How do I manage a Safe’s synchronization devices?

The Sync Device List shows which devices are registered to synchronize the Safe that is currently open. You can remove individual devices that are no longer in use. This is useful, for example, if an old iPhone no longer exists or still appears as a separate entry after you move to a new iPhone.

Quick answer

Open the relevant Safe and then open the Sync Device List. Check the device name, model, registration date, last successful synchronization, and the This Device label. Remove only an entry that you can clearly identify as no longer in use—and only if that device does not contain changes that have not yet been synchronized.

1. What does the Sync Device List mean?

SimpleumSafe keeps track of synchronization devices separately for each Safe. An entry means that this app installation has a registration that allows its local copy of the Safe to participate in that Safe’s synchronization network.

Where available, the list shows:

  • the device name and Apple model,
  • the registration date,
  • the last known synchronization attempt and its result,
  • the time of the last successful synchronization,
  • the app version and build number used for that synchronization,
  • a short technical identifier that helps distinguish devices with the same name,
  • the This Device label for the registration currently in use.

A list entry does not always correspond exactly to a physical device that still exists today. Older registrations may remain after reinstalling the app, setting up synchronization again, or changing devices. You should therefore check not only the device name but also the model, dates, and technical identifier.

2. Why can devices have different synchronization states?

Each device works with its own local, encrypted copy of the Safe. The devices do not need to be online at the same time. Changes reach another device only after the necessary synchronization steps have completed successfully.

For example:

  1. A file is added on the Mac and synchronized successfully.
  2. The iPhone is switched off at that time, so its local copy of the Safe does not yet contain the new file.
  3. The iPhone can reach the same up-to-date state only after its next successful synchronization.
An encrypted Safe shown as the synchronization target connects a Mac and a new iPhone that have the same current state. An iPad that is still in use was last synchronized one week ago. A grayed-out old iPhone is no longer in use and is shown as the predecessor of the new iPhone.
The Mac and new iPhone have the same current state. The iPad is still in use even though it was last synchronized one week ago. The old iPhone is no longer in use but may still be registered as a device.

The dates in the device list help you understand its entries, but they are not complete proof of data integrity. Registered only indicates when the registration was created. Last Successful Sync indicates the most recent successful run reliably reported by that device. New changes may already have been made on another device since then.

If a device shows Not Yet Available, its registration does not yet contain a reliable date. This does not automatically mean that it has never synchronized or is inactive—especially because older app versions may not yet provide this additional information.

3. View synchronization devices

  1. Open and unlock the Safe whose devices you want to review.
  2. Open the Sync Device List:
    • iPhone and iPad: Settings → Synchronization → Sync Device List
    • Mac: Settings → Synchronization → Other → Sync Device List
  3. If necessary, refresh the list using Refresh.
  4. Select a device to view all available details.
  5. First look for This Device. You cannot remove this device from the list.
  6. If names are similar or identical, also compare the model, registration date, last successful synchronization, and short technical identifier.

4. Safely remove an old device

Remove a device only if you have clearly identified it and it should no longer participate in this Safe’s synchronization network.

Before you begin

  1. Synchronize every device you still use and check that synchronization completes successfully.
  2. If possible, synchronize the device you want to remove one last time as well.
  3. Make sure that this device does not contain files or changes that have not yet been transferred.
  4. Create or verify a current backup of the Safe.
  5. Identify the correct entry using several characteristics. Do not rely on the device name alone.

Remove the device

  1. In the Sync Device List, select the device you no longer use.
  2. Open its detail view.
  3. Select Remove from Synchronization.
  4. Read the confirmation message and confirm with Remove.
  5. Wait for the list to reload automatically. Removal is confirmed only when the entry no longer appears.

What this does—and what it does not do

  • It removes exactly the selected registration for this device from the open Safe.
  • It does not delete Safe contents, synchronization events, baselines, or data files.
  • Safe contents already stored locally on the removed device are not deleted remotely.
  • The device can no longer synchronize. If it should participate again later, it must rejoin the Safe’s synchronization.
  • Revocation is not guaranteed to stop remote access immediately. It takes effect for the removed device when that device next checks its registration.
  • This Device is protected. To stop synchronization on the device you are currently using, continue to use the synchronization settings rather than the device list.

If SimpleumSafe reports that incoming files from this device are still missing, removal is blocked to protect your data. Synchronize the affected device first. If it is no longer available, stop at this point and contact support instead of trying to delete the registration another way.

5. When is removing a device useful?

A sold, broken, or retired iPhone, iPad, or Mac may continue to appear in the list. Once you have checked that all required changes are available on your active devices, you can remove the old registration.

After transferring a device or restoring a backup, the new iPhone may have the same name as the old one. The previous registration of the old device does not necessarily disappear automatically, so the list may show two iPhones with similar names.

Follow these steps in order:

  1. Fully synchronize the new iPhone and one other active device.
  2. Identify the new iPhone’s entry using its model, recent dates, and technical identifier.
  3. Check whether the old iPhone still contains changes that have not yet been synchronized.
  4. Only then remove the registration that you have clearly identified as old.

Identical names do not automatically mean that an entry is duplicated or unnecessary. They may represent different devices or multiple technical registrations for the same app installation. Compare the detailed information. If you cannot identify the entries with certainty, do not remove either one and ask support to review the situation.

A cleaned-up device list makes it easier to review active synchronization participants, recognize outdated states, and associate problems with a particular device. It can also prevent a registration that is no longer needed from continuing to be treated as a participant in the Safe. Removing a device is not, however, a general “speed up” command. Do not remove a device merely in the hope of improving performance; remove it only if it should permanently leave the synchronization network.

Frequently asked questions

No. The feature removes the selected device registration. It does not delete the Safe or its contents, events, baselines, or data files. The local copy of the Safe already stored on the removed device is not deleted remotely either.

No. The This Device entry is protected. To stop synchronization on the device you are currently using, use the synchronization settings.

Older registrations may not yet contain this additional information. Not Yet Available is therefore not proof that a device is inactive. A successful synchronization with a supported app version may add the value.

SimpleumSafe blocks removal if incoming files from this device are still outstanding or synchronization is currently in progress. Synchronize first. If you can no longer access the device, contact support so that data that may still be required is not overlooked.

Yes. The old registration is no longer valid, however. The device must rejoin the Safe’s synchronization and be set up again accordingly.

The device list always belongs to one Safe

The list does not show devices from your Apple Account and is not a general SimpleumSafe device list. It shows only the registrations for the Safe that is currently open. If you open another Safe, its device list may look different.