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To add a computer to Personal Sync, start on the new computer, then approve it from a computer that already syncs. Both screens show five words. You approve only if all five match.
Personal Sync is part of the Professional plan, which works on up to 3 devices. See Device limits.

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Before you start

  • Sync must already be on, on at least one computer. If not, turn on Sync there first.
  • Install Elephas on the new computer: Mac or Windows. Let it finish its first-run downloads. The new computer needs its search model to index what arrives.
  • Sign in on the new computer with the same Elephas account, in Settings › Plan & Billing.
  • Have both computers in front of you, both online. A request that is not approved expires after about 30 minutes.

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Steps

1

On the new computer, open Settings › Sync

On Mac, choose Elephas › Settings… or press ⌘,. On Windows, choose File › Settings… or press Ctrl+,. Then choose Sync.
2

Choose I already use Sync on another device

Select I already use Sync on another device. Check the name next to This computer: and click Rename if you want a clearer one, such as “Office PC”. Tick I understand there is no recovery.
3

Click Join from My Other Device

The new computer shows: “Waiting for approval. On your other device, open Settings → Sync and compare these words:” followed by five words. Leave this screen open.
4

On a computer that already syncs, open Settings › Sync

Elephas shows a notification, New device wants access. Open Settings › Sync. In Devices, the new computer shows Waiting for your approval and a Review button. Click Review.
5

Compare the five words

The Approve New Device card shows the new computer’s name and platform, and five words: “Compare these five words with the words shown on the new device. Approve ONLY if they match exactly.”Read them against the words on the new computer, in order.
6

Approve only if they match

If every word matches, click the approve button (The words match). If any word differs, click the reject button (They don’t match).
7

Wait for the new computer to catch up

The new computer shows Receiving keys, then “This device is now syncing.” It downloads your Brains, documents and chats, and the status reads Indexing synced documents while it indexes them locally.

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How it works

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Why five words

The five words are calculated separately on each computer from the details of this one request. If they match, the two computers are talking directly to each other, and nobody in between, including the sync server, swapped in a different device. If they don’t match, the request did not come from the computer you are holding. Rejecting it costs nothing; you can start again.

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What the new computer receives

Approval sends the new computer the encryption keys for your Brains and chats, wrapped so only it can open them. It then receives your full synced history, not only changes made from now on.

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What the new computer builds itself

Search indexes never sync. The new computer indexes your documents itself, on the device. A large library takes a while; you can use Elephas meanwhile, and documents become searchable as they finish.

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Your other computers are told

Every approval, rejection and removal is recorded in Security History in Settings › Sync on each synced computer. These records never include document names or content.

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Troubleshooting

Reject on the existing computer, then start again on the new one. If they still don’t match, do not approve. Contact support.
The new computer says “The enrollment expired. Start again.” Click Join from My Other Device again and approve within the time limit.
Professional works on up to 3 devices, and each synced computer takes one. Remove a computer you no longer use from Settings › Sync on a synced computer. See Remove a device and Sync troubleshooting.

Sync encryption

What syncs

Remove a device

Move to a new computer