Frequently Asked Questions

Products

What is the difference between Absolute Home & Office Basic, Standard and Premium?

A: Absolute Home & Office Basic offers the ability to view your device’s location on a map, remotely lock your device, and remotely delete some or all files from your device.

Absolute Home & Office Standard offers all the features above. In addition, if your laptop is stolen, you may report it to us and our team of investigators will work with law enforcement to track down and recover the device.

Absolute Home & Office Premium offers all of the above, and additionally includes our $1000 Service Guarantee: if we are not able to recover your stolen laptop, you may then be eligible for a payment of up to $1000. Please note that the Premium edition of Home & Office is only sold in our guaranteed recovery territories (the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia.)

You may find more details on our Product Comparison page (https://homeoffice.absolute.com/product-comparison/).

What is the difference between Absolute Home & Office and Computrace?

A: Computrace (also called Absolute Persistence Technology) is one component of Absolute Home & Office and is available on compatible devices. This component is embedded in the firmware and once activated will self-heal our software onto the device if we are removed.

For more information on Computrace compatibility, you may refer to our BIOS & Firmware Compatibility Checker page (https://www.absolute.com/partners/device-compatibility/). As this list is not exhaustive, we also recommend speaking directly to your device manufacturer if your device model is not listed.

Why has the product name changed from Absolute LoJack to Absolute Home & Office?

A: By rebranding to Absolute Home & Office, we are bringing our Consumer/Small Business product into the Absolute brand family. This helps to reduce brand confusion and provides a better connection to our commercial solution. While we have changed the product name, it’s still the same technology and Investigations Team protecting your data and device.

– Absolute LoJack Premium is now Absolute Home & Office PREMIUM
– Absolute LoJack Standard is now Absolute Home & Office STANDARD
– Absolute Data Protect is now Absolute Home & Office BASIC

Do you have an enterprise version of your product?

A: Yes! For more information on our enterprise product, please visit our website at https://www.absolute.com/. You may contact our Enterprise Sales team by clicking on Request A Demo.

Compatibility

Is my device compatible with Absolute Home & Office?

A: We currently support devices running Windows 10 or macOS 10.13 (High Sierra) or higher.

Unfortunately, we are no longer able to officially provide support for older versions of operating systems. While our software may install successfully, it has only been tested on the above operating system versions, and technical issues may arise with installations on older operating systems.

At this time, we do not offer support for iOS or Android mobile devices.

Why do I see Computrace listed in my device’s BIOS firmware?

A: The Computrace module is included as part of the manufacturer’s BIOS firmware image on supported devices. This module can be considered an empty holding cell for a future Home & Office installation. While there is a switch for activation or deactivation in this module on some devices, if the software was never installed, it would be similar to turning a light switch on or off if there is no bulb in the socket – the module has no function without an active software installation present on the machine.

The purpose of this module is to silently restore our software in the event of theft. Once activated, this component will silently “self-heal” our software if an operating system reset or hard drive format is performed. This ensures that your device remains protected and visible to our system even if actions are taken to delete or circumvent our software agent.

Please note that this module is a part of the device manufacturer’s BIOS firmware image and cannot be removed.

Does my device offer Absolute Computrace Persistence? Can I add it to my unsupported device?

A: The persistent self-healing option will only be activated if the manufacturer has included this BIOS persistence module in their firmware. It cannot be added at a later time.

For more information on Computrace compatibility, you may refer to our BIOS & Firmware Compatibility Checker page (https://www.absolute.com/partners/device-compatibility/).

Please note that this list is not exhaustive, as some manufacturers have not updated us on all model lines they have added the module to. You may wish to contact them directly to confirm whether or not they have included the Absolute Computrace persistence module.

I have a Mac. Does my device offer Absolute Computrace Persistence?

A: Unfortunately, Apple has not opened up their firmware to third-party developers to allow for hardware persistence. What this means is that if your laptop is stolen and the hard drive is replaced, or if the operating system is reinstalled, our tracking software will not survive the process and your computer will no longer be traceable.

It is advised that if you are installing Absolute Home & Office on a Mac device, you should password-protect your primary user account and set up a Guest account, which will provide the thief or end user with limited system access and increase the chances of recovery.

My device is not Absolute Computrace Persistence-compatible. Does that mean that I cannot install Absolute Home & Office?

A: As long as your device meets the minimum system requirements, you may install Absolute Home & Office. While Absolute Computrace Persistence offers additional security in the event of a theft, it is not required for Absolute Home & Office to protect your device.

PC System Requirements: Microsoft Windows® 10
Mac System Requirements: Apple MacOS 10.13 (High Sierra) and above

Installation

I just received my new laptop. Is Absolute Home & Office already installed?

A: Although you may have purchased an Absolute Home & Office license bundled with your device, it is important to note that vendors do not pre-install our software, and you will need to install and activate Home & Office yourself.

Different vendors will fulfill an Absolute Home & Office product purchase in different ways. If you have any questions on how this product will be delivered to you, we recommend that you contact our Global Support Department, or reach out to the vendor you purchased it from originally. Most vendors should provide you with a registration code, which you will need to create your account and activate your device.

