How do the five Free backup slots work, and what happens when they are full?
Updated October 9, 2026
Free includes five reusable backup slots. A slot represents a retained formal CUE Backup version in the current account or guest history. It is not a limit of five backup attempts for the lifetime of the app, and it is not a limit of five connected USB drives.
When all five slots are occupied, LastCUE blocks another formal backup. You can delete an older version in the app or upgrade to Pro to add more backups.
Can one USB use more than one slot?
Yes. Backing up the same USB at different times creates separate versions. Those versions can preserve different playlists, library data, analysis files, or music, depending on the selected backup mode.
For example, three retained versions of one USB plus two retained versions of another use five slots. Keeping a new version requires an available slot on Free.
Does a full quota overwrite the oldest backup?
No. Reaching the limit does not automatically replace an earlier version. LastCUE asks you to remove old backups or upgrade before creating another formal backup.
Choose a version you no longer need in backup history and use the app's delete action. Deleting a LastCUE backup removes that saved version, not the source USB.
If you intend to keep the version elsewhere, preserve a complete copy of the backup library first. Newer shared-object backups require their repository files as well as the .lcue manifest.
What changes with Pro?
Pro removes the app's formal backup-slot limit and enables the Pro detail views and tools included in the plan. Local disk capacity still limits how much backup data you can store.
An unlimited slot entitlement does not provide unlimited cloud storage. Backups remain in your selected local folder.
What happens if Pro expires with more than five backups?
Existing owner-matched formal backups are not automatically deleted or frozen because they exceed five. They remain available in history for the actions supported by the backup and its files.
New formal backups are blocked while the retained count is at or above the Free limit. If eight versions remain, delete enough to bring the count below five or renew Pro before adding another. Pro-only detailed views and tools require active Pro access.
The displayed history also depends on the current account or guest identity and whether the local backup files are available. This does not turn expired Pro into unlimited new Free backups.
Do automatic safety backups follow the same rule?
Automatic safety backups serve a different purpose from formal CUE versions. Use the quota shown in LastCUE to see your formal backup count; do not assume that every diagnostic folder or automatic safety copy consumes a formal slot.
For what each mode preserves, see Quick, Analysis, and Full backup scope.