Bug(?) - MacOS - copying data folder comes up with zero extensions for Default profile but not for other profiles

[alexr]

Trying to keep this on point. I have two macos’s running the latest brave (1.78.102), but I have a feeling the same issue exists on all OSs. On the old mac I have 3 profiles: Default, Profile 1, Profile 2. I want to migrate everything, and that means extensions AND their data (which the sync function does NOT do). it’s been documented that I can copy the data folder entirely.

On the new mac I deleted ~\Library\Application Support\BraveSoftware and copied it from the old one. Everything came up fully as expected, including extensions and their data for Profile 1 and Profile 2 … excepy for the Default profile. I was baffled.

I tried toggling “Developer mode” on and off before copying to the new mac, etc. Made not difference.

I also tried only copying the subfolders Default, Profile 1, Profile 2, without any of the other folders and files at the same level. Still no dice.

I also tried renaming the folder Default to Profile 3 hoping the Browser would come up with 4 profiles and I could then just ignore the Default profile, but it didn’t, it came up still with 3 profiles, and the default one was empty (it seems there is other data associated with a profile and not just the profile directory).

I have seen others report this before but nothing was ever done about it and was eventually closed, some examples below at the end.

I’d like to actually get this to work – either into the Default profile, or to “clone” the Default profile into another Profile 3 profile. Any help would be appreciated.

I don’t want to recreate and reconfigure extensions by hand – some of them have a lot of data that was built over many years that i can’t really spend time to recreate manually.

It seems the bug exists only for the default profile, for some reason.

Previous reports (these did not identify that other profiles don’t exibit the problem):

Moving Extensions on Macbook to another Macbook

How do you move browser extensions and the user data on OSX from one computer to another. I replaced by macbook and used the migration tool with TimeMachine backup which should have moved browser extensions as part of user data but no extensions were available. I then copied the default folder here and while the extension files were there nothing showing in the browser. /Users/XXXXXXX/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Default/ Whats missing here this should have worked? …

Extension migration from backup

Hello, I just migrated all my data onto a new mac via time machine backup. (the old mac was on big sur the new one has monterey). Everything went smoothly. But when I opened brave I had all the bookmarks as previoulsly and also the last tabs opened. What’s missing is ALL the extension which I need very much. How do I migrate all the brave extension from the old mac to new one, including all the extension data (for example bitwarden and its passwords)? Thank you

[alexr]

Come on, nobody? Really?

[289wk]

@alexr

Is your older of the 2 Macs, still functioning?

Where the Brave Browser user data Profiles and Settings are, on the Mac:

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The initial Brave Browser Profile is, by default, named “Profile 1” (unless you changed that name → brave://settings/getStarted). In the Name your Brave profile field at:

• brave://settings/manageProfile

after installing Brave Browser, you will see: “Profile 1”.

The folder that contains that initial Brave Browser Profile data, is named “Default” (a name that you must not change) at:

/Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Default

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For the first, additional Brave Browser user Profile created (in the Name your Brave profile field: “Profile 2”) — the corresponding, physical folder is named “Profile 1” (a name that you must not change) at:

/Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Profile 1

---

For the next, additional Brave Browser user Profile created (in the Name your Brave profile field: “Profile 3”) — the corresponding, physical folder is named “Profile 2” (a name that you must not change) at:

/Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Profile 2

---

Again:

IF you have not changed the Profile names, THEN:

Profile named “Profile 1” data is in folder named “Default”

Profile named “Profile 2” data is in folder named “Profile 1”

Profile named “Profile 3” data is in folder named “Profile 2”

etc.

That pattern applies to all Brave Browser Linux OS, MacOS, and Windows OS users.

TIP: Want to know, which Profile Path applies to the frontmost Brave Browser window?

In a Brave Browser New Window, go to: brave://version and scroll down to Profile Path.

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For all backups of folders of the Brave Browser installation, Brave Browser must NOT be running.

Various Brave Browser Settings are stored in the “Preferences” file at, for example: /Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Default/Preferences

Some Brave Browser Settings are stored in the “Local State” file at: /Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Local State

Some Brave Browser Settings are stored in the com.brave.Browser.plist file at: /Users/[username]/Library/Preferences/com.brave.Browser.plist

---

For migrating as much as possible, I would:

A) Disable any sync chain; and disable the connection to Apple’s iCloud.

B) Disable the extensions.

C) On the older of the 2 Macs, create 1 additonal user Profile and make sure, that 4th user Profile in your case, is the last that is running when you Quit the browser - prior to migration.

D) On the newer of the 2 Macs, create 3 user Profiles in addition to the initial Default user Profile. And, make sure the 4th Profile (of the new installation) is the last that is running when you Quit the browser on the newer Mac - prior to migration.

E) Remove the new “BraveSoftware” folder on the newer Mac, from its installed location . . . to the Desktop.

F) Substitute the older “BraveSoftware” folder into the place where you just removed the newer “BraveSoftware” folder (step E, preceding).

G) Use the following Terminal.app command in order to launch Brave Browser:

• open -a "Brave Browser.app" -n --args --profile-directory="Profile 3"

Remember the organization. The Profile 3 directory / folder, contains the BB user “Profile 4” data.

The general idea is, to be running at the old tail end, quit of Brave Browser, and later, at the new start of Brave Browser: the 4th BB user Profile that does not have extensions.

[alexr]

@289wk

Is your older of the 2 Macs, still functioning?

Oh yes … that baby has been functioning since 2014 and is going nowhere

@289wk

For migrating as much as possible, I would:

[…]

If all that proves