Change devices

Understand your device slots

A Power User license has three device slots. If all three are in use, release a slot before activating a fourth device. Personal and Multi-Device licenses work the same way, with one and five slots.

A slot stays in use when Helnect is stopped, uninstalled, or offline. Multiple installations recognized as the same device share a slot. Releasing that device releases all of its installations under this license.

An installation joins an existing device only when every identifier it can read is already recorded for that device. Activate the installation that reads the most identifiers first, such as a daemon running as root before a per-user app.

The device list shows a short device ID and its last activation time. These help you identify the device; they do not show whether it is currently online. If you are unsure which device to release, contact support@helnect.com first.

A FREE SLOT IS AVAILABLE

Activate your new device

1. Open My licenses and select Manage for your paid license, then select Get activation code.
2. Connect the new device to the internet. Stop Helnect if it is running, then enter the code to activate it.
3. Start Helnect again. After activation, the paid version works offline.

Each new device needs its own activation code and must connect for activation. A paid code is valid for 1 hour and can be used once. If it expires before activation, get another code. Requesting a code does not reserve a device slot.

THE OLD DEVICE IS AVAILABLE

Release from the old device

1. On the old device, connect to the internet and stop Helnect.
2. Release the license on that device. For a CLI installation, stop all Helnect processes that share the license directory, then run helnect license release.
3. Wait for the release to finish. Return to My licenses and check that a device slot is available.
4. Follow the new-device activation steps above.

Releasing from the original device does not use your remote-release allowance. You can use this method whenever you need to change devices.

If the release is interrupted, retry it on the original device before activating the replacement. If your app does not offer a release action, contact support@helnect.com for help.

THE OLD DEVICE IS UNAVAILABLE

Recover a slot for a lost or broken device

1. Open My licenses and select Manage for your license.
2. Find the old device in the table and select Manage.
3. Select Remote release. Review the device and its release allowance, then select Confirm remote release to free its slot.
4. Get a new activation code and activate the replacement device.

Each paid license allows one remote device release every 12 months. If you have already used it, the device's details show when it becomes available again. You can still release normally from an accessible device.

Need help before then?

Select Request recovery in the device details and explain why you cannot access the old device. The device page shows whether the request is pending, approved, or not approved. Return to that page to check the result, or contact support with your request ID. Submitting a request does not immediately release a slot.

Remote release and approved recovery free the slot on the license service. They cannot immediately stop Helnect on an offline device. New activations also require the license to be active; contact support if it is on hold or revoked.

Trial licenses stay with their activated device

A trial cannot be released or transferred to another device. Trial codes are valid for seven days, but the trial itself starts at activation and has its own duration. A trial requires an internet connection each time Helnect starts.

If you need help with a trial activation, contact support@helnect.com. To use Helnect on another device, choose a paid license.