How to Move Carbonite to a New Computer

Eric DawsonByEric Dawson Computers & Software

To learn how to move Carbonite to a new computer, sign in at account.carbonite.com from the new PC or Mac, locate the old backup by its Carbonite nickname, and choose Options > Move my subscription. On a Windows PC, select either “Move my subscription and transfer my files (Recommended)” to restore the old backup or “Move my subscription and start a new backup” to begin fresh.

Mac users download Carbonite after choosing Move my subscription, then select “Get all files back” during setup to restore files. Personal Carbonite Safe files that are not restored, or are not on the current computer, are removed after 30 days of backup on the new computer.

How to Move Carbonite to a New Computer

Transfer a personal Carbonite Safe subscription on the replacement computer through the account page, selecting the old backup and its move option.

Identify the old computer by its Carbonite nickname rather than its current device name. That nickname is selected when Carbonite is first installed and remains unchanged unless the account holder updates it. If several backups appear, the nickname helps ensure that the intended files and subscription are being moved.

Remove any apparent Carbonite installation before transferring when a third-party migration tool copied programs to the new Windows PC. On a Mac, do the same after Migration Assistant or a Time Machine restoration, because Carbonite can look installed without being a functioning installation.

Selecting the Windows transfer-and-restore choice installs Carbonite in Recover Mode until files finish transferring. During that process, Carbonite automatically restores to the current user when the prior backup had one Windows user. For backups containing multiple users, select restore locations and users.

Enter the Mac password and choose “Add Helper” during setup on a new Mac. After choosing “Get all files back,” Carbonite restores files to the current Home directory by default. Select Change… when another restore location is required.

Confirm destination operating-system support before moving the subscription. Carbonite supports Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Server (including Windows Server 2025), but lists Windows RT and Windows Server Core as unsupported as of September 2026.

Supported Mac releases include macOS 15 Sequoia through macOS 11 Big Sur and macOS X 10.13 through 10.15. Carbonite Mac 1.x users should plan to migrate to Mac 2.x, which supports Apple silicon, including M1, M2, M3, and newer Macs. Chrome OS has no supported versions.

Choose Between a Restore and a New Backup

Choose the restore option if the old Carbonite backup contains files you still need on the replacement computer. Select a new backup only when the new computer already has the files you intend to keep, or when you do not need Carbonite to bring back the old files. That decision affects how long older backup-only files remain available.

On a personal Windows PC, “Move my subscription and transfer my files (Recommended)” moves the subscription and restores the prior backup. By contrast, “Move my subscription and start a new backup” begins protecting the files currently on the new PC.

Situation Best Carbonite Choice What Happens Retention Rule
Personal Windows PC with old files to recover Move my subscription and transfer my files Carbonite enters Recover Mode and restores the previous backup. Files not restored or not on the new computer are removed after 30 days of backup.
Personal Windows PC starting over Move my subscription and start a new backup Carbonite scans the new computer and begins a fresh backup. Files not restored or not on the new computer are removed after 30 days of backup.
Personal new Mac with files to recover Get all files back during setup Carbonite restores the former backup, normally to the current Home directory. Files not restored are removed after 30 days of backup.
Carbonite Safe Backup Pro Restore this backup or Reinstall on this Computer The first restores files; the second starts a new backup. Files not restored or absent are removed after 60 days.

During a Windows restore, Carbonite Restore Manager can restore previous drives and match old Windows user accounts to accounts on the new PC. Where an old account does not match, choose a different folder, create a Windows user account, or decline that profile’s files.

Profiles with special characters, including ~ | : ? ” > & % < *, may not appear in the user-location list. A different recovery method is needed for folders from an unlisted profile.

Restarting an interrupted Windows recovery resets the displayed percentage, although Carbonite skips files already restored. Windows users can check progress from the Carbonite icon near the clock by choosing “View Restore Status…” After recovery finishes, select “Continue Backing up” to leave Recover Mode and protect the replacement PC. Review locations outside C:\Users, external drives, and video files because they may need additional backup selections; video files are excluded by default on Safe Basic plans.

