Is Google Chrome sync not working? Whether your bookmarks aren’t syncing between devices, passwords aren’t appearing on all your computers, or the sync feature seems stuck, this guide covers every fix to get Chrome sync working again on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.
What Does Chrome Sync Do and Why Does It Fail?
Google Chrome Sync keeps your bookmarks, passwords, extensions, history, tabs, settings, and addresses synchronized across all devices signed into the same Google account. When sync breaks, it’s usually because of an authentication issue with your Google account, Chrome’s local sync data becoming corrupted, a network problem preventing Chrome from reaching Google’s servers, or sync being manually paused or disabled in settings.
Fix 1: Sign Out and Sign Back Into Chrome
The most effective first fix for Chrome sync issues is to sign out of your Google account and sign back in to refresh the authentication token. In Chrome, click your profile icon in the top-right corner → Sign out. Wait 30 seconds, then click Sign in to Chrome and re-enter your Google credentials. This forces Chrome to establish a fresh sync connection.
Fix 2: Check Your Chrome Sync Settings
Sync may be working but certain data types may be disabled. Go to chrome://settings/syncSetup and click “Manage what you sync.” Make sure all the categories you want synced — Bookmarks, Passwords, History, Extensions, Addresses, Payment methods — are toggled on. Also verify that sync isn’t currently paused by checking if there’s a yellow warning icon next to your profile picture.
Fix 3: Clear Chrome Sync Data and Start Fresh
If Chrome sync is stuck in an error state, clearing the sync data from Google’s servers and starting fresh can resolve it. Go to myaccount.google.com/data-and-privacy → Delete a Google service is not what you want — instead, go to chrome://settings/syncSetup and at the bottom click “Clear bookmarks, history, and other data from your Google Account.” This clears the server-side sync data. Chrome will then re-upload all your local data freshly on the next sync.
Fix 4: Check Chrome and Google Account Status
Visit accounts.google.com in Chrome and verify you can sign in to your Google account normally. If you’re getting sign-in errors, your account may have been temporarily suspended or require a security verification. Also check workspace.google.com/status to see if Google Sync services are experiencing an outage — sometimes the issue is on Google’s end, not yours.
Fix 5: Update Google Chrome
Sync failures can be caused by Chrome version incompatibilities between your devices. Update Chrome to the latest version on all your devices: click the three-dot menu → Help → About Google Chrome. Chrome will download and install any available updates. Make sure all devices are running the same major version of Chrome for best sync compatibility.
Fix 6: Disable Extensions That Interfere with Sync
Some extensions — particularly password managers (LastPass, 1Password, Dashlane), privacy extensions, and ad blockers — can interfere with Chrome’s sync process. Open Chrome in Incognito mode (Ctrl+Shift+N) and check if sync works in the account menu. If sync status shows properly in Incognito, an extension is interfering. Disable extensions at chrome://extensions and re-enable them one by one.
Fix 7: Reset Chrome Profile Data
If sync is stuck due to a corrupted local profile, resetting the profile data fixes it. Navigate to C:Users[YourName]AppDataLocalGoogleChromeUser DataDefault. Find the files named Sync Data (it’s a folder) and Sync Data Backup. Delete both. Restart Chrome — it will create fresh sync data files and re-sync from Google’s servers. Bookmarks stored in your Google account are not lost.
Chrome Sync Fix Checklist
- Sign out of Chrome and sign back in
- Check sync settings at chrome://settings/syncSetup
- Verify all sync categories are enabled
- Clear server-side sync data and let Chrome re-upload
- Update Chrome on all devices to the latest version
- Disable extensions to check for interference
- Delete Chrome’s Sync Data folder to reset local sync state
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why are my Chrome bookmarks not syncing to my other computer?
Bookmark sync issues are usually caused by: both computers not being signed into the same Google account in Chrome, bookmarks sync being disabled in Settings, or a sync conflict where Chrome doesn’t know which version of your bookmarks is most recent. Sign into the same Google account on both computers, ensure bookmarks sync is enabled, and try clearing sync data from the server to force a fresh sync.
Can I sync Chrome across Windows and Mac?
Yes, Chrome sync works seamlessly across Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS as long as you’re signed into the same Google account in Chrome on all devices. Extensions sync is limited to desktop platforms (not mobile), but bookmarks, passwords, history, and settings sync across all platforms.
Chrome sync still not working? Leave a comment with which data types aren’t syncing (bookmarks, passwords, etc.) and which devices you’re syncing between — our team will help troubleshoot your specific sync issue.