If your laptop is older and you aren’t sure if you ever installed a purchased Absolute Home & Office license, please contact us with your device’s serial number and we would be happy to provide you with more information.

I have purchased Absolute Home & Office. How do I install it?

A: To install our software, please take the following steps:

Visit our account registration page at https://my.absolute.com.
Click on Don’t Have An Account? Create One Here.
Enter your details and click on Create Account.
Enter your registration code when prompted.
Select the PC or Mac download option.
Scroll to the bottom of the Service Agreement and click on I Agree.
Run the AbsoluteSetup file once the download has completed.
The installer will walk you through the installation steps.
(Mac) If you are installing on a Mac, you will be prompted for your Mac Administrator password in order to proceed.
Once the software is installed, you will be automatically logged into your account.
Complete the first-time account configuration steps and click on Finish.

You will then be taken your main device page, where you may confirm that the installation was successful. Please be advised that it may take up to 30 minutes for your device to sync with our Monitoring Center.

How can I confirm that my Absolute Home & Office installation was successful?

A: Following a successful installation, you will be automatically logged into your Customer Center account for the first time. After you have completed the first-time account configuration steps, you will be taken to your Device list, where you may view the Device Status. If your installation was successful, the status will display a green icon and will read Protected.

How do I add a device to my account?

A: Please note that a registration code may only be installed on a single device at a time. If you would like to add more devices, you will need to purchase additional codes for those devices.

To add a new device to your account, please take the following steps:

Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
Click on the Add Device
Enter your new registration code when prompted (If you do not have a registration code, click on Buy Now or visit our main page to purchase a license.)
Select the PC or Mac Download option.
Scroll to the bottom of the Service Agreement and click on I Agree.
Run the AbsoluteSetup file once the download has completed.
The installer will walk you through the installation steps.
If you are installing on a Mac, you will be prompted for your Mac Administrator password in order to proceed.

Once installation is complete, you will then be taken your main device page automatically. Please be advised that it may take up to 30 minutes for your device to sync with our Monitoring Center.

I received an email notifying me that my device is not calling.

A: If we do not receive a signal from your device for 30 or more consecutive days, an email notifying you of agent inactivity is sent out automatically. No other action is taken in our system other than to inform you of the fact that we have not received a signal for this period of time.

To resolve this issue, we recommend that you reinstall the product on your device.

How do I reinstall Absolute Home & Office on my device?

A: To reinstall Absolute Home & Office, please take the following steps:

Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
If you have multiple devices, select the correct one from the list.
Click on Remove License.
Click on Add Device License.
Select the PC or Mac download option.
Scroll to the bottom of the Service Agreement and click on I Agree.
Run the AbsoluteSetup file once the download has completed.
The installer will walk you through the installation steps.
(Mac) If you are installing on a Mac, you will be prompted for your Mac Administrator password in order to proceed.

Once installation is complete, you will then be taken your main device page automatically. Please be advised that it may take up to 30 minutes for your device to sync with our Monitoring Center.

How do I transfer Absolute Home & Office to a new or replacement device?

A: Please note that you are not required to have the original device to perform a license transfer. To transfer a license, please take the following steps from the new device:

Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
If you have multiple devices, select the correct one from the list.
Click on Remove License.
Click on Add Device License.
Select the PC or Mac download option.
Scroll to the bottom of the Service Agreement and click on I Agree.
Run the AbsoluteSetup file once the download has completed.
The installer will walk you through the installation steps.
(Mac) If you are installing on a Mac, you will be prompted for your Mac Administrator password in order to proceed.

Once installation is complete, you will then be taken your main device page automatically. Please be advised that it may take up to 30 minutes for your device to sync with our Monitoring Center.

How do I uninstall Absolute Home & Office from my device?

A: To uninstall Absolute Home & Office from your device, please take the following steps:

Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
If you have multiple devices, select the correct one from the list.
Click on Remove License.

This will set the remote software removal flag, which will be deployed the next time the agent contacts our Monitoring Center. This will typically occur within 15 minutes of the device being online, although depending on your device’s make and model, it may take two to three agent calls and a system reboot to fully deactivate.

Error Codes

I am receiving error code 1001 during my Absolute Home & Office product installation.

A: The 1001 error that you are seeing can sometimes occur when attempting to run our install program either from a location which does not allow outgoing internet communication, or when run with incorrect permissions. Please try the following steps to resolve this problem:

Connect the laptop to a different internet connection (for example, from a coffee shop that offers free Wi-Fi, or via a mobile broadband Wi-Fi connection on your phone).
Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
If you have multiple devices, select the correct one from the list.
Click on Add Device License.
Select the PC or Mac download option.
Scroll to the bottom of the Service Agreement and click on I Agree.
Run the AbsoluteSetup file once the download has completed.
The installer will walk you through the installation steps.
(Mac) If you are installing on a Mac, you will be prompted for your Mac Administrator password in order to proceed.

Once installation is complete, you will then be taken your main device page automatically. Please be advised that it may take up to 30 minutes for your device to sync with our Monitoring Center.

I am receiving Error Code 1012 during my Absolute Home & Office product installation.

A: The 1012 error indicates that this license is already installed on your computer.