Business subscriptions use a separate choice in the Computer Actions menu. Its “Restore this backup” action transfers the subscription and guides a full restoration, while “Reinstall on this Computer” starts a new backup. Keep the Mac awake and plugged in while restoration runs, then either import missing files with programs or exit Recover Mode and continue backing up.

My Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 2, refurbished and owned since 2022, makes me suspicious of any clean-slate promise; refurbished is just history with better manners. When choosing between a restore and a new backup, I would restore first and check files outside my user folders and on external drives, because forgotten clutter becomes priceless only after it disappears.

Move Carbonite on a New Windows PC

Sign in from the PC that will receive the files, and identify the old backup by its Carbonite nickname rather than by assuming it matches the new computer’s name.

Transfer the Subscription and Install Carbonite

That copied installation is not a valid working installation, so removing it prevents problems during the subscription move.

  1. Visit https://account.carbonite.com on the destination Windows PC and sign in.
  2. Select the Backup tab, locate the old computer’s backup by its nickname, and open Options.
  3. Choose Move my Subscription, then select Move my subscription and transfer my files (Recommended).
  4. Click Continue to Download, then Download now to download the Carbonite installer to the computer’s default download location.
  5. Open the setup file, approve the Windows User Account Control prompt if it appears, accept the Terms of Service, and click OK to finish installation.

During installation, Carbonite enters Recover Mode and begins preparing the old backup for restoration. If the backup had one Windows user, Carbonite automatically restores files to the current Windows user; where multiple users were backed up, choose the appropriate users and restore locations.

Use Carbonite Restore Manager Carefully

In the restore interface, select the previous drives you want to restore and use Change when files need to go to different locations. When the old PC had only one drive, the restore selection shows only Drive C:. Carbonite attempts to match prior Windows accounts to accounts on the new computer, but you can create a Windows account, send a profile’s files to another folder, or skip particular files.

Review the restore preferences, then click Start getting files back. Restoration runs in the background and can take several hours or days, depending on backup size. If the process is restarted, the displayed percentage resets while Carbonite skips files that were already restored.

After the files arrive, click Continue Backing up to leave Recover Mode and protect the new PC. Review backup selections at that point, especially folders outside C:\Users, external drives, and video files, which Safe Basic does not include by default. Files left unrestored, or files that are not on the new computer, are removed from the personal backup after 30 days of backing up on the current computer.

Use Carbonite Restore Manager Without Missing Files

Restore Manager lets you select the old drives and Windows user folders that should return to the new PC. After the transfer starts, Carbonite runs in Recover Mode until the restoration is finished, allowing the backup to be restored before normal backup resumes.

Select Drives and Restore Locations

For a full restore, choose the drives from the previous computer that you want to recover, then select Continue. If the old PC used only one drive, Restore Manager shows Drive C: as the available choice. Choose Change when files from the old backup need to be placed on different drives or in different locations on the new computer.

User locations need attention when the former PC had more than one Windows account. Carbonite tries to match each old user account to an account on the current computer and selects matching accounts automatically.

When no suitable match exists, choose a location to create a Windows user account with the former username, restore that profile to another folder, or skip that user’s files. Profiles containing characters such as ~ | : ? ” > & % < * may not appear in the user-location list, so folders from an unlisted profile require the Carbonite Backup Drive procedure.

Monitor Recover Mode

During recovery, review the restore preferences and select “Start getting files back” to begin transferring files in the background. Keep the PC powered, plugged in, and awake because a restore cannot continue through sleep, shutdown, power loss, or a restart. On Windows 10, Carbonite recommends setting the plugged-in power option to “Never” and pausing Windows updates while the restoration runs. Should the restore stop, open Carbonite and select “Get my files back” to restart it; the displayed percentage resets, but files already restored are skipped.

Once the progress window is closed, right-click the Carbonite icon near the clock and select “View Restore Status…” to check progress. Review the restored folders before leaving Recover Mode, including any content outside C:\Users that should remain protected. Then select “Continue Backing up” when the restoration is complete, which exits Recover Mode and resumes backup of the new computer. Files already present in the same location are skipped, while matching backed-up files found elsewhere can create duplicates in the selected restore location.

