbackup5-cpanel rc	No downgrade, see below
Auto-update on/off	jetapps --chupdate jetbackup5-cpanel yes	no to turn it off
Back up one account	jetbackup5 -v --pkgacct USER	Prints the archive path
Restore from that archive	jetbackup5 -v --restorepkg /path/jetbackup-USER.tar.gz	Not tested; overwrites the account
Export settings	jetbackup5 --export /root/jb	Jobs, destinations, settings
Import settings	jetbackup5 --import /root/jb/FILE.tar.gz	Not tested
Hide or show the UI	jetbackup5 --disable-ui user / --enable-ui user	Types: root, reseller, user
Uninstall	jetapps --remove jetbackup5-cpanel	Not tested; from the docs

Install JetBackup 5 on cPanel

From the JetBackup documentation, run as root:

bash <(curl -LSs https://repo.jetlicense.com/static/install)   # adds the JetApps repository and the jetapps tool
jetapps --install jetbackup5-cpanel release                      # release is the tier recommended for production

With an IP-based licence, JetBackup activates itself during installation using the server’s public IP. Then open JetBackup in WHM: the licence agreement (EULA) must be accepted there before the API will work. On our lab, API calls returned no data until it was accepted.

Licence: refresh, key or IP

jetbackup5 --license                    # re-fetch the licence from the JetApps servers
jetbackup5 --license-key YOUR_KEY       # switch to a key-based licence
jetbackup5 --license-key                # no key: switch back to IP-based
jetbackup5 --license-force-ip 4         # resolve the licence over IPv4 (0 = auto, 6 = IPv6)

On our lab, jetbackup5 --license printed:

License is set to IP based.
License fetched successfully.
License is Active - (Trial License)

JetBackup also re-validates the licence on its own every 48 hours. An IP-based licence is tied to the server’s public IP. After moving to a new server or IP, reissue it in the JetApps client area (Services → My Services → Reissue License), then run jetbackup5 --license. Use a key-based licence if the server’s public IP changes often. If the server has both IPv4 and IPv6 and the licence is for the IPv4 address, --license-force-ip 4 makes JetBackup check over IPv4.

Update and change tier

jetapps -i shows where you are:

# jetapps -i jetbackup5-cpanel
Package: jetbackup5-cpanel
Available Tiers: stable-5.4.1.4 release-5.4.1.4 rc-5.4.1.4 edge-5.4.2.2 beta-5.4.1.4 alpha-5.4.2.3
Current Tier: release
Installed Version: 5.4.1.4-203
Auto Update: yes

Update within your tier with jetapps -u jetbackup5-cpanel; on our lab it printed Updating jetbackup5-cpanel...Up to date. Change tier with jetapps --chtier jetbackup5-cpanel TIER. We switched to rc and back to release; both were 5.4.1.4 at the time, so the installed version did not change.

Be careful with edge and alpha. On the day we tested, they offered 5.4.2.2 and 5.4.2.3, newer than release. JetBackup’s documentation says there is no way to downgrade, so moving to a newer tier is a one-way step. Stay on release for production, and keep auto-update on (jetapps --chupdate jetbackup5-cpanel yes) unless you have a reason to stage updates.

Back up one account from the command line

jetbackup5 -v --pkgacct site3

On our lab this backed up a small WordPress account in 22 seconds. It ended with Backup location: /usr/local/jetapps/usr/jetbackup5/workspace/pkgacct/<id>/jetbackup-site3.tar.gz, a 37 MB archive with jetbackup.index and a backup/ tree. Move the archive somewhere safe or delete it when you are done, because it stays in JetBackup’s workspace. To restore such an archive, use jetbackup5 -v --restorepkg /path/jetbackup-site3.tar.gz. We did not run this, because it overwrites the account.

Export and import settings

jetbackup5 --export /root/jb                                       # Export Location: /root/jb/jetbackup5_export_<time>.tar.gz
jetbackup5 --import /root/jb/jetbackup5_export_<time>.tar.gz

The export on our lab was 119 KB. Run it before an uninstall, a server move or a risky tier change. The --export help also mentions --include-backups. The import we did not run.

The jetbackup5api CLI

jetbackup5api -F --help lists every function, and jetbackup5api -F FUNCTION --help shows its parameters. Add -O json for scripts. Useful ones:

jetbackup5api -F getInfo -O plain                        # version, tier, panel
jetbackup5api -F listBackupJobs -O json                  # jobs with _id, name, last run
jetbackup5api -F runBackupJobManually -D "_id=JOB_ID"    # start a job now
jetbackup5api -F listDestinations -O json                # destinations with _id
jetbackup5api -F validateDestination -D "_id=DEST_ID"    # "Destination Validated Successfully"
jetbackup5api -F reindexDestination -D "_id=DEST_ID"     # rebuild the index from the destination
jetbackup5api -F listLogs -O json                        # recent job logs
jetbackup5api -F listAlerts -O json                      # alerts shown in the dashboard

We ran getInfo, listBackupJobs, listDestinations and validateDestination. The rest are listed by -F --help on the same server.

Uninstall JetBackup 5

From the JetBackup documentation and cPanel’s support article:

jetbackup5 --export /root/jb                 # keep your settings first
jetapps --remove jetbackup5-cpanel           # remove JetBackup 5 for cPanel
yum remove jetapps-repo                      # optional: also remove the repository and every JetApps package
# apt-get remove jetapps-repo                # on Ubuntu

We did not run the uninstall on our lab: it is our working backup server, and reinstalling would mean accepting the EULA again in WHM. Removing the software does not touch backups already stored on remote destinations such as an SSH server or S3. Backups kept on this server’s own disk are a different matter, so copy them off first. JetBackup keeps its settings and database under /usr/local/jetapps (configuration in etc/jetbackup5, MongoDB data in var/lib/mongod). Check what remains after --remove before you delete anything there by hand.

Logs

File	What it holds
/usr/local/jetapps/var/log/jetbackup5/jetbackupd.log	Main daemon log (rotated daily)
/usr/local/jetapps/var/log/jetbackup5/jetbackupapi.log	API calls, including jetbackup5api
/usr/local/jetapps/var/log/jetbackup5/queue/	One log per backup, restore or download task
/usr/local/jetapps/var/log/jetapps/	jetapps installs and updates (the path is printed on each run)

Common problems

• The API returns success but no data on a new install. Accept the licence agreement in WHM → JetBackup first.
• Licence invalid after moving the server. IP licences follow the IP. Reissue it in the JetApps client area, then run jetbackup5 --license.
• Licence checks fail on a dual-stack server. Force the address family with jetbackup5 --license-force-ip 4 (or 6).
• Want the old version back after trying edge. JetBackup cannot be downgraded. Test new tiers on a lab server, not production.
• Disk fills up after --pkgacct. The archive stays in /usr/local/jetapps/usr/jetbackup5/workspace/pkgacct/. Delete it after copying.

Vendor reference: the JetBackup documentation.

Frequently asked questions

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Maintenance record

This guide changes servers, data or security settings, so we re-check it against current versions on a fixed schedule. Take a backup or snapshot before you start.

Maintained by

srvScripts editorial team

Supported versions

JetBackup 5.4.1.4 (RELEASE tier, trial licence); JetApps CLI 1.1.19; cPanel & WHM 138.0 build 15; AlmaLinux 9.8; lab test 11 Oct 2026

Last full review

11 Oct 2026

Next review

11 Apr 2027

Sources

docs.jetbackup.com/v5.3/adminpanel/generalInformation.html
support.cpanel.net/hc/en-us/articles/14551357143831-How-to-uninstall-JetBackup-5
support.cpanel.net/hc/en-us/articles/360061903874-How-to-Install-JetBackup-5-on-cPanel