Working with Amazon S3 Versioning

Amazon S3 Versioning overview

Amazon S3 Versioning keeps multiple versions of each object in a bucket. Overwriting a file creates a new version. Deleting a file normally creates a delete marker, while previous versions remain available.

CS Browser lets you enable or suspend versioning for an Amazon S3 bucket, view and restore previous versions, download individual versions, and restore deleted files. You can also permanently delete file versions.

After versioning has been enabled, it can be suspended, but the bucket cannot return to its original unversioned state. Each version is stored as a complete object and is billed separately. See the Amazon S3 Versioning documentation for more information.

How to enable or suspend versioning for a bucket

1. Start CS Browser and choose Buckets -> Edit Versioning Settings..

   

   The Bucket Versioning Settings dialog will open:

   

2. Select or clear Enable versioning for <bucket>. If versioning was previously enabled, clearing this option suspends it without deleting existing versions.

3. Click OK.

Working with MFA Delete

MFA Delete adds an extra layer of protection to versioned buckets. Only the AWS account root user that owns the bucket can enable or disable MFA Delete.

When MFA Delete is enabled, a valid MFA code is required for either of these operations:

• Changing the versioning state of the bucket
• Permanently deleting a specific object version

A regular delete operation that only creates a delete marker does not require MFA. MFA Delete cannot be used with an Amazon S3 Lifecycle configuration.

For a virtual MFA device, enter its device ARN in the MFA serial number field. For a hardware MFA device, enter its serial number. See Enable a virtual MFA device for your AWS account root user.

Important: Configuring MFA Delete through CS Browser requires root account access keys. AWS recommends that you do not create root access keys. If you create one temporarily for this operation, remove it immediately after use.

To enable MFA Delete

1. Open Bucket Versioning Settings.

2. Select Enable MFA Delete, enter the MFA serial number, and click OK.

   

   Once MFA Delete is enabled, the following dialog appears when you permanently delete an object version or change the versioning state of the bucket:

   

How to view and restore previous versions of a file

To view all versions of a file

Select a file and open the Versions tab.

To restore a previous version of a file

Select the version you want to restore and click Restore. CS Browser copies the selected version to the same object key, creating a new current version. Existing versions remain unchanged.

To view all versions of a deleted file

Deleted files are not displayed in the Files list. To view deleted files, you need to select the parent folder or a bucket.

CS Browser will show all files and versions in the folder or in the bucket. Deleted files are displayed in gray.

To show only deleted files in the version list, choose Filters -> Show only deleted files.

To restore a deleted file

1. Navigate to the parent folder or bucket.
2. Open the Versions tab and find the deleted file in the list.
3. Select the most recent object version before the delete marker and click Restore.

Note: The current version of a deleted file is a delete marker and contains no file data. CS Browser copies the selected object version as a new current version; the delete marker and previous versions remain in the version history.

How to download one or more versions of a file

1. Navigate to the file and open the Versions tab.

2. Select the versions you want to download and click the Download button.

   

3. Select a destination folder on your computer and click Select Folder.

   

   You can track download progress on the Tasks tab.

How to restore archived versions from Amazon S3 Glacier

Versions stored in Amazon S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval or Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive are not immediately accessible. Before you can download one of these versions or make it current, you must submit a restore request.

1. Select a file and open the Versions tab. To restore versions of multiple files, select their folder or bucket instead.

2. Select the required versions, right-click the selection, and choose Restore from Amazon S3 Glacier..

   

   The Restore files from Amazon S3 Glacier dialog will open.

   

3. Specify how many days the restored copies should remain available.

4. Select a retrieval tier:

   • Amazon S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval (GLACIER): Expedited typically takes 1-5 minutes, Standard typically takes 3-5 hours, and Bulk typically takes 5-12 hours.
   • Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive (DEEP_ARCHIVE): Standard typically completes within 12 hours, and Bulk typically completes within 48 hours. Expedited retrieval is not available.

   Retrieval charges depend on the storage class, retrieval tier, and AWS Region. See Amazon S3 pricing for current prices.

5. Click Restore and confirm the operation.

   

   Amazon S3 creates a temporary accessible copy for the specified number of days. The original version remains archived in its original storage class. After retrieval completes, you can download the temporary copy or click Restore to copy it as a new current version.

To track the restore progress

Right-click the version you requested from Amazon S3 Glacier and choose Properties..

The Properties tab will open.

The Storage class row shows the storage class and restore status. If the version is not ready, you will see Restore in progress. When it is ready, you will see Restored until [DATE].

How to permanently delete file versions

1. Select the file and open the Versions tab.

2. Select the versions you want to delete and click the Delete button.

   

   Confirm the deletion. Important: Permanently deleted versions cannot be restored.

   

How to restore file versions in bulk

CS Browser can restore file versions in bulk, for example, after accidental deletion.

To restore file versions in a bucket or folder

1. Select the bucket or folder that you want to work with.

2. Open the Versions tab.

3. To restore only deleted files, choose Filters -> Show only deleted files. This prevents CS Browser from creating unnecessary new current versions for files that were not deleted.

4. Right-click and choose Select most recent versions.

   

5. The most recent non-delete version of each visible file will be selected.

   

6. Click Restore.

Additional actions for file versions

On the Versions tab, you can view and edit version permissions, view and edit version headers, view and edit version tags, preview supported files, and view version properties.

The address bar above these tabs shows the direct HTTP(S) URL of the selected object version, including its version ID. Click the copy button to copy the URL; Ctrl+click copies the corresponding S3 URI. This is not a presigned URL, so access still depends on the object's permissions.

To view and edit version permissions

Right-click the version and choose Permissions (ACL)..

The Permissions tab will open.

Here you can view and edit the version's permissions. See the Permissions (ACL) editor manual for more information.

To view and edit version headers

Right-click the version and choose Headers..

The Headers tab will open.

Here you can view headers such as Content-Type and Expires. Applying header changes copies the selected version as a new current version with the updated metadata; the original version remains unchanged.

To view and edit version tags

Right-click the version and choose Tags..

The Tags tab will open.

Here you can view and edit version tags. Click here to learn more about object tags.

To preview a version

Right-click the version and choose Preview..

The Preview tab will open.

You can preview text, JSON, XML, CSV, Parquet, and supported image formats. Unsupported binary formats are displayed in hexadecimal form.

To view version properties

Right-click the version and choose Properties..

The Properties tab will open.

Here you can view properties such as Name, S3 URI, ETag, Server-side modified, Owner, Size, Storage class, Version ID, and encryption or compression status. Use Copy line(s).. or Copy value(s).. in the context menu to copy selected information.