Move Carbonite to a New Mac

Transfer a personal Carbonite Safe subscription to another Mac by signing in on the destination computer, opening the Backup tab, locating the prior backup, and choosing Options > Move my subscription. From there, select Download to get the setup file, then install Carbonite and choose “Get all files back” when setup asks how to proceed. Personal Mac instructions cover Basic, Plus, Prime, and Safe plans.

Before beginning, identify the old backup by its Carbonite nickname, which is chosen during initial installation and stays the same unless manually changed. If Mac Migration Assistant or a Time Machine restoration made Carbonite appear installed on the new Mac, uninstall that apparent installation before moving the subscription.

Install Carbonite and Choose the Restore

During installation, enter the Mac password and click “Add Helper.” Next, choose “Get all files back” to restore the prior backup rather than start a fresh one. Carbonite restores files to the current Home directory by default, while Change… lets you select another restore location. Grant Carbonite Full Disk Access so it can access and back up files after the transfer completes. Advanced Settings initially prompts for the six most common folders; choose further selections after installation finishes.

Keep the Mac plugged in and awake throughout restoration, because Carbonite cannot restore files while the computer sleeps or is shut down. For a temporary sleep-setting adjustment, Carbonite says Restore Defaults can return the energy settings to their original configuration after restoration. Should any files be missing from the restore, import them with the relevant programs, or exit Recover Mode and continue backing up. Restoration continues in the background once setup moves forward.

After restoration finishes, the transferred subscription begins backing up the current Mac. Review the backup settings and select Automatic Settings or Advanced Settings for the new computer. During a trial, Music and Videos are not automatically backed up, though those folders can be selected manually.

Remember that personal Mac transfers remove files not restored from Carbonite after 30 days of backing up on the current computer. That choice helps protect content beyond the initial selections as needed.

Keep the Computer Awake and Resume Backup

Keep the destination computer plugged in, powered on, and awake until the restore is finished. Preventing sleep, shutdowns, restarts, and lost power lets Carbonite continue bringing back the selected files without interruption.

Prevent Interruptions During a Windows Restore

For Windows 10, Carbonite recommends opening Start Menu > System > Power & sleep and setting “When plugged in, turn off after” to “Never.” Carbonite also suggests using Start Menu > Update & Security > Advanced options to pause updates, generally for 1 week, by choosing a date under “Pause updates.” That pause can help avoid an update-driven restart while the restore is underway.

Mac users should keep the machine awake and plugged in because Carbonite cannot restore while it sleeps or is shut down. Following completion, “Restore Defaults” can return the Mac energy settings to their original configuration. Once the Mac restore is complete, exiting Recover Mode lets the transferred subscription begin backing up the current computer.

Depending on backup size, a full Windows restore may take several hours or days, so leave the power and sleep settings in place for the entire job. Before resuming regular backup, make sure the restored files and their destination locations look right. Carbonite treats a same-location existing file differently from one elsewhere: it skips the former and creates a duplicate in the selected restore location for the latter.

Windows restore progress remains available through the hidden-icons arrow near the clock: right-click the Carbonite icon and select “View Restore Status…”. Should an interruption occur, open Carbonite and choose “Get my files back” to restart the restore.

After a Windows restoration, click “Continue Backing up” to leave Recover Mode and resume protection for the new computer. Review the additional backup selections at that point, especially locations outside C:\Users, external drives, and video files, which Safe Basic excludes by default. Files from the former backup that were not restored, or do not exist on the current computer, are removed after 30 days of backing up on that computer.

Handle Backup Pro and Common Transfer Issues

Carbonite Safe Backup Pro follows a different move process from personal Carbonite Safe subscriptions. Billing Owners or Administrators select a user to open that user’s Computer Dashboard, while standard users proceed directly to the computer actions.

