đŻ TL;DR: Continue backup on a new or reformatted computer
Have you formatted, reinstalled, or gotten a new computer? Hereâs how to continue backup on a machine that already has an existing backup on your Onlime account. We cover both the new and the classic Onlime app.
1. New Onlime app for Windows and Mac (after 2026)
With the new Onlime app, you do not need to use the same device name as before to avoid re-uploading your files. Files that have already been uploaded to the server are never uploaded again â regardless of what you name your device.
Download and install the new Onlime app for Windows â or Mac â.
Sign in with your Onlime credentials and follow the setup.
Go to Backup in the left-hand menu and choose a new, unique device name.
Add the folders you want to back up and complete the setup.
Want to reuse an existing device name?
Each device must have a unique name. The device name for a backup typically mirrors your computerâs name directly. If you have restored or reinstalled your computer, you can still use the same name â but you must first delete the old backup device. Otherwise you will see two devices, e.g. Desktop-PC and Desktop-PC (1).
How to keep the same computer name in Windows/macOS and in Onlime:
Sign in to cloud.onlime.dk â.
Move all content from your existing backed-up devices to Archive. This ensures your files are not re-uploaded.
â ď¸ Important: Do not delete the backup device until you have verified that the files are in Archive.
When you delete a backup device, it happens immediately and cannot be undone. The copy process to Archive runs in the background on our servers, so it may take a short while before you can see the files. Wait until you can confirm that the content is visible in Archive before proceeding.
Set up backup again from the Onlime app. You can now use a device name that exactly matches your computerâs name.
2. Classic Onlime app (before 2026)
With the classic Onlime app, you also do not need to match the device name to avoid re-uploading. Your files are compared against the cloud, and already-uploaded files are not transferred again.
If you want to use the same device name as before, you can still do so â just enter the name exactly as it was.
Sign in to Onlime.dk â with your credentials.
Download and install Onlime for Windows â or Mac â.
Sign in and follow the setup.
Add the relevant folders for automatic backup and complete the setup.
Onlime scans your folders and cross-checks them against your files in the cloud. Files that have already been uploaded are not transferred again.
Worth knowing
Files are never re-uploaded
Onlime always compares your local files against what is already in the cloud before starting a backup. Only new or changed files are transferred â existing files are not touched. Whether you use the new or the classic app, you do not need to match a specific device name to avoid re-uploading.