Show or hide the backup agent on user devices

Overview

The Client Visibility setting enables administrators to show or hide the backup agent on user devices. Setting Client Visibility to Visible keeps all user interface elements easily accessible to users. Setting Client Visibility to Hidden removes most user-facing indications of Code42's presence on the device.

Considerations

• Setting the visibility to Hidden does not uninstall any Code42 components. Monitoring and file backups continue to run in the background.
• The Code42 agent must be installed for all users. Per-user installations are not supported.

What is hidden?

What's hidden varies slightly different for each operating system, but in general, setting Client Visibility to Hidden removes user visibility of:

• The Code42 agent
• Code42 agent shortcuts
• The Code42 icon in the Windows notification area (tray) and Mac menu bar
• Code42-generated emails, including password reset notifications, backup alerts, and invitations for new users

If the Code42 agent or the tray/menu bar app are open when an administrator changes the setting to Hidden, the apps close immediately.

Windows

• Removes Code42 agent shortcuts from the Start menu.
• Prevents the Code42 agent from appearing in the Add/Remove Programs section of the Control Panel.
• Prevents Code42 from appearing in the Start menu search.
• Removes the Code42 icon from the notification area (also referred to as the "tray app") and prevents it from auto-launching on restart.

Mac

• Makes the Code42.app package a hidden file
• Removes the Code42 agent icon from the Dock and Launchpad. 
  Note: Changing the setting from Visible to Hidden for devices with the Code42 agent already installed restarts the Dock. This may cause the user's previously minimized windows to expand automatically when the Dock re-opens.
• Removes the Code42 agent from the Applications folder.
• Removes the Code42 icon from the menu bar and prevents it from auto-launching on restart.

Linux

• Makes the Code42 agent desktop shortcut a hidden file.
• Prevents the Code42 agent from appearing in search and the Application Launcher interface.

What is still visible?

Setting Client Visibility to Hidden does not remove Code42 from:

• Processes or services in Task Manager (Windows) and Activity Monitor (Mac)
• Windows Explorer and Spotlight (Mac) searches

In addition, no Code42 components are removed, so monitoring and file backups continue to run in the background. This also means that if a user has the necessary permissions to find and open the Code42 install directory, the user can access the Code42 agent.

Steps

To control the visibility of the Code42 agent user interface on user devices:

1. Sign in to the Code42 console.
2. Select Administration > Environment > Organizations.
3. Select an organization.
4. Select Actions >  Edit organization info.
5. Select the Security tab and scroll to the Client Visibility section.
   
6. If necessary, deselect Inherit setting from parent to enable this organization to change this setting.
7. Select Visible or Hidden.
   • Visible: All user interface elements are easily accessible to users.
   • Hidden: User interface elements are hidden, but the background service continues to monitor the device.
8. (Recommended) Click the lock icon to:
   • Apply the setting to all child organizations
   • Prevent child organizations from changing this setting
9. Click Save.
10. If you use deployment policies to manage Code42 agent installation, you must also update the install commands to match the setting in the Code42 console:
    • Visible: Set DEVICE_CLOAKED=false
    • Hidden: Set DEVICE_CLOAKED=true

Client visibility for child organizations
If you want to use a different Client Visibility setting in a child organization, you must follow the steps above for all child organizations to ensure it uses your preferred setting. If you plan to use the same setting in all child organizations, click the lock icon in the parent organization.

Related topics

• Organizations reference
• Deployment policies reference 
• Detect and respond to insider risks