Troubleshooting Chrome Extension Sync Issues

[nerdslife_team]

Chrome extensions are super handy for boosting productivity, tweaking browser functions, and generally making the web a more personalized place. One of the best features is that your extensions should sync across all devices where you’re logged into Chrome with the same account. But what happens when that sync breaks down? This post will guide you through how to fix those annoying Chrome extension syncing problems.

Method 1: Verify Your Sync Settings

Let’s start with the basics. If your extensions aren’t syncing, the first thing to check is your Chrome sync settings. Chrome lets you choose exactly what you want to sync, and if the extension sync is disabled, well, that explains the issue! Here’s how to check it:

1. In Chrome, click the three dots menu in the upper right corner and select ‘Settings.’
   
   
2. In the ‘You and Google’ section, make sure it indicates you’re ‘Syncing to’ your Gmail account right below your profile pic.
   
   
3. If sync is off, click the ‘Turn on sync…’ button.
   
   
4. If syncing is on, click ‘Manage what you sync’ under the Sync section.
   
   
5. Here, you’ll see the settings for various items, including ‘Extensions’. If ‘Sync everything’ is selected, all items will sync.
   
   
6. If you only want to sync specific items, choose ‘Customize sync’ and ensure the toggle next to ‘Extensions’ is turned on.
   
   

Method 2: Clear Synced Data

If your sync settings look good, the next step is to try clearing your synced data. This forces Chrome to re-sync everything, which can resolve a lot of problems.

1. Go to Chrome Settings and click on ‘Sync and Google services.’
   
   
2. On the next page, under ‘Sync’, click on ‘Review your synced data’.
   
   
3. You’ll see a list of all items Chrome syncs. Now click the ‘CLEAR DATA’ button.
   
   
4. If prompted, click ‘Ok’ to confirm. This will delete all your Chrome data from your Google Account, but not your devices.
   
5. Sign out of Chrome on all devices using the same Google account and then sign back in.

Method 3: Re-Enable Extension Sync

Sometimes simply toggling the extension sync off and back on can give things a jolt in the right direction.

1. Go to the sync settings, as shown in the first method, then select the ‘Sync everything’ option.
2. Select the ‘Customize sync’ option, then toggle the ‘Extensions’ option off and then back on.
   
   
3. You can also choose the ‘Sync everything’ option again.

Method 4: Create Sync Passphrase for Chrome Extensions

A sync passphrase can add an extra layer of security to your synced data. Setting this up can sometimes help with persistent syncing issues.

1. Open Google Chrome settings and select ‘Sync and Google services’.
   
   
2. Expand ‘Encryption Options’ under the ‘Sync’ section.
   
   
3. Choose ‘Encrypt synced data with your own sync passphrase’.
   
   
4. Enter and confirm your new passphrase, then click ‘Save’.
   
   
   
   Keep your passphrase safe. You’ll need it whenever you log into Chrome on a new device. If you forget it, you’ll have to reset Chrome sync.

Method 5: Disconnect and Reconnect your Google Account

Sometimes, disconnecting your Google account and reconnecting it can kickstart the sync process.

1. Open Chrome settings and click ‘Manage your Google Account’.
   
   
2. On the Google Account page, click your profile pic and select ‘Sign out’.
   
   
3. Close Chrome, then relaunch and sign back into your Google account.

Method 6: Repair or Uninstall Extensions

Corrupted extensions can interfere with syncing. You can try repairing or uninstalling them:

1. Click the three dots menu, go to ‘More tools,’ and select ‘Extensions.’
   
   
2. Alternatively, you can open Settings and select ‘Extensions’ from the left panel.
3. If an extension is broken, you’ll see an option to repair it. Click the ‘Repair’ button.
4. If repairing doesn’t work, remove the extension by clicking ‘Remove’.
   
   
5. Confirm by clicking ‘Remove’ in the confirmation box.
   
   

Method 7: Install Google Chrome Updates

Keeping Chrome updated is crucial for smooth functioning and can fix sync issues, as some extensions might not play nicely with older browser versions.

1. Click the three dots menu and select ‘Settings’.
   
   
2. Click on ‘About Chrome’. It will check for updates automatically.
   
   
3. After the update, click ‘Relaunch’ to restart Chrome.
   
   

Method 8: Activate Developer Mode

Developer mode allows for manual extension updates, which can be helpful if Chrome isn’t updating them on its own.

1. Open the Extensions page.
   
   
2. Click the ‘Developer mode’ toggle in the upper right corner.
   
   
3. Click ‘Update’ at the top of the page.
   
   

Method 9: Create a New Browser Profile

Creating a new profile can resolve many issues.

1. Close Chrome completely.
2. Open File Explorer by pressing Win+E and type %LOCALAPPDATA% GoogleChromeUser Data in the address bar.
3. Rename the ‘Default’ folder (e.g., to ‘Default old’).
   
   
4. Relaunch Chrome. It will create a new ‘Default’ folder and you can sign back in and test the sync.

Method 10: Clear Browsing Data

Clearing your browser’s cache and data may fix sync problems.

1. Go to Chrome Settings, and then ‘Privacy and Security’ and click on ‘Clear browsing data’.
   
   
2. Switch to the ‘Advanced’ tab and choose ‘All time’ as the time range.
   
   
3. Select all items, and click ‘Clear data.’
   
   
4. Restart Chrome and see if the extensions are now syncing.

Method 11: Reinstall Chrome Browser

If all else fails, a fresh install can be the solution.

1. Open Windows settings using Win+I and go to ‘Apps’ then ‘Installed Apps’.
   
   
2. Click the three dots next to Google Chrome and choose ‘Uninstall’.
   
   
3. Confirm by clicking ‘Uninstall’ again.
   
   
4. Alternatively, search for ‘Chrome’ in Windows search, right-click it, and select ‘Uninstall’.
5. Download and reinstall the Chrome browser from this link.