You may verify that the software is installed and working correctly by logging into your account at https://my.absolute.com and checking the License Status and Device Status (which should read Active and Protected, respectively) and the last call date, which should be within the last 24 hours.

If reinstallation is required to correct any of the above, please take these steps:

Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
If you have multiple devices, select the correct one from the list.
Click on Remove License.
Click on Add Device License.
Select the PC or Mac download option.
Scroll to the bottom of the Service Agreement and click on I Agree.
Run the AbsoluteSetup file once the download has completed.
The installer will walk you through the installation steps.
(Mac) If you are installing on a Mac, you will be prompted for your Mac Administrator password in order to proceed.

Once installation is complete, you will then be taken your main device page automatically. Please be advised that it may take up to 30 minutes for your device to sync with our Monitoring Center.

If you have recently reinstalled your operating system or restored from a system image, you may be seeing the Absolute Reminder, which is bundled with some default OS images. This installer program may be manually removed by taking the following steps:

Open the Control Panel.
Select the Uninstall a Program
Once the list populates with all of the programs installed on your computer, locate Absolute Reminder (This program may also be called Install LoJack For Laptops or LoJack Factory Installer.)
Double-click on these files to remove the factory installer.

I am receiving error code 1030 during my Absolute Home & Office product installation.

A: If you receive error code 1030 during your installation, we recommend that you contact our Global Support Department directly. This error code can indicate one of the many common conflicts that will need to be resolved by our Support team.

I am receiving error code 1031 during my Absolute Home & Office product installation.

A: Error code 1031 indicates that the installation encountered a licensing conflict. This can either mean that the product license you are trying to install has been previously installed on a different device, or it was installed on the same device but under a different email address.

If you encounter error 1031, we recommend that you contact our Global Support Department directly. This error will need to be investigated and resolved by our support team.

I am receiving error code 1032 during my Absolute Home & Office product installation.

A: Error code 1032 indicates that the installation encountered a licensing conflict. This can either mean that the product license you are trying to install has been previously installed on a different device, or it was installed on the same device but under a different email address.

If you encounter error 1032, we recommend that you contact our Global Support Department directly. This error will need to be investigated and resolved by our support team.

I am receiving error code 1041 during my Absolute Home & Office product installation.

A: The 1041 error indicates that something installed on your laptop or your network may be blocking the installer from communicating with our servers. 1041 errors are difficult to troubleshoot, as they are caused by unique factors in your computer’s environment.

Below are some of the more common causes of the 1041 error. You may find that one or more of them apply to you.

Installations done on a satellite connection will almost always fail with a 1041 error.
Your router may be configured in such a way that it is blocking traffic to our servers.
Your installed antivirusfirewall software may be preventing the installation.
Your company or school network may be blocking outgoing signals.

To troubleshoot, please start by visiting http://search.namequery.com/ and confirming that you see a “Site Under Construction” message. If it times out or reports an error, this indicates that our servers are being blocked by something on your device or network. If you do see the above message but are still encountering error 1041, please contact our Global Support Department directly.

To resolve network problems, we first advise you try your installation on a different internet connection. For example, you can take your laptop to a location with free Wi-Fi such as a coffee shop, or try connecting to a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot. Changing internet connections will typically resolve this error.

If you need to whitelist us (either in your antivirus or other security software, or if you are on a school or company network and must engage your IT department), please contact our Global Support Department directly.

I am receiving error code 1072 during my Absolute Home & Office product installation.

A: The 1072 error that you are seeing indicates that there may be a server issue on our end. We recommend waiting 24 hours for the problem to be resolved and then trying your installation again.

If you have tried everything and are still not having any luck, please contact our Global Support Department directly for further assistance.

I am receiving Error Code 2099 when I boot up my computer.

A: This error originates from an application called the Absolute Reminder, which is bundled with some default OS images by your vendor. This installer program may be manually removed by taking the following steps:

Open the Control Panel.
Select the Uninstall a Program
Once the list populates with all of the programs installed on your computer, locate Absolute Reminder (This program may also be called Install LoJack For Laptops or LoJack Factory Installer.)
Double-click on these files to remove the factory installer.

Once this has been done, we can generate a registration code for you and assist you with a new installation. To do this, we will need proof of purchase showing the original product and license term purchased.

Please contact our Global Support Department directly with this information for further assistance.

I am receiving an error code that is not listed above during my Absolute Home & Office product installation.

A: If you do not see the error code that you’re encountering in the above list, we recommend that you contact our Global Support Department directly for further assistance.

How do I set up a mobile broadband Wi-Fi connection on my phone?

A: Many Absolute Home & Office installation issues can be resolved by connecting to a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot on your phone.

To configure an mobile Wi-Fi hotspot connection, please take these steps:

On Android devices:

Navigate to Settings > Network & Internet > Hotspot & Tethering.
Tap on Wi-Fi Hotspot.
This page will have different options for configuring your hotspot network, including the option to set a Hotspot Name, Password and so on. Complete the configuration and save the hotspot.
Please note that different versions of Android may have slightly different phrasing in places. You may need to Google the correct instructions for your specific phone model.

On iOS devices:

Navigate to Settings > Cellular > Personal Hotspot.
Tap the slider next to Personal Hotspot to On.
Tap the slider next to Allow Others To Join.