From the Computer Actions dropdown, choose “Reinstall on this Computer” when the replacement machine should begin a fresh backup. Selecting “Restore this backup” moves the subscription and guides the user through restoring all files. Under either Backup Pro choice, files not restored or absent from the current computer are removed after 60 days, whereas personal Windows and Mac transfers use a 30 day period.

Uninstall that apparent installation before moving the subscription. Likewise, Mac Migration Assistant or a Time Machine restoration can leave Carbonite appearing installed on a new Mac; remove that copy before the transfer.

Compatibility deserves a check before installation. Supported Mac releases are macOS 15 Sequoia, 14 Sonoma, 13 Ventura, 12 Monterey, 11 Big Sur, and macOS X 10.13 through 10.15, as well as the newer macOS 26 Tahoe; macOS X 10.12 Sierra and earlier are unsupported.

Finally, a completed transfer should be followed by a review of what the current computer will back up. Personal Windows users should check locations outside C:\Users, external drives, and video files, because Safe Basic excludes video files by default.

Use the Carbonite Backup Drive procedure when folders from an unlisted profile are needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Move a Carbonite Safe Subscription to a New Computer?

Personal Carbonite Safe subscriptions can move to a new or repaired Windows PC or another Mac. On the destination computer, sign in at https://account.carbonite.com, find the old backup by its Carbonite nickname, and choose the move-subscription option. Windows instructions apply to Basic, Plus, and Prime plans, while Mac instructions cover Basic, Plus, Prime, and Safe.

Should I Restore My Files or Start a New Carbonite Backup?

Choose the transfer-and-restore option when the old Carbonite backup contains files you want on the new computer. On Windows, this is labeled “Move my subscription and transfer my files (Recommended),” while Mac setup offers “Get all files back.” Choose a new backup when the new computer already has the files you need or you do not want to restore the prior backup.

How Long Do Un-Restored Files Remain in Carbonite After a Move?

For personal Carbonite Safe transfers on Windows and Mac, files not restored or not present on the new computer are removed after 30 days of backing up on the current computer. Carbonite Safe Backup Pro uses a different 60-day period for files that are not restored or are absent from the current computer. Restore any files you want to retain before the applicable deadline.

What Happens if Carbonite Appears Installed After Using Migration Assistant or a PC Migration Tool?

Carbonite can appear installed after a third-party PC migration, Mac Migration Assistant, or a Time Machine restore, but it may not be a functioning installation. Remove that apparent installation before moving the subscription through your Carbonite account. Then download and install Carbonite through the transfer process on the destination computer.

How Do I Check Carbonite Restore Status on Windows?

Open the hidden-icons arrow near the clock in the Windows taskbar, right-click the Carbonite icon, and select “View Restore Status…” Carbonite restores files in the background, so you can use the PC while the process runs. If a restore is restarted, its displayed percentage resets, but Carbonite skips files that were already restored.

Does Carbonite Safe Backup Pro Use the Same Transfer Process?

Carbonite Safe Backup Pro uses a separate workflow for Core, Power, Ultimate, and Safe Pro plans. A Billing Owner or Administrator selects a user to reach that user’s Computer Dashboard, then uses the Computer Actions dropdown. Select “Reinstall on this Computer” to begin a new backup or “Restore this backup” to transfer the subscription and restore files.

Moving Carbonite starts on the new computer, not the old one. Sign in to your account, identify the existing backup by its nickname, and decide before installation whether you need the old files restored or want a fresh backup. Keep the destination computer awake during a restore, then resume backup after checking the recovered files and selecting any additional folders, external drives, or other content that needs protection.

References

Sources read in September 2026.

Eric Dawson

I'm Eric Dawson, and I write The Money Watch from north Columbus, Ohio. Most of what I cover comes from my own life: renting, a 2014 Honda Fit, parking, computers, food and the bills behind all of it. I spent four years in an apartment-property office and eleven on a distributor's operations desk, reading leases and invoices. Where you need real information, I research the maker's or agency's own page and independent sources and report what they publish. I don't give tax, investment, legal or medical advice.