This article helps you fix a Plaud device that's already bound to another account and won't connect under your current login. A device can be bound to only one account at a time. This commonly happens when:
- You bought the device second-hand or refurbished, and it is still bound to the previous owner's account
- The device was bound to an account created with an employer's or former employee's email
- The device was a gift or hand-me-down
- The previous owner is unknown, or the device is bound to an account you don't recognize
- The device is bound to an account you no longer have access to
- The device was bound to the wrong account during setup
Steps
- Rule out your own accounts first. The device may be bound to another account of yours, created with a different sign-in method (Continue with Google, Continue with Apple, or Continue with Email) or a different email address. Log out, sign back in with that account, and reconnect the device. If you don't remember which email you used, see How to find the email address used for my Plaud account. Note: the same email address may have separate accounts via SSO (Continue with Google / Continue with Apple) and via email + password — try both sign-in methods with the same email.
-
If the device is bound to someone else's account, ask the previous owner to unbind it. If you can contact the previous owner (the seller, your company, or a family member), ask them to sign in to their account and follow the steps in Unbind device. Once unbound, bind the device to your own account — no support ticket needed.
- Unbinding does not transfer any recordings or data — the previous owner's data stays in their account. Unbinding also erases any files still stored on the device that have not been uploaded; files already uploaded to the Mobile App or cloud are not affected.
- Purchasing a second-hand Plaud device? If you are purchasing a second-hand device, please confirm with the seller that the device has been unbound from their account prior to payment, and verify that you are able to successfully bind it to your own account. Due to privacy and security concerns, Plaud will only proceed with a remote unbind upon authorization from the device owner.
If the issue persists
If the steps above don't resolve the issue, submit a request to our support team. To help us verify ownership and avoid back-and-forth, please prepare the items for your situation:
Your own or your company's device
- A photo of the device box clearly showing the serial number — see how to locate it on Plaud Note, Plaud Note Pro, Plaud NotePin, or Plaud NotePin S
- Proof of purchase
- For a company or ex-employee device: the email address previously tied to the account
A device you bought second-hand
- An authorization email from the original account holder approving the unbind request — please provide the email to Plaud Support as an .eml file. Alternatively, the original owner may contact us directly at support@plaud.ai to authorize the unbind on your behalf.
- Official proof of purchase
- A photo of the device box clearly showing the serial number — see the links above
- Please note: without the previous owner's authorization, we are unable to unbind a second-hand device.