Once this has been done, you may connect to this new Wi-Fi hotspot on your laptop like you would with any other Wi-Fi connection. Please note that the Hotspot Name, Password, and other details should be listed on your phone in the Hotspot section mentioned above.

Customer Center

When I try to register a new account, I receive the error that my email address already exists. How can I fix this?

A: Many customers may have activated our product in the past and forgotten that they did so. As a result, they may purchase a new license and try to create a new account using an email address that has already been registered with us.

To resolve this, we recommend that you perform a password reset at https://my.absolute.com. This will send a password reset email to that email address and allow you to access your existing account.

I have forgotten my account password. How do I reset it?

A: If you do not remember your password, you may take the following steps to reset it:

Visit our account login page at https://my.absolute.com.
Click on the Forgot Password?
Enter your registered email address and click on Submit.

Please note that it may take up to ten minutes for this temporary password email to arrive. If you do not see it, please check your junk folder or spam folder, as some email providers may mistakenly flag it as spam.

Once you receive this email, click on the link. You will be taken to our website where you will be prompted to create a new password for your account.

I have forgotten my registered email address. What should I do?

A: If you are unable to remember the email address that you registered during installation, we recommend that you contact our Global Support Department for further assistance.

How do I change the email address or password on my account?

A: To update the registered email address or password on your account, please take the following steps:

Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
Click on Settings in the top right-hand corner.
Click on Login Information.
Enter your new email address in the New Email and Re-Enter New Email fields, or your current password in the Current Password field and a new password in the New Password and Re-Enter New Password
Click on Update to save your changes.

How do I change the mailing address or phone number on my account?

A: To update the contact details on your account, please take the following steps:

Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
Click on Settings in the top right-hand corner.
Click on Contact Information.
Update your contact information.
Click on Save.

How do I reset the PIN on my account?

A: To reset the PIN on your account, please take the following steps:

Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
Click on Settings in the top right-hand corner.
Click on Personal PIN.
Enter your current PIN in the Current PIN
Enter your new PIN in the New PIN and Re-Enter New PIN
Click on Save.

If you do not remember your current PIN, you may click on the Forgot PIN? link. You will be prompted to enter your date of birth, after which you will be automatically logged out. You may then log back in and you will be given the option to create a new PIN.

How do I reset the Date Of Birth on my account?

A: To reset the date of birth in your account, please take the following steps:

Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
Click on Settings in the top right-hand corner.
Click on Personal PIN.
Click on Forgot PIN.
You will be prompted to enter the date of birth currently registered on your account, after which you will be automatically logged out.
Log into your account again.
When prompted, enter your new PIN in the New PIN and Re-Enter New PIN
Enter your correct date of birth.
Click on Save.

If you do not know the date of birth currently registered on your account, we recommend that you contact our Global Support Department directly for further assistance.

How do I change the displayed name of a registered device?

A: Following an installation, it may take up to 24 hours for your device name to be correctly reported in the console, but this should automatically update on its own.

If you would still like to modify the displayed name of your registered device, please take the following steps:

Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
If you have multiple devices, select the device you’d like to edit.
From that device’s page, click on the displayed device name (it may read as ‘No Name’).
Enter a new device name.
Click on Save.

Please note that you may need to log out and log back into your account for the changes to appear.

Why am I seeing a Service Agreement when I log into my account?

A: Agreeing to our Service Agreement is a critical step in allowing Absolute to legally conduct an investigation on your missing or stolen device. We recommend that all customers take the time to read these terms of service.

From time to time, our Service Agreement will be updated, and when this occurs, customers will be presented with the updated terms of service when they log into the Customer Center. If you have any questions about the Service Agreement, we recommend that you contact our Global Support Department directly.

Why am I being prompted to create a PIN and give you my Date of Birth?

A: Your PIN is a 4-to-6 number code used to launch sensitive actions from your Customer Center account, including remote Data Delete and Device Locks. Similarly, your Date of Birth is used only for PIN resets. It is encrypted in our system and and is never used for identity verification.

When creating your PIN, please note that it cannot start with a zero, and must only contain numbers. Additionally, please note while entering your date of birth that it should be in the format of X/X/19XX (in other words, if your birth month is April, please enter 4 instead of 04).

Once you have entered a PIN and your date of birth, you may click on Finish and you will be taken your main device page.

I have made changes to my device or contact details, but they are not being saved, or the information I am seeing in the Customer Center is not correct. How can I fix this?

A: The issue that you are describing may be related to an older, cached version of our website being stored by your browser.

We recommend that you first try clearing your browser’s cookies and cache and see if that resolves the issue. You can read more about this process here: http://www.wikihow.com/Clear-Your-Browser’s-Cache

If clearing the cache does not resolve the problem, we recommend trying from a different browser. If you normally use Microsoft Edge, please try installing Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome and see if that resolves the issue. You may download Firefox from http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/ or Google Chrome from https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/browser/.

If you are still not seeing the correct information displayed in the Customer Center, please contact our Global Support Department directly for assistance.

How can I view the details of my registered device?

A: To view the details of your registered device, please take the following steps:

Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
If you have multiple devices, select the correct one from the list.

