If you use Google Chrome on multiple devices—such as a desktop PC at work, a laptop at home, and a smartphone on the go—you know how frustrating it is to not have access to your bookmarks or saved passwords everywhere. By turning on Google Chrome Sync, you can seamlessly share your browsing data across all your devices.
How to Turn On Sync in Chrome on a Computer
- Open Google Chrome on your computer.
- In the top right corner of the window, click on the Profile icon (it will either be your picture or a generic silhouette).
- Click on the button that says Turn on sync…
- You will be prompted to sign in with your Google Account if you haven’t already. Enter your email address and password.
- A confirmation prompt will appear asking “Turn on sync?”. Click Yes, I’m in.
How to Turn On Sync on Mobile (iOS & Android)
- Open the Google Chrome app on your smartphone or tablet.
- Tap the three dots icon in the corner (top right on Android, bottom right on iOS) and select Settings.
- Tap on Sync and Google Services (or tap your profile name at the top).
- Tap Turn on sync. Choose the Google account you want to use and tap Yes, I’m in.
Customising What Gets Synced
By default, Chrome syncs everything: bookmarks, history, passwords, open tabs, and autofill data. If you only want to sync specific items (like bookmarks, but not your browsing history), you can customise this.
Go to Settings > Sync and Google services > Manage what you sync. Select “Customise sync” and toggle off the data types you do not want to share across your devices.