Fortunately, if you use Chrome, you can use the sync system that Google put into their popular web browser. With a sync set up, you can download all of your browsing data onto each device that uses Chrome. This lets you get to all of your bookmarks, passwords, and even browsing history on any device that you use.
First Things First: Attaching an Account
Of course, if we want Chrome to sync our data between two devices, we have to let it know that we’re the one doing the browsing. To do this, we need to attach a Google account to Chrome which it will sync our data to. Then, when we want to access our data from another Chrome browser, we log into our Google account there as well. This will let Chrome know to sync our data with the other device. To set up the sync, open a Chrome window if it’s not already running. Look at the top right of the Chrome window. You should see a button that looks like three dots or bars on top of one another. Click this, and then click “Settings”.
At the very top of this new screen is the category “People.” Under this is the option to “Sign in to Chrome.” Click this option and you’ll be prompted to enter your Google credentials. Unfortunately, the account you use has to be a Google account, so make sure you enter the correct credentials.
Setting the Sync
Chrome will then let you know what it’s about to do. This includes syncing all of your data with its servers and personalizing ads to your preferences. If you’re fine with this, feel free to click “OK, got it” and activate the sync. If you’d like to tweak what Google syncs, check the “Manage Chrome Sync and personalization in Settings” box before clicking the “OK, got it” button. Should the idea of Google syncing your data make you feel uneasy, click “Undo,” and the sync won’t occur.
If you chose to sync all of your data, but you regret your choice afterward, you can still edit what’s synced. Go into Settings again and clicking “Sync” under your account.
Regardless of whether you checked the box during the account setup or you’ve clicked “Sync” in Settings, you’ll see the following.
Turn off “Sync everything” at the top to unlock the other options. Now you can freely go through each piece of synced data and enable or disable the options as you see fit. Once you’ve set up the sync the way you want, Chrome will automatically sync your data with its servers. Give it some time to upload your data before trying to access it from another device.
Using Sync on Another Computer
So, now you have all your Chrome data synced. When you find yourself on a different device, how do you get your synced-up data? Once you’re on a new machine or device, it’s very simple. Just go back into the settings of Chrome and log in to your account the same way you enabled the sync to begin with. Then, make sure the sync feature is enabled. Once done, Chrome will notice that you’re on a new browser and grab all the data that you’ve previously synced. ToAfter a small wait, you should have all your bookmarks, history, and saved passwords downloaded and ready to go. You can access them the same way you’d access them on your main computer. Bookmarks will be where you saved them, saved passwords will automatically pop up on login screens, and if you check your browsing history, you should see your past browsing habits from all your synced devices.
Syncing Feeling
When working across multiple devices, it can be annoying to be locked out of bookmarks or passwords due to it being on another device. With a simple sync, however, you can access your data from any Chrome browser. Do you make heavy usage of browser syncing features? Let us know below.