From your main device page, you may view the following details:

Serial Number: The serial number of this device.
Make and Model: The detected make and model of this device.
Device Status: The current state of this device (Protected, Not Protected, Locked or Stolen).
Product Plan: The name of the product installed on this device.
License Status: The current state of this license (Active or Expired).
License Expiration: The date on which this license will expire.
Registration Code: The registration code associated with this license.

Features

What is the Absolute Lock feature, and when should I use it?

A: Absolute Lock is a remote device-locking feature offered with all versions of Absolute Home & Office. Activating this feature will lock the remote device and prevent an end user from accessing the file system or making use of it in any way. An Absolute Lock may be configured to display a user-defined message on-screen.

We recommend that a Lock be deployed in cases where the device is missing but has not necessarily been stolen, or if you are an Absolute Home & Office Basic customer and do not have the option to report a theft.

Please note that we are not able to conduct an investigation while a device has an Absolute Lock deployed. If you wish to open a theft file for a Locked device, you will first need to request an Unlock and that device must call in to complete the Unlock process. It is not possible to open a theft file in our system until the Lock is fully removed.

How do I deploy an Absolute Lock?

A: To deploy an Absolute Lock to your registered device, please take the following steps:

Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
If you have multiple devices, select the correct one from the list.
Click on Lock.
Enter a lock message to be displayed on your device.
Enter your 4-6 number PIN code.
Confirm that you understand that the device will need to be unlocked prior to requesting a recovery.
Click on Lock Device.

Your Lock request will be deployed the next time the device contacts our Monitoring Center.

How do I remove an Absolute Lock?

A: To remove an Absolute Lock from your registered device, please take the following steps:

Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
If you have multiple devices, select the correct one from the list.
Click on Lock.
Enter your 4-6 number PIN code (the same code used when you locked your device).
Click on Unlock Device.

Please note that you will need to connect the device to the Internet before it can be unlocked. If you require an immediate unlock of a locked device, please contact our Global Support Department directly.

What is the Absolute Erase (Delete) feature, and when should I use it?

A: Absolute Erase (Delete) is a remote data-delete feature offered with all versions of Absolute Home & Office. Activating this feature will permanently erase (delete) files from a registered device, protecting your personal information and preventing identity theft. An Absolute Erase may be configured to delete all files from the device, specific folders, or specific file types.

We recommend deploying an Absolute Erase (Delete) in cases where highly sensitive data is at risk. We are not able to conduct a theft investigation while an Erase is in progress.

How do I deploy an Absolute Erase (Delete)?

A: To deploy an Absolute Erase (Delete) on your registered device, please take the following steps:

Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
If you have multiple devices, select the correct one from the list.
Click on Erase.
Configure your Data Delete request:
1. Delete ALL files on the hard drive or SOME
2. If SOME files, select the hard drive letter or All Drives.
3. If SOME files, select a specific file type (for example, all image files).
4. Note that you can combine multiple file types in a single request by clicking on the + New Rule option.
Check the box to consent to the request.
Enter your 4-6 number PIN code.
Click on Delete.

Your Erase (Delete) request will then be deployed the next time the device contacts our Monitoring Center.

Please note that once deployed, an Erase (Delete) is permanent and non-reversible, and deleted files cannot be recovered. Additionally, If your device has been stolen, a theft report cannot be opened and investigation cannot begin until the Erase has been completed on the device.

I’ve requested an Absolute Erase (Delete) by accident. How do I stop it?

A: If the registered device has not yet called in, an Absolute Erase (Delete) request status will be listed as Scheduled under the Erase tab within the Customer Center. You may cancel this request by taking the following steps:

Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
If you have multiple devices, select the correct one from the list.
Click on Lock.
Under the Action column, click on the –
Click on Yes to confirm.
The Erase request status will change to Cancelled.

If the device has called in and the Erase (Delete) has been deployed, the status will change to Started. Erase actions which have started cannot be cancelled or reversed and must complete before the device is reimaged or a theft report is filed with us.

What is Absolute Locate, and when should I use it?

A: The Absolute Locate map is displayed on the main device page for each registered device in the Customer Center, and is enabled by default. This map displays the latest location data point for the registered device, based on available data collected directly from available location sensors on your device.

Absolute Locate attempts to determine your device’s location based on a number of related technologies, including GPS, operating system location sensors, and Wi-Fi triangulation.

The location shown in the Absolute Locate map is inaccurate or has not updated in a long time. How can I fix this?

A: Absolute Locate relies on a number of geolocation sensors and technologies to try and provide the most accurate location possible for your device, including GPS, operating system location sensors, and Wi-Fi triangulation. If a more accurate location technology is not available, we will fall back to the next available technology.

Since most laptops do not have GPS capability, the most commonly available geolocation technology is Wi-Fi triangulation. Absolute Home & Office will first attempt to use Google’s Wi-Fi mapping, and if that is not available, will attempt to triangulate using our own database. If none of these are available, the map will fall back on IP address geolocation, which is much less accurate and does not offer the ability to zoom in.

Please note that Absolute’s Wi-Fi triangulation technology requires that the device is located near other devices that already exist in the database. If you are in a rural or low-density area, this option will most likely not be available.

