> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://elephas.app/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Using Elephas Offline with Sync

> Keep working in Elephas when your computer is offline. Changes wait on your computer and Personal Sync catches up on its own as soon as you reconnect.

Going offline does not stop you working. Your Brains, documents and chats are on your computer, so you can keep adding files, deleting things and reading past answers. Personal Sync holds your changes and sends them when you are back online, with no action needed.

<Info>
  Applies to Personal Sync, part of the Professional plan.
</Info>

## Before you start

* Sync must be on. See [Turn on Sync](/docs/sync-and-devices/turn-on-sync).
* Being offline affects Sync, not your library. Whether you can ask new questions offline depends on your AI choice. See [Use Elephas offline](/docs/privacy-and-security/use-elephas-offline).

## What you can do offline

| Works offline | Waits for a connection |
| - | - |
| Create, rename and delete Brains | Sending your changes to your other computers |
| Add and remove documents. Indexing happens on your computer. | Receiving changes from your other computers |
| Search your documents and read your chat history | Approving a new computer, or removing one |
| Ask questions with [Local AI](/docs/ai-options/run-local-ai), within its plan-check window | Asking with Elephas AI or your own API key |

Local AI and own-key answers in Personal workspaces need an online plan check. A passed check lasts up to 60 minutes and is lost when Elephas restarts. See [Use Elephas offline](/docs/privacy-and-security/use-elephas-offline).

## Steps

There is nothing to do. To see where things stand:

1. Open **Settings › Sync**. On Mac, choose **Elephas › Settings…** (⌘,); on Windows, **File › Settings…** (Ctrl+,).
2. The status reads **Offline**, with the note: "Everything on this device stays available. Changes sync when you're back online."
3. The line below counts what is waiting, for example "3 changes have not left this computer yet."
4. When you reconnect, the status moves to **Syncing…**, then **Up to date**, and the line reads **Nothing is waiting to leave this computer.**

To push the catch-up along once you are online, click **Sync Now**.

## How it works

* **Changes are saved before they are sent.** Every change you make is saved on your computer together with a note that it still needs to sync. Restarting Elephas or your computer does not lose the queue.
* **Catching up is automatic.** On reconnect, Elephas sends your changes, fetches the other computers' changes, settles any [conflicts](/docs/sync-and-devices/sync-conflicts), downloads new files, and indexes them locally.
* **Deletions hold.** Something you deleted on another computer stays deleted when this one comes back online.
* **No AI re-runs.** If a question arrives from another computer before its answer, Elephas shows the question and waits for the answer to sync. It never runs AI on its own.
* **Offline and paused are different.** Offline is temporary and Elephas retries by itself. **Pause Sync** is your choice and holds changes until you click **Resume Sync**. See [Turn off Sync](/docs/sync-and-devices/turn-off-sync).

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="I'm online but Sync still says Offline or Waiting to retry">
    The status may read "The sync server could not be reached." Elephas keeps retrying. Check that a firewall or VPN is not blocking Elephas, then click **Sync Now**. See [Sync troubleshooting](/docs/troubleshooting/sync-troubleshooting).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Changes from my other computer haven't arrived">
    Check the other computer. If it shows changes that "have not left this computer yet", it is offline or paused there. Once it sends them, they arrive here.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The sync permission needs renewing">
    If Elephas says "This computer's sync permission needs renewing. Sign in again, then choose Sync Now.", sign in again in **Settings › Plan & Billing**.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related articles

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Use Elephas offline" href="/docs/privacy-and-security/use-elephas-offline" />

  <Card title="Sync conflicts" href="/docs/sync-and-devices/sync-conflicts" />

  <Card title="Turn off Sync" href="/docs/sync-and-devices/turn-off-sync" />

  <Card title="Sync troubleshooting" href="/docs/troubleshooting/sync-troubleshooting" />
</CardGroup>


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