PBS encryption key password in PVE storage

[Urbaman]

Hi,

I'm trying to encrypt my backups from a PBS datastore namespace added to PVE.
I did it from the GUI, but could not find a solution in the CLI documentation.

• I added the Encryption key, but nowhere to find where to set the key password.
• The backup stops with

INFO: Starting backup protocol: Wed May  6 09:52:53 2026    
INFO: Using encryption key from file descriptor..    
INFO: Error: no password input mechanism available
INFO: cleanup temporary 'vzdump' snapshot
ERROR: Backup of VM 25021 failed - command 'lxc-usernsexec -m u:0:100000:65536 -m g:0:100000:65536 -- /usr/bin/proxmox-backup-client backup '--crypt-mode=encrypt' '--keyfd=15' pct.conf:/var/tmp/vzdumptmp2436161_25021/etc/vzdump/pct.conf root.pxar:/mnt/vzsnap0 --include-dev /mnt/vzsnap0/./ --skip-lost-and-found '--exclude=/tmp/?*' '--exclude=/var/tmp/?*' '--exclude=/var/run/?*.pid' --backup-type ct --backup-id 25021 --backup-time 1778053973 --entries-max 1048576 --repository backup-writer@pbs!cluster-pve@hl01-pbs01-bckp.urbaman.cloud:pbs01-local --ns tier3/lxc-utility' failed: exit code 255
INFO: Failed at 2026-05-06 09:52:53

When running through proxmox-backup-client backup I can set the PBS_ENCRYPTION_PASSWORD_FILE variable and it goes fine, when running from the PVE GUI on a PBS storage, I cannot see where the password can be set.

Thank you.

 

[Chris]

You currently cannot use password protected encryption keys for PBS storages in PVE. You will have to use a non password protected key instead.

 

[Urbaman]

Thank you!