You may try the following to ensure a more accurate location for your device is reported:

Verify that your Absolute Home & Office product is calling in:
- Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
- If you have multiple devices, select the correct one from the list.
- Confirm that the last call date is recent (within the last 24 hours).

Wait a few days:
- It can take some time for Absolute Home & Office to fully access all available location sensors and start reporting their data. In the meantime, only IP address geolocation may be available, which is known to be less accurate.

Verify that your operating system location sensors are set to allow location sharing:
- (Windows 10): Navigate to Start > Settings > Privacy > Location and ensure that Location for This Device is set to On. Click on Default Location, Set Let Maps Access Your Precise Location to Yes, search for the most common address of this device, click on Set Default Location, and select the device’s address.
- (macOS 10.15.x): Navigate to Apple Menu > System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Location Services and ensure that Enable Location Services is checked. Click on System Services and ensure that all options are checked (the last option to show the location icon in the menu bar is optional). You may be required to click the Lock icon and enter your Mac Administrator password to make these changes.

Try connecting the device to a different network temporarily:
- This could be a free Wi-Fi connection like a coffee shop or public library, or a Wi-Fi hotspot on your mobile phone.
- Once connected, leave the device online for at least 15 minutes to ensure that an updated location can be sent.

I am still not seeing an accurate location. How will you be able to recover my device if stolen?

A: Please note that the Locate map and associated geolocation data are not used in our Recovery process. For more information, please refer to the Recovery section below, or contact our Recovery Support Department directly.

What is the Absolute Home & Office icon displayed in my Windows task bar after installation?

A: The Absolute Notifier is an application shown in the task bar on Windows devices following installation. This application provides quick access to and information about your Absolute Customer Center account. The Notifier is only available for devices running Windows and is not currently available for Mac or Android devices.

Right-clicking on the Absolute Notifier icon brings up a menu with the following options:

Perform Test Call: This option forces an agent call through from your device to our Monitoring Center.
Log In: This option opens a browser window at our login page (https://my.absolute.com).
View Message: This option displays a pop-up window with the latest available promotions.
Online Help: This option opens the Notifier help page.
Close: This option will close the Absolute Notifier.

Additionally, the Absolute Notifier will show you the current status of your installed license. A yellow triangle indicates that your subscription is expiring soon. A red circle indicates that the subscription has expired.

In the case of a reported theft, the Absolute Notifier will automatically hide itself and will not appear in the task bar.

How do I uninstall the Absolute Notifier?

A: To uninstall the Absolute Notifier, please take the following steps:

Open the Control Panel.
Select the Uninstall a Program
Locate Absolute Notifier in the list of installed applications.
Double-click on the entry to remove the Notifier.

How do I reinstall the Absolute Notifier?

A: If you have uninstalled the Absolute Notifier and wish to reinstall it, you will need to reinstall the entire Home & Office product on this device. To do so, please take these steps:

Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
If you have multiple devices, select the correct one from the list.
Click on Remove License.
Click on Add Device License.
Select the PC or Mac download option.
Scroll to the bottom of the Service Agreement and click on I Agree.
Run the AbsoluteSetup file once the download has completed.
The installer will walk you through the installation steps.

Once installation is complete, you will see the Notifier reappear in the task bar. Please note that on some systems, you may need to reboot the device before the Notifier will appear.

Billing

Why did my Absolute product license automatically renew?

A: By default, all licenses purchased through Absolute are set up to be automatically renewed on a subscription basis, to ensure that your device remains protected. You may disable this Auto-Renew feature at any time.

If Auto-Renew is disabled, you will receive an email from us 30 days prior to your license’s expiry date with options for manual renewal. Licenses may only be manually renewed if they are within 30 days of expiry.

Please note that Auto-Renew is set at a per-device level. This means that it must be enabled or disabled separately for each device you have activated with us.

How do I disable Auto-Renewal?

A: If you would like to disable Auto-Renew and renew manually instead, you may take the following steps:

Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
If you have multiple devices, select the correct one from the list.
Click on Device Billing in the lower left corner.
Select Disable Auto Renew.
Click on Yes to confirm.

Once Auto-Renew has been successfully disabled, the option will change to Enable Auto Renew to indicate that it has been turned off. If your license is within 30 days of expiration, you will see a Renew Now banner appearing on your account. Clicking on this banner will allow you to manually purchase a license renewal.

Please note that Auto-Renew is set at a per-device level. This means that it must be disabled separately for each device you have activated with us.

How do I enable Auto-Renew or update my billing details?

A: If you would like to enable Auto-Renew or update your billing information, you may take the following steps:

Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
If you have multiple devices, select the correct one from the list.
Click on Device Billing in the lower left corner.
Select Enable Auto Renew.
Click on Yes to confirm.
Select Change Payment Information.
Enter your current billing information.
Click on Enable Auto-Renewal.

This billing information will then be used on your next billing cycle for a one-year renewal.

When entering your billing information, please keep the following in mind:

The card number should be entered with no dashes or spaces.
The expiry date should be selected from the drop-down menus.
The CVV2 number is the three-digit security code located on the back of the card.

Please note that Auto-Renew is set at a per-device level. This means that it must be enabled separately for each device you have activated with us.

I have disabled Auto-Renew. How do I manually renew my Absolute Home & Office license?

