Managing Your Devices
Your local books are always safe regardless of how you manage your devices. Nothing in this screen deletes any writing from any computer.
Every computer you sign in to Penpoint Cloud on becomes a registered device: one the app remembers, whether or not it is currently backing up.
Device Limits
- Penpoint Backup: one active device at a time. Your active device is the one computer that sends your books to the cloud. Other registered computers save locally but do not back up.
- Penpoint Sync: up to 5 devices, all syncing automatically.
Both plans allow up to 5 registered devices.
Adding a Computer
Install Penpoint on the computer and sign in with the same email you used during setup. Enter your password, or your Recovery Kit if you have forgotten it (the 12-word phrase you saved when you set up Penpoint Cloud; see Your Password and Recovery Kit). The device then appears in your device list. If you are on Penpoint Sync, it starts syncing immediately. If you are on Penpoint Backup, it registers but does not back up unless you make it the active device.
Switching Your Active Backup Device
Penpoint Backup only. To change which computer backs up to the cloud:
Open Settings > Penpoint Cloud, click Manage devices, and click Make this the active device on the computer you want to use.
- Your first activation is free and does not count toward the limit. After that, each active-device switch counts toward your two.
- You can switch up to 2 times per rolling 30-day window. If you switch twice, a slot opens again about 30 days after the first of those two moves.
- Replacing a dead computer uses one switch, but a used switch always comes back, so you are never stranded. If you get stuck sooner, email support@penpoint.app and we can help.
Removing a Device
Removing a device signs that computer out of Penpoint Cloud. No books are deleted when you remove a device.
Open Settings > Penpoint Cloud, click Manage devices, and click the trash icon next to the device you want to remove.
- You can remove the device you are currently using; it stops backing up until you sign in again.
- If you have reached your device limit, remove one before adding another.
Renaming a Device
Click the pencil icon next to any device to give it a recognizable label for your reference, such as "Desktop" or "Laptop".
What If This Computer Isn't Backing Up?
If you are on Penpoint Backup and this computer is not the active device, Penpoint Cloud settings say so at the top, under Backup health: "This computer is not backing up", with an Activate this computer button that takes you straight to your device list. Your local books are always safe and local backups keep running.