> ## 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.

# How to Turn On Personal Sync

> Turn on Personal Sync in Elephas on your first computer, step by step, and understand the no-recovery acknowledgement before your data leaves this device.

Turn on Personal Sync from **Settings › Sync** on the first computer you want to sync. You choose **This is my first device**, confirm that there is no recovery, and Elephas sends an encrypted copy of your Brains, documents and chats to the sync service.

<Info>
  Personal Sync is part of the Professional plan. See [Plans and pricing](/docs/plans-and-billing/plans-and-pricing).
</Info>

## Before you start

* **Plan:** Professional. On other plans the Sync pane says **Sync is part of the Professional plan.**
* **Account:** sign in to your Elephas account in **Settings › Plan & Billing**. If you are not signed in, the Sync pane says: "Sign in to Elephas in Settings › Plan & Billing to turn on Sync."
* **Already syncing elsewhere?** If Sync is already on for your account on another computer, do not use these steps. Follow [Add a computer](/docs/sync-and-devices/add-a-device-to-sync) instead.
* **Time and connection:** the first upload sends everything in your Personal workspace. A large library takes a while, so start on a reliable connection.

## Steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Settings › Sync">
    On Mac, choose **Elephas › Settings…** or press **⌘,**. On Windows, choose **File › Settings…** or press **Ctrl+,**. Then choose **Sync**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Read what will leave this computer">
    The **Turn On Sync** card says: "Brains, documents, and chat history will leave this device as end-to-end encrypted data. Search indexes, AI keys, and app settings stay local."

    Below it is the warning that there is no password reset and no recovery. Read it before you go on. See "The no-recovery acknowledgement" below.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose This is my first device">
    Select **This is my first device** ("Start syncing from this computer.").
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check the computer's name">
    The card shows **This computer:** followed by a name taken from your computer. Your other devices list this computer by that name. To change it, click **Rename**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm there is no recovery">
    Tick **I understand there is no recovery**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Turn On Sync">
    Elephas shows its progress: **Preparing…**, **Enrolling this device…**, **Registering encryption keys…**, then **Publishing the first encrypted baseline…**.

    When it finishes, the status reads **Syncing…** and then **Up to date**, and the **Devices** list shows this computer.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## The no-recovery acknowledgement

Before Sync can start, Elephas asks you to accept this:

> There is no password reset and no recovery. If you lose every synced device, your synced data cannot be recovered by anyone, including Elephas. Your Elephas account alone cannot unlock it.

This is the cost of end-to-end encryption. The keys that unlock your synced data are created on your computer and stay on your approved devices. Elephas never holds a copy, so it cannot open your data, and it cannot restore it for you either.

In practice:

* **Add a second computer soon.** As long as one approved computer survives, your synced data is safe. See [Add a computer](/docs/sync-and-devices/add-a-device-to-sync).
* **Keep your original files.** Sync is not a backup of the files on your disk. See [Sync recovery](/docs/sync-and-devices/sync-recovery).

## What happens next

* **The first upload is a snapshot.** Elephas uploads your current Brains, documents and chats, not your past edit history. Until the upload finishes, the Sync pane says how many changes "have not left this computer yet". When it is done: **Nothing is waiting to leave this computer.**
* **New changes sync on their own.** Add a file, rename a Brain or ask a question, and the change is encrypted and sent in the background. **Sync Now** sends and fetches right away. **Pause Sync** stops it. See [Turn off Sync](/docs/sync-and-devices/turn-off-sync).
* **Your computer gets a place on your account.** Turning on Sync counts as one of your plan's devices. See [Device limits](/docs/plans-and-billing/device-limits).
* **AI is unaffected.** Sync does not change which AI answers your questions or what is sent to it. See [What data is sent to AI](/docs/privacy-and-security/what-data-is-sent-to-ai).

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="The Turn On Sync button is greyed out">
    The button needs three things: you are signed in, the computer has a name, and **I understand there is no recovery** is ticked. On Personal or a trial, it stays off because Sync is part of the Professional plan.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Sync is already on for this account">
    Elephas says: "Sync is already on for this account. Approve this device from one of your synced devices." Choose **I already use Sync on another device** instead. See [Add a computer](/docs/sync-and-devices/add-a-device-to-sync).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Setup stopped part way">
    Quit and reopen Elephas, then open **Settings › Sync**. An interrupted setup can be continued from where it stopped. If it still fails, see [Sync troubleshooting](/docs/troubleshooting/sync-troubleshooting).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related articles

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Add a computer" href="/docs/sync-and-devices/add-a-device-to-sync" />

  <Card title="What syncs" href="/docs/sync-and-devices/what-syncs" />

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

  <Card title="Sync encryption" href="/docs/privacy-and-security/sync-encryption" />
</CardGroup>


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