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

# Linking a new device to chat

> Bring your chats to a new phone or browser by approving it from a device you already use, or with your recovery code, and sign old devices out.

Chat is end-to-end encrypted, so a new phone or browser cannot read your conversations until a device you already use lets it in. You do this by checking that both screens show the same six-character code.

**Who can do this:** anyone whose role includes **Chat**. By default that is every role except Read Only Auditor. Your organisation can change this in **Settings > Permissions**.

<Note>
  If no other device is signed in to your chat, there is nothing to approve. Elate sets up chat on the new device straight away and you start chatting from today. Earlier messages are not brought across.
</Note>

## Step 1: On the new device

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="On the web">
    <Steps>
      <Step title="Open Chat">
        Sign in to Elate on the web and select **Chat** in the sidebar.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Read the code">
        You see **Bring your chats to this browser**, a code such as `ABC-DEF`, and **Waiting for approval**. The line above the code tells you where to approve it, for example "Open Elate on your phone and approve this browser if it shows the same code."
      </Step>

      <Step title="Leave it open">
        Keep this page open while you go to your other device. You can use the rest of Elate while you wait.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="In the Elate Care app">
    <Steps>
      <Step title="Open the Chat tab">
        Sign in to the Elate Care app and tap the **Chat** tab.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Read the code">
        You see **Bring your chats to this phone**, a six-character code, and **Waiting for approval**. The line under the code tells you where to approve it, for example "Open Elate on your computer and approve this phone if it shows the same code."
      </Step>

      <Step title="If no code is showing">
        If the screen says **Your chats are not on this phone yet.**, tap **Ask my other device**.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

Your other device shows the request within about 15 seconds while Elate is open on it. A request lasts 10 minutes.

Your other devices are also notified, in the app and by push to your phone, both on by default. This notification gets through quiet hours, a pause and even notifications switched off, because you asked for it yourself a moment ago. It disappears once the request is approved, declined, replaced or expired. You can switch it off under **A new device asking for your chats** in your notification settings.

## Step 2: On the device you already use

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="On the web">
    <Steps>
      <Step title="Wait for the prompt">
        With Elate open on any page, a box appears: **Set up chat on your other device?** It names the device that is asking and shows its code.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Compare the codes">
        Check the code matches the one on your new device exactly. Only approve it if the same code is showing on that device.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Approve or decline">
        Select **Approve**. If the codes do not match, select **Decline**. Closing the box also declines.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="In the Elate Care app">
    <Steps>
      <Step title="Open the app">
        Open the Elate Care app. If notifications are allowed, your phone may show "Approve your new device? Open Elate to check the code."
      </Step>

      <Step title="Compare the codes">
        A sheet appears over whatever screen is open: **Set up chat on another device?** Check the code matches the one on your new device.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Approve">
        Tap **Approve**. If you are not ready, tap **Not now**. The request then waits at the top of the **Chat** tab under **Set up chat on another device**, with **Approve** and **Decline**, until it runs out.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

Once you approve, your conversations appear on the new device.

<Warning>
  Only approve a request you started yourself, and only when the codes match. If the codes are different, decline.
</Warning>

## If the request does not go through

The new device says why and offers **Ask again**:

* **That was turned down on your other device.**
* **Nobody confirmed the code in time.**
* **That did not check out, so nothing was brought across.**

## Your other device is not to hand

If your other device is still signed in to chat but you do not have it with you, and you set a recovery code, the waiting screen also offers **Use a recovery code**.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="On the web">
    Select **Use a recovery code**. In the **Welcome back** box, enter it in **Recovery code** and select **Restore history**. Close the box to go back to waiting for approval.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="In the Elate Care app">
    Tap **Use a recovery code**. On **Bring your chats here**, enter it in **Recovery code** and tap **Restore my chats**. If it is wrong, you see "That code did not work. Check it and try again."
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

If you have no recovery code, choose **Set up fresh here** on the waiting screen (or **Start fresh** on the recovery code screen). Read the warning first:

* Messages sent before now will not be readable on this device. Colleagues keep their copies.
* Your other devices are signed out of chat and need approving again.
* Colleagues see a note that you started fresh on a new device.

To avoid this next time, set a recovery code. See [Secure chat](/chat/secure-chat).

## Sign a device out of chat

Do this for a lost, sold or shared device.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="On the web">
    Open the profile menu, choose **Account**, and find **Devices** in the **Secure chat** section. Beside the device, select **Sign out of chat on that device**. To remove chat from the browser you are using, select **Remove chat keys from this browser**, then **Remove keys**.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="In the Elate Care app">
    Tap your picture at the top of the screen to open **Your profile**, then find **Secure chat**. Beside the device, tap **Sign out of chat**, then **Sign out**. That device stops receiving your chats and can be signed in again later.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

If you sign the phone you are holding out of chat, your chats are removed from it.

<Note>
  If you sign out every other device, a new device has nobody to ask. Chat then starts fresh on it and earlier messages are not brought across.
</Note>

## Related pages

* [Secure chat](/chat/secure-chat)
* [Install the Elate Care app and sign in](/carer-app/install-and-sign-in)
* [Signing in](/getting-started/accessing-elate)


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