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Connecting pCloud

This guide walks you through connecting pCloud storage to Pluton for secure backup storage.

Prerequisites​

  • A pCloud account - Sign up here
  • pCloud can be used with Free, Premium, or Business plans
  • Web browser for OAuth authentication

Choose Your Region​

pCloud operates in two regions:

  • US Region: Standard pCloud (api.pcloud.com)
  • EU Region: European data centers (eapi.pcloud.com)

Your region is determined when you create your pCloud account. All data stays in your selected region.

Connection Process​

Step 1: Add Storage​

  1. In Pluton, navigate to Storages
  2. Click Add Storage button
  3. Select pCloud from the provider list

Step 2: Configure Basic Settings​

Enter storage details:

  • Storage Name: Descriptive name (e.g., "pCloud EU Backups")

Step 3: Authenticate with pCloud​

Pluton uses OAuth2 for secure authentication:

  1. Click Authorize with pCloud button
  2. A browser window opens to pCloud's authorization page
  3. Log into your pCloud account if prompted
  4. Click Allow to grant Pluton access to your files
  5. The browser automatically returns to Pluton with authorization

Your pCloud password is never shared with Pluton - authentication happens entirely on pCloud's servers.

Step 4: Verify Region​

After authorization, Pluton automatically detects your pCloud region (US or EU). Verify this is correct.

If you need to manually set the region:

  • US Region: api.pcloud.com
  • EU Region: eapi.pcloud.com

Step 5: Advanced Options (Optional)​

Additional configuration:

  • Root Folder: Leave as default (d0) to use your entire pCloud drive
  • Custom Root: Set a specific folder ID to limit backup scope to a subfolder

Step 6: Test and Save​

  1. Click Test Connection to verify access
  2. Once successful, click Save
  3. Your pCloud storage is ready for backups

Understanding Root Folder ID​

By default, Pluton uses your entire pCloud drive. To limit backups to a specific folder:

  1. Use Pluton's file browser or pCloud's web interface
  2. Find the folder ID of your desired backup location
  3. Enter this folder ID in the Root Folder setting
  4. Pluton will treat this folder as the root directory

pCloud Crypto Folder​

If you use pCloud Crypto (encrypted folder):

  • Standard Pluton connection will NOT access Crypto Folder
  • You must unlock Crypto Folder in pCloud's app
  • Consider whether you need encryption at both Pluton and pCloud levels

Common Issues​

Authorization Failed: Check that browser pop-ups are not blocked. Allow pop-ups for Pluton and retry authorization.

Wrong Region Error: If you see connection errors, verify you're using the correct region endpoint (US vs EU).

Token Expired: pCloud tokens don't expire frequently, but if connection fails, simply re-authorize through Pluton.

Cleanup Command Not Working: The cleanup function requires username/password authentication (not OAuth). This is due to a pCloud API limitation.

File System Features​

Modification Times: pCloud supports modification timestamps. Files are re-uploaded to update timestamps.

Checksums: pCloud supports both MD5 and SHA1 hashes for data integrity verification.

Trash: Deleted files move to pCloud Trash. Trash retention depends on your pCloud plan.

Storage Plans​

Free Plan: 10GB storage - suitable for small backup sets.

Premium Plans: 500GB to 2TB+ - recommended for regular backups.

Business Plans: Team storage with advanced features.

Lifetime Plans: One-time payment for lifetime storage.

Best Practices​

  • Choose the region closest to your location for better performance
  • Monitor your pCloud storage usage to avoid running out of space
  • Regularly verify backups complete successfully
  • For EU users, EU region ensures GDPR compliance
  • Consider pCloud's file versioning feature as additional protection
  • Use root folder restriction to organize different backup types