Upload files to your own S3-compatible storage from the terminal and get the link back. The aktar command talks to the Aktar app on your Mac or Windows PC, so it uses the destinations, keys, path templates and link settings you already set up there. Your storage keys never leave the app.

$ aktar upload screenshot.png
https://files.example.com/2026/09/7f3c2a91.png

Install

npm install -g @getaktar/cli

Or run it without installing: npx @getaktar/cli upload file.png.

Requires Node.js 18 or later and Aktar for Mac 0.4.0 or later, or Aktar for Windows.

Connect to Aktar

In Aktar, open Settings > Integrations and turn on Allow local connections.
Copy the token shown there.
Run:

aktar login

and paste the token when asked. It's checked against Aktar and saved to ~/.config/aktar/cli.json (%APPDATA%\aktar\cli.json on Windows), readable only by you. You can also pipe it in (pbpaste | aktar login) or set AKTAR_TOKEN (and AKTAR_PORT if you changed the port) instead.

Usage

aktar upload report.pdf                     # prints the link
aktar upload *.png -f markdown              # one Markdown image per file
aktar upload build.zip -d Builds            # pick a destination by name or ID
aktar upload notes.txt --folder docs/2026   # keep the name, upload into a folder
aktar upload log.txt --expires 7            # delete after 7 days
aktar upload --clipboard                    # the file or image on the clipboard
aktar upload photo.jpg --json               # full details as JSON

aktar status                                # which Aktar and destination you're connected to
aktar destinations                          # list destinations (* marks the selected one)
aktar history invoice -n 5                  # search recent uploads

Without -d, files go to the destination selected in Aktar's menu bar. Uploads show up in Aktar's history like any other.

--format chooses what's printed: url (default), markdown, html, or custom (your template from Aktar). --expires takes 1, 7, 14 or 30 days and needs Aktar's auto-delete rules on that destination; without it, files are kept.

JSON output

aktar upload --json prints an array with one entry per uploaded file:

[
  {
    "id": "0B6C…",
    "filename": "photo.jpg",
    "objectKey": "2026/09/7f3c2a91.jpg",
    "url": "https://files.example.com/2026/09/7f3c2a91.jpg",
    "destinationId": "5D1A…",
    "destinationName": "Screenshots",
    "mimeType": "image/jpeg",
    "size": 482113,
    "createdAt": "2026-09-30T12:00:00Z",
    "expiresAt": null,
    "formats": { "url": "…", "markdown": "…", "html": "…", "custom": "…" }
  }
]

Exit codes

Code	Meaning
0	Everything worked
1	At least one upload or request failed (the others still went through)
2	Bad arguments, or a file that doesn't exist (nothing was uploaded)
3	Not logged in, Aktar isn't running, its local API is off, or the token is wrong