Skip to content

Installation

This guide covers different ways to install the Proton Pass CLI on your system.

Quick Install

The easiest way to install Proton Pass CLI is using the official installation script:

macOS and Linux:

curl -fsSL https://proton.me/download/pass-cli/install.sh | bash

Windows:

A native Windows version is not yet available. See the Windows (WSL) Installation section below for a workaround using Windows Subsystem for Linux.

The installation script will:

  • Detect your operating system and architecture
  • Download the latest stable release
  • Verify the binary integrity
  • Install the binary to a directory in your PATH (or prompt you to add it)
  • Check for required system dependencies

Installation options

Custom installation directory

You can specify a custom installation directory:

macOS and Linux:

export PROTON_PASS_CLI_INSTALL_DIR=/custom/path
curl -fsSL https://proton.me/download/pass-cli/install.sh | bash

Beta channel

To install from the beta channel:

macOS and Linux:

export PROTON_PASS_CLI_INSTALL_CHANNEL=beta
curl -fsSL https://proton.me/download/pass-cli/install.sh | bash

# Or as a one-liner
curl -fsSL https://proton.me/download/pass-cli/install.sh | PROTON_PASS_CLI_INSTALL_CHANNEL=beta bash

Take into account that if you install the Pass CLI by selecting an install channel, you will automatically be switched to that release track. In case you want to switch it later or revert to the stable track, you can find instructions in the update command reference.

System requirements

Supported platforms

  • macOS: Intel (x86_64) and Apple Silicon (arm64)
  • Linux: x86_64 and aarch64 architectures
  • Windows: Not yet available natively (use WSL as a workaround)

Dependencies

macOS:

  • No additional dependencies required

Linux:

  • curl and jq for the installation script

Windows:

Windows (WSL) Installation

While a native Windows version is not yet available, you can use Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) to run the Linux version of Proton Pass CLI.

Step 1: Install WSL

If you don't have WSL installed, follow these steps:

  1. Open PowerShell or Windows Command Prompt in Administrator mode by right-clicking and selecting "Run as administrator"

  2. Install WSL with the default Ubuntu distribution:

wsl --install

  1. Restart your computer when prompted

  2. After restart, Ubuntu will open automatically and prompt you to create a username and password

Alternative: Install a specific distribution

To see available Linux distributions:

wsl --list --online

To install a specific distribution (e.g., Ubuntu 22.04):

wsl --install -d Ubuntu-22.04

Step 2: Install Proton Pass CLI in WSL

Once WSL is set up:

  1. Open your WSL terminal (search for "Ubuntu" or "WSL" in the Start menu)

  2. Update your package manager:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
  1. Install required dependencies:
sudo apt install -y curl jq
  1. Install Proton Pass CLI using the installation script:
curl -fsSL https://proton.me/download/pass-cli/install.sh | bash
  1. Verify the installation:
pass-cli --version

Accessing WSL from Windows

  • Open WSL terminal by searching for "Ubuntu" or "WSL" in the Start menu
  • Access your Windows files from WSL at /mnt/c/ (C: drive), /mnt/d/ (D: drive), etc.
  • Access your WSL files from Windows at \\wsl$\Ubuntu\home\<username>\

Additional notes

  • You can run pass-cli commands directly from PowerShell/CMD using: wsl pass-cli <command>
  • For the best experience, we recommend using Windows Terminal (available from the Microsoft Store)

Manual installation

If you prefer to install manually, you can download the binary listing file directly from:

https://proton.me/download/pass-cli/versions.json
  1. Download the versions listing file
  2. Download the appropriate binary for your platform
  3. (Optional but recommended): Verify the hash by running sha256sum on the binary you downloaded and compare it against the one listed in the versions listing file
  4. Make it executable (on Unix systems): chmod +x pass-cli
  5. Move it to a directory in your PATH (e.g., /usr/local/bin on Unix, or add to PATH on Windows)
  6. Verify installation: pass-cli --version

Verify installation

After installation, verify that the CLI is working:

pass-cli --version

You should see the version number. If you get a "command not found" error, make sure the installation directory is in your PATH.

Next steps

Once installed, proceed to the Getting started guide to learn how to authenticate and configure the CLI.