Frequently Asked Questions

The top 10 things you want to know before getting started with Carbonite:

1. What does Carbonite back up?
2. How much can I back up with Carbonite?
3. How much does Carbonite cost?
4. Is Carbonite secure?
5. How do I get my files back?
6. Will Carbonite work with my computer?
7. Can I use Carbonite to back up my external hard drive?
8. What is Mirror Image backup?
9. Can I use Carbonite to free up space on my hard drive?
10. How does Carbonite compare to other online backup services?

1. What does Carbonite back up?

All Carbonite plans back up the following types of files in your Users folders:*

HomePlus and HomePremier plans also back up:

2. How much can I back up with Carbonite?

With Carbonite Home, there’s no limit on your backup storage space. You get as much space as you need – whether it’s 1GB, 100 GB or more. Our Home plan allows you to back up all the user-generated files on your internal hard drive. Additionally, our HomePlus and HomePremier plans allow you to also include files from an external hard drive in your backup.

Please note, however, that for exceptionally large backups – 200GB or more – backup speed will slow noticeably after the first 200GBs have been backed up.

3. How much does Carbonite cost?

Carbonite Home offers 3 different plans to meet your backup needs:

Home - $59/ year per computer
All the essentials. Automatic online backup for your photos, music, documents and more.

HomePlus - $99/ year per computer
A complete backup solution. Automatic online backup of your computer and external hard drive – plus a local backup of your operating system and software programs.

HomePremier - $149/ year per computer
The top of the line. With automatic video backup and the option to have a copy of your backup shipped to you anywhere in the United States, this is our most comprehensive home solution.

Compare the three Carbonite Home plans

4. Is Carbonite secure?

Yes. Our business and reputation depend on keeping your data safely backed up. We encrypt your files before they leave your computer and send them to one of our data centers using the same security technology used in online banking and e-commerce transactions. Your files remain encrypted on our servers, which are housed in state-of-the-art data centers that are guarded 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Find out more about what we do to keep your data safe.

5. How do I get my files back?

Carbonite makes it really easy to get your files back when you need them. Whether you need to recover a single file or all your files, the Carbonite restore manager will guide you through the process. Plus, if you're away from your computer and need to access your files, you can use Anytime, Anywhere Access to view your backed up files from virtually any computer or smartphone. HomePremier customers also get the added benefit of having a copy of their backed up files shipped to them anywhere in the United States with our Courier Recovery service. Learn more about restoring your files.

6. Will Carbonite work with my computer?

The Home plan is available for both Windows and Mac.

XP, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8
Intel-based Macs with OS X 10.5, 10.6, 10.7 or 10.8

The HomePlus and HomePremier plans are available for Windows only.

XP, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8

7. Can I use Carbonite to back up my external hard drive?

If you subscribe to HomePlus or HomePremier, you can include one external hard drive in your online backup. Carbonite will scan your external hard drive for files that are not already backed up online and will add those files to your backup.

8. What is Mirror Image backup?

Mirror Image backup adds an extra layer of protection by creating a copy or "mirror image" of your computer and backing it up to an external hard drive that you provide. Your Mirror Image backup includes your entire computer – not just the files and folders in your online backup, but also your operating system and software programs, such as Microsoft Word. If your computer crashes and you need to get up and running again quickly, you can use your Mirror Image backup to restore your entire computer – operating system and all – to the way it was before the crash.

9. Can I use Carbonite to free up space on my hard drive?

No. Carbonite is online backup – not online storage. It is meant to be a backup of the files that are on your computer – not a place to store files in order to free up space on your hard drive. If you remove any file from your hard drive, we wait 30 days for you to recover it, and then we delete that file from our servers, too.

10. How does Carbonite compare to other online backup services?

There are a lot of companies that offer online backup, but Carbonite is unique for several reasons:

Backup is the only thing we do – our only business.
Unlike some competitors, we don’t offer a variety of services. We do one thing – backup – and we do it extremely well. We’re 100% focused on backing up and safeguarding your files, and making sure that recovering those files is simple and hassle-free. We’re not a gigantic corporation that decided to offer backup as another service – we’re a company that was formed specifically to make backup simple and available to everyone.

We make restoring your backed up files fast – and foolproof.
The only reason you back up your files is so you can get them back when you need them. That’s why we’ve focused on making our restore process the easiest in the industry. You can begin restoring files instantly – right from your desktop or from Carbonite.com. You don’t need to wait for us to prepare your files – they’re always available and waiting to be recovered. We even include an automated Restore Manager feature that walks you through the process of recovering all your files – and we put them back exactly where they belong on your hard drive. Plus, if you ever need to shut down your computer or lose your internet connection during a restore, Carbonite will pick up right where it left off.

We give you easy access to your backed up files – anytime, anywhere.
Once your files are backed up by Carbonite, you’ll be able to securely access them from any computer by logging in to your account at Carbonite.com. In addition, you can download one of our free mobile apps and access your files from your iPhone®, Android™ or BlackBerry® smartphone.

We put no limits on your backup storage space.
All three Carbonite Home plans give you as much space as you need for your backup. You don’t need to worry about choosing which of your files are important enough to back up and which you’ll have to exclude. And, you don’t need to worry about falling into the next storage tier.

We’re there when you need us.
Carbonite is designed to be simple and hassle-free, but if you ever have questions, or need support, we’re here to help. Unlike most competitors, we offer free support via phone, email and live chat. Our support channels are available to all our customers – even if you’re in a free trial - and all our support representatives are located in the United States.