A: To renew your Absolute Home & Office license, please take the following steps:

Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
If you have multiple devices, select the correct one from the list.
Click on the Renew Now
A license renewal discount should be automatically applied.

When entering your billing information, please keep the following in mind:

The card number should be entered with no dashes or spaces.
The expiry date should be selected from the drop-down menus.
The CVV2 number is the three-digit security code located on the back of the card.

My Absolute Home & Office license has expired. Can I still renew it?

A: Absolute Home & Office licenses may be renewed for up to 30 days following expiry. If the license is not renewed within this time period, the software will automatically remove itself from the device and will no longer report to our system. This means that Absolute Home & Office is considered fully uninstalled.

If you are still within the 30-day post-expiry window, you may renew your Absolute Home & Office license manually by taking the following steps:

Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
If you have multiple devices, select the correct one from the list.
Click on the Renew Now
A license renewal discount should be automatically applied.

When entering your billing information, please keep the following in mind:

The card number should be entered with no dashes or spaces.
The expiry date should be selected from the drop-down menus.
The CVV2 number is the three-digit security code located on the back of the card.

I received a special promotion for renewal through email or the Absolute Notifier. How can I take advantage of this offer?

A: Absolute will periodically offer special, limited-time promotions for license renewals. These offers may be offered via email or as a pop-up from the Absolute Notifier.

If you wish to take advantage of these special offers, you may click on the link in the email or the Notifier pop-up box. This will redirect you to a shopping cart where the special offer discount is automatically applied.

Please note that these offers are only available through email or the Absolute Notifier for a limited time only.

How do I purchase a new Absolute Home & Office license?

A: New licenses may be purchased through our website at https://homeoffice.absolute.com.

Please note that the purchase of a new license is not the same as purchasing a renewal for an existing license. Existing licenses must be renewed either through the Customer Center or via a promotional email or Notifier pop-up offer.

Do you offer a free trial of Absolute Home & Office?

A: Yes, we offer a 30-day Free Trial of Absolute Home & Office Standard. If you would like to try out Home & Office, please visit our Free Trial page here at https://homeoffice.absolute.com/free-trial/.

When does my Absolute Home & Office license term begin and expire?

A: Licenses purchased through our website begin their term on the date of purchase.

For this reason, we recommend installation as soon as your order has been processed and you have received an order confirmation email. If a license has been purchased but not installed, we will send you a reminder email seven days after the purchase date.

Licenses purchased through one of our partners begin their term on the date of installation.

You may confirm the license start and end date by logging into the Customer Center following your installation.

How do I upgrade from Absolute Home & Office Basic to Standard, or Absolute Home & Office Standard to Premium?

A: All new licenses offer the option to upgrade during the first 30 days of activation through the Customer Center, as well as during the final 30 days prior to expiration. If you would like to upgrade your license, please take the following steps:

Visit our login page at https://my.absolute.com and enter your registered email address.
1. If you do not remember the password on this account, click on the Forgot Password link to have a new temporary password emailed to you.
2. If you used a temporary password to log in, update to a permanent password.
If you have multiple devices, select the correct one from the list.
If you are within the first or last 30 days of the license term, you should see an Upgrade Now
Clicking on this banner will allow you to purchase a license upgrade.
If your license is due to expire, you will see the option to purchase a renewal at the same time.

If you are not seeing the banner mentioned above, please contact our Global Support Department directly for more assistance.

I didn’t receive a confirmation email for my order. Did something go wrong?

A: Your order confirmation email should be delivered within about five minutes of making your purchase. We recommend that you check your spam and junk mail folders, as some email providers can mistakenly flag our order confirmation emails as spam.

If you are still not seeing this email, we recommend that you contact our Global Support Department directly for more assistance. Please have your Absolute order number and the email used to make the purchase available.

What methods of payment do you accept?

A: We currently accept Visa and Mastercard, American Express, Discover, PayPal and Bank or Wire Transfer as payment options.

Recovery

How does Absolute’s Recovery process work?

A: We track stolen devices based on their internet connection. When a stolen device connects to the Internet, our team of investigators will deploy patented forensic tools to the device to collect evidence and assemble an evidence package. They will then work with law enforcement on an ongoing basis to determine the stolen device’s location, which law enforcement can then retrieve. Finally, we will ship the recovered device back to you.

For more details on this process, you may view our Investigation Services Datasheet (https://www.absolute.com/media/1346/abt-ais-ds-e.pdf).

My device has been stolen! How do I report the theft to Absolute?

A: To report the theft of your device and open a theft file with us, please take the following steps:

Report the theft to your local police and obtain a police file number.
1. Please note that this police file number is required, as we cannot take any action without it.
Contact our Theft Reporting Support Department to report the theft over the phone. We offer theft reporting services by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
1. Alternately, you may log into your account at https://my.absolute.com and click on the Recover tab to submit an online theft report.
2. If you are calling from outside of North America, a full list of contact numbers is available at http://homeoffice.absolute.com/en/support/global-telephone-support.

Please note that we will require the following information to open your theft file:

Police file number
Name of police department
Non-emergency phone number for police department
Date of theft
Address of theft
A description of how the theft occurred

Help! I am not able to open a theft report!

A: There are a number of conditions which must be met in order for a theft report to be filed in our system:

Absolute Home & Office must be installed on the stolen device. You may confirm this by logging into the Customer Center at https://my.absolute.com.
The installed product must offer the Recovery option. Please note that Absolute Home & Office Basic does not offer this option.
The installed license must not be expired. If the license is not renewed before the expiry date, Absolute Home & Office will automatically uninstall itself from the device and we will be unable to assist with recovery.
A security action such as a Lock or Erase may have been deployed. We cannot recover a stolen device if it has been remotely locked or an Erase is in progress. Please note that if the status for that action reads Pending, you may cancel the action before it is deployed and immediately submit a theft report.
Required information may be missing. You must complete all starred fields in the ‘Recover’ form before a theft report may be filed.

If you are encountering difficulty submitting a theft file or require additional information, please contact our Global Support Department directly for assistance.

My device has been stolen, but I am not currently an Absolute Home & Office customer. Can you help?

A: Unfortunately, if you have not installed Absolute Home & Office on your device prior to the theft, we are not able to assist. There is no method available for remote installation of Absolute Home & Office.

I have questions regarding my open theft file, or I need to provide you with updated information.

A: To update a theft file or check on its status, we advise that you contact our Recovery Support Department directly, either by phone or at [email protected].

Are you able to recover my stolen device in any country?

A: We are able to track a stolen device anywhere in the world.

However, as our recovery process relies on the cooperation and resources of local law enforcement, we can only guarantee recovery within guaranteed territories: The United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

What is the Service Guarantee, and do I have it?

A: The Service Guarantee is an option available within the Premium edition of Absolute Home & Office. Under the terms of this option, if a device is stolen and we are not able to recover it within 60 days, you will be eligible for a payment of up to $1,000.

The Service Guarantee is only available with Absolute Home & Office Premium.

For more information on Service Guarantee eligibility, we recommend that you contact our Global Support Department directly, either by phone or at [email protected].

Why am I no longer seeing the Locate map after opening a theft report for my device?

A: In the event of a theft, we will hide the Locate map in the console. The reason for this is that this location data is now considered evidence in an ongoing police investigation and we are prohibited from releasing it to the public. Instead, all device location data is provided directly to law enforcement.

Other

I received a notice from my vendor advising me to disable Intel Anti-Theft before returning my laptop to them for replacement or repair. How do I disable this?

A: Intel Anti-Theft was discontinued a few years ago and is no longer included in newer models of devices. Additionally, our installer is designed to automatically deactivate Intel Anti-Theft on older devices whenever it is detected.

If your device was manufactured in the last few years, it will not include Intel Anti-Theft, so you may disregard the notice and return the laptop to the vendor. If your device is older or you are not sure of its age, please contact our Global Support Department directly with the device’s serial number and we will verify that Intel Anti-Theft has been disabled.

My device indicates that it has been locked by Intel Anti-Theft.

A: Intel Anti-Theft was discontinued a number of years ago and is no longer included in newer models of devices. Additionally, our installer is designed to automatically deactivate Intel Anti-Theft on older devices whenever it is detected. However, some older devices may still have it activated.

Intel Anti-Theft is not an Absolute product, but we are still able to assist with unlocking Intel Anti-Theft-locked devices in some cases. Please contact our Global Support Department directly with the device’s serial number for more assistance.

My device indicates that it has been locked by Phoenix Failsafe.

A: We are not able to assist with unlocking devices that were locked by Phoenix Failsafe.

While the Phoenix Failsafe website may indicate that Absolute acquired certain intellectual property assets from Phoenix at one time, this does not mean that we acquired either their products or their customer base. We acquired certain technologies that they developed, but this does not extend to their Failsafe locking feature, which we have neither the means nor the jurisdiction to assist with.

We recommend that you contact Phoenix Failsafe’s technical support department directly at [email protected] for additional assistance and information.

Should I set a BIOS password or perform full-disk encryption (FDE) on my device?

A: If the BIOS or encryption solution requires a password before the operating system starts to boot, we do not recommend it as this will prevent the Absolute Home & Office agent from launching until the password is entered, and can interfere with theft investigations as a result.

However, we are compatible with BitLocker, so we recommend this as an encryption solution for added device security.

My device dual-boots two or more operating systems. Can I install Absolute Home & Office?

A: Dual-boot systems are not a supporting configuration at this time.

The reason for this is that when our software installs, it will automatically query your motherboard for the serial number and check that this serial number does not exist in our system. Your first installation should successfully activate the device in our system, but when an installation on the second partition is attempted, the software will determine that the serial number already exists in our database and will fail to install. There is no known workaround for this issue, and for this reason we do not support dual installations performed on dual-boot systems.

How can I obtain a new or replacement Absolute Home & Office sticker for my device?

A: In some cases, older boxed copies of our software sold in stores may still come with a sticker, but we no longer print them and have not done so for many years. We decided to stop making these stickers because we found that they were not an effective theft deterrent.

In cases where the thief does not know that our software is on the computer, our recovery process is typically much faster and much more effective. If the thief can see that our software is installed, those laptops are often destroyed before we are able to track them down.