Install the Agent interactively

To install the Agent interactively, you download a generic Agent's installation package from the Downloads page of the Connected web application, and then run it to start the installation wizard that steps you through the install process. A company-wide setting, configurable by customer-level administrators, defines the Agent version available on the Downloads page to basic users for each supported operating system. However, as an administrator, you can download any version currently available to your company.

Before you begin

Ensure that your computer meets all Agent requirements. If installing on behalf of someone else, also ensure that a user profile for the person exists. If not, create it.

To install the Agent interactively

  1. In the upper-right corner of the web application, click your name, and then click Downloads.

  2. On the Downloads page, select the Agent specific to your computer's operating system, click the Download selected agent, and then save the Agent installation package to a temporary folder.

  3. To start the installation process, browse to the location where you saved the file, and then double-click it.

    The Connected Setup Wizard opens.

  4. Follow the steps in the wizard.

    The exact steps depend on the type of computer that you are using:

    • To install the Agent on a Windows-based computer

      1. On the Welcome page of the wizard, click Next.
      2. Read the end-user license agreement. If you accept it, select the check box, and then click Next. Otherwise, to stop the installation and exit the wizard, click Cancel .

      3. On the Destination page, do one of the following:

        • To install the Agent in its default location, click Next.
        • To install the Agent in a custom location, click Change, specify the new location, and then click Next.

      4. Finish any activity that uses Windows Explorer, such as copying files, and then click Next.

        NOTE: The installation process must restart Windows Explorer to register the icons that the Agent uses as badges on files and folders to indicate sync status. To ensure that this process does not cancel any Windows Explorer activity that you have in process, such as copying or downloading files, be sure to finish that activity before you click Next.

      5. Click Install.

      6. (Optional) To start the Agent manually after installation, click to clear the Launch Connected check box.

        By default, the Agent starts automatically.

      7. Click Finish.

      8. If prompted, restart the computer to complete the installation.

        If the installation process cannot completely install or configure a component in use by another application, it prompts you to restart the computer. After restart, the installation process automatically completes.

    • IMPORTANT: macOS 10.15 (Catalina) introduced data protection measures on folders that contain your documents and other personal files in your user profile. As a result, the first time the Agent attempts to access a file in each of these folders, macOS prompts whether to allow access.

      The first of these prompts occurs during Agent installation or upgrade to macOS Catalina when the installer package tries to create a shortcut on your desktop. Additional prompts occur during the Agent’s initial scan whenever it attempts to access one of the protected folders for the first time. For the Agent to back up files, you must allow access. After granting access to a specific folder, you are not prompted again for that location unless you manually revoke access through the macOS Security & Privacy settings.

      For more information about this macOS security-related data protection feature, see https://www.apple.com/macos/catalina/features/.

      To install on a macOS-based computer

      1. The installer prompts for permission to check whether the new software can be installed. To allow the check, click Continue. Otherwise, to stop the installation, click Cancel .
      2. On the Introduction page of the wizard, click Continue.
      3. Read the end-user license agreement, and then click Continue.
      4. To accept the agreement, click Agree. Otherwise, to stop the installation and exit the wizard, click Disagree.
      5. To install the Agent in its default location, click Install.
      6. In the password prompt that appears, enter your macOS user account password, and then click Install Software.
      7. When the installation process completes, click Close.

    If the installation fails, see the FAQ The Agent install or upgrade process failed, what should I do? for troubleshooting tips.

  5. If your company uses certificate-based authentication and you are installing the Agent for the first time, install the authentication certificate provided by your company.

    To install the certificate, copy it to the computer, double-click it, and then enter the certificate password when prompted. Next, import the certificate as follows:

    • Windows:

      1. Open Internet Properties, and then on the Content tab, click Certificates.
      2. On the Certificate page, import the certificate.

    • macOS:

      1. Open Keychain Access Manager, and then click File > Import Items.
      2. Browse to the certificate, and then open it.
      3. In the Add Certificates dialog box, select the System keychain, and then click Add.

      4. Enter your computer password to authorize the import, and then click Modify Keychain.

  6. If your company manages its own encryption keys and this is the initial installation of the Agent on the computer, install the Connected device client certificate.

    The Agent requires this certificate to establish a secure connection to Connected Key Management Server in order to fetch encrypted and decrypted copies of your site's encryption keys. Without it, the Agent will not work correctly. For more information, see Install the Connected device client certificate.

After successful installation, the Agent typically starts automatically. However, if during a Windows-based installation you cleared the wizard's Launch Connected check box, you must manually start the Agent.

When the Agent starts for the first time, it prompts for a Connected email address. At the prompt, do one of the following:

  • If installing the Agent for someone else, do not enter your own Connected email address unless you are a data administrator who wants to migrate the user's data.

    The Agent provides multiuser support; therefore, the user must be logged on to the computer during Connected authentication so that it associates the system's local user profile with the Connected profile that you created for the user.

    When the user logs on to the computer and the Agent starts for the first time, it prompts for the Connected email address associated with the user's Connected profile. In environments with federated authentication, the Agent then automatically signs the user on. Otherwise, the user must enter the credentials associated with their Connected profile or select the appropriate authentication certificate.

    NOTE: Option to select certificates automatically for authentication using certificate. (Mac Agent Only)
    You can use the CertIssuerRegex option in ConnectedConfig.xml file to select the certificate during authentication. To set this, perform the following:

    1. Modify ConnectedConfig.xml

      Edit the ConnectedConfig.xml file located at ~/Library/Application Support/Connected and add/update the following:

      <CertIssuerRegex><Value></CertIssuerRegex>

      <LoginUsingBrowser>false</LoginUsingBrowser>

      Where Value is a regular expression that can be used to match the certificate issuer name on macOS when using certificate based authentication. For example, MyTestCert.

      For example,

      <config>
<Port>443</Port>
<IdentityProviderSuffix/>
<RetryMaxAttempts>10</RetryMaxAttempts>
<MeteredConnection>0</MeteredConnection>
<BackupInterval>15</BackupInterval>
<CertIssuerRegex><Value></CertIssuerRegex>
<LoginUsingBrowser>false</LoginUsingBrowser>
<LaunchAtStartup>2</LaunchAtStartup>
</config>

    2. Restart the Agent to reflect the changes.

  • If installing the Agent for yourself, enter your own Connected email address and credentials, if prompted. Then, choose how to configure the Agent.

    In environments with federated authentication, after entering your email address, the Agent automatically signs you in. Otherwise, the Agent prompts for your Connected credentials or to select the appropriate authentication certificate.

    After verifying your credentials, the Agent displays the Device Setup Wizard page and prompts for how to configure the computer. Select either As a replacement or reinstallation of my existing computer (also applies to simply reinstalling the Agent) or As a secondary or additional computer. Then, click Finish.