Proton launches cross-platform CLI for encrypted file management

Proton Drive CLI: Secure Cross-Platform Command Line Interface for Encrypted Cloud Storage

Proton has released the Proton Drive CLI — a command-line interface that brings encrypted cloud storage, automation, and secure file management to the terminal across Windows, macOS, and Linux. This tool is designed for developers, power users, and IT pros who want to manage files, automate backups, and enforce strict security controls directly from scripts or the command line. With the Proton Drive CLI, file workflows that previously required switching contexts or using slow web UIs are now a few keystrokes away, tightly integrated with your OS and automation routines.

What is Proton Drive CLI and why use it?

Proton Drive CLI is a cross-platform terminal tool for managing encrypted files in Proton Drive entirely via your command line. It abstracts Proton’s secure cloud storage into a programmable, automatable interface that uses end-to-end encryption at every stage.

Why use it? Because it eliminates manual steps, supports automation at scale, and anchors your secure workflows in the environment you control most tightly. Whether it’s scheduling automated encrypted backups, moving sensitive files securely, or integrating storage operations into your deployment scripts, the CLI lets you work faster and with fewer security tradeoffs than a browser tab.

Core benefits:

• Fully cross-platform: runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux with native authentication and session handling.
• End-to-end encrypted: all file operations maintain Proton's security and privacy guarantees.
• Scriptable: supports structured JSON outputs and clean error handling for solid automation.
• No vendor lock-in: download a static binary, grant permissions in your own terminal, and plug into your existing CI/CD or cron jobs.
• Flexible sharing and collaboration: check permissions, invite collaborators, and monitor access — all without leaving the console.

If you rely on encrypted cloud storage but chafe at browser UIs or need to wire file actions into your own workflows, the Proton Drive CLI enables new levels of control and auditability.

Which platforms does Proton Drive CLI support?

Proton Drive CLI supports all major operating systems equally: Windows, macOS, and Linux. This isn’t an afterthought release — Proton’s team has shipped full binaries for every platform, with native session security on each.

Installation is straightforward. On macOS and Linux, you:

curl -LO 
chmod +x proton-drive         # mark as executable
./proton-drive                # run the CLI

On Windows, the CLI is distributed as a binary; install it by downloading the .exe, then run from any command prompt or PowerShell terminal:

proton-drive.exe

The authentication process does not require pasting passwords on the command line. Instead, when you run the CLI, it launches a browser-based authentication flow, linking your session with Proton securely. Behind the scenes, each OS stores your login session using the native credential manager — Keychain on macOS, Windows Credential Manager, or equivalent on Linux. This delegates session security to trusted system APIs.

Native cross-platform support means you can standardize scripts and workflows across all environments, with zero compromises for security or usability.

What core features does Proton Drive CLI offer?

Proton Drive CLI ships with a solid set of features for encrypted cloud storage management, file operations, and sharing. Here’s what stands out — with concrete command samples.

Authentication

The first step is always authentication, using the browser-based flow:

proton-drive auth login
# Opens a browser window for you to log in securely

No secret copied to the CLI; the session is securely stored.

Filesystem operations

• List directories and files:

  proton-drive file ls /documents

  Returns either a standard listing or structured output with --json for automation.

• Upload local files, skipping duplicates:

  proton-drive file upload ~/Reports/2026/ /reports/2026/ --skip-duplicates

• Move files to trash:

  proton-drive file rm /private/old-contract.pdf --to-trash

• Download entire folders:

  proton-drive file download /projects/ /backups/projects/

Sharing and collaboration

• Check sharing permissions for a folder:

  proton-drive share status /team/project-x/
  # --json for integration with audit tools

• Invite a collaborator with editor access and custom message:

  proton-drive share invite /team/project-x/ --user dev@example.com --role editor --message "Temporary access for dev sprint"

Structured output for automation

Many commands accept a --json flag, returning parseable data that slots directly into scripts, devops pipelines, or monitoring dashboards.

Export

All operation outputs can be exported with --json. This enables easy chaining with other CLI tools, parsing in your own scripts, or piping into deployment automation and reporting.

With these primitives, choreographing complex storage and sharing routines from CI, your dev terminal, or a scheduled cron job takes a handful of lines — audited and encrypted end to end.

How do you install and get started with Proton Drive CLI?

Getting started with Proton Drive CLI is fast — no dependency maze, no manual package juggling. Here’s the sequence for macOS and Linux (Windows follows similar steps, minus chmod):

1. Download the binary

curl -LO 

2. Make it executable (macOS/Linux only)

chmod +x proton-drive

3. Run and authenticate

./proton-drive auth login
# A browser window opens; log in with Proton. Session token is stored natively (Keychain/Credential Manager).

4. Run your first command: list your Proton Drive root directory

./proton-drive file ls /

5. Upload and verify

./proton-drive file upload ~/documents/report.pdf /reports/
./proton-drive file ls /reports/ --json

Use the output to script assertions or audit that file integrity/ownership stuck. Copy commands into your regular backup scripts or run interactively.

Windows installation notes

On Windows, download the .exe and run from Command Prompt or PowerShell. All output commands work the same as on Mac/Linux, and sessions are stored via Windows Credential Manager with no extra work.

Building from source

Proton also supports power users who want to build from source. Clone the repo, install dependencies with Bun, test, then compile the TypeScript code. This is a niche path (and not documented in the Neowin article), but matters in tightly controlled or audited CI environments.

With authentication and file listing handled natively and securely, the CLI targets both casual users who want one-click install and advanced users building encrypted workflows and automated backup jobs.

How can developers automate encrypted file management using Proton Drive CLI?

Proton Drive CLI is engineered for automation. The foundation is the --json flag, which morphs any supported command into a script- or pipeline-friendly structured output. This isn’t a bolt-on — it’s the critical path for integrating Proton’s encrypted storage with the rest of your stack.

Structured outputs for scripting

Automate listing, upload checks, or sharing status by parsing --json outputs:

proton-drive file ls /backups/2026/ --json | jq .files[]

Schedules and cron jobs

For automatic backups, pair Proton Drive CLI with cron or your CI orchestrator:

0 2 * * * /usr/local/bin/proton-drive file upload ~/critical-data/ /backups/daily/ --skip-duplicates

This gives you idempotent, encrypted backups — every day, no manual step, with audit logs from the CLI.

Collaborator and permission automation

Invite users or rotate access keys in scripts, e.g. on supply chain triggers:

proton-drive share invite /shared/onboarding/ --user ops@example.com --role editor
proton-drive share status /shared/onboarding/ --json

Parse the JSON output to verify access, flag deviations, or feed monitoring tools.

DevOps and security team integrations

Because the CLI requires no browser and outputs precise, machine-readable results, it fits smoothly into devops toolchains or SOC alerting. Security-critical data never passes through email or browser UIs; every access and movement is logged on your terms.

Pipeline example: upload, check status, notify

proton-drive file upload ./release/bundle.zip /deployments/current/
RESULT=$(proton-drive share status /deployments/current/ --json)
echo $RESULT | jq .permissions | mail -s "Deploy permissions" secops@example.com

This shrinks what would be a five-step manual process into a local script, all cryptographically encrypted at rest and in transit.

Proton Drive CLI turns encrypted cloud workflows from something you have to remember to do, into something that’s guaranteed to run — reliably and securely — every time.

What’s next? Planned features for Proton Drive CLI

Proton has announced several major features on the roadmap for the Drive CLI, extending its utility and flexibility.

• Photo and album management: Native CLI support to organize, upload, and share photos as albums, allowing encrypted media workflows without browser friction.
• Secure public link sharing: Generate secure, ephemeral public links for files or folders, vastly improving shareability while retaining cryptographic protections.
• Account switching: smoothly move between multiple Proton Drive accounts from a single terminal session — useful for consultants or admins operating at scale.

These upcoming features deepen Proton Drive CLI’s role in both personal and enterprise contexts. Instead of a limited dashboard replacement, it’s evolving into a true automation-first, full-fidelity interface for every major Proton Drive workflow.

Watch for these updates, as they will expand automated encrypted storage from documents into rich media and multi-tenant environments.

Recap: Why Proton Drive CLI is the encrypted command line tool the cloud needed

Proton Drive CLI is a rare tool: encrypted end-to-end, cross-platform out of the gate, with core workflows built for automation and security, not as afterthoughts. Whether you’re running on Windows, macOS, or Linux, the CLI puts encrypted cloud storage, backup routines, permission automation, and collaboration a single command away.

Setup takes minutes — download, set executable, run auth, start moving files. Every workflow is scriptable and integrates with established automation tools and security routines; every planned feature points to deeper flexibility and reach. This isn’t just a wrapper on a web UI; it’s the encrypted automation base layer for modern file management. Use it to simplify your team’s secure storage today — and watch for new features that turn encrypted cloud file automation into a native part of your deployment and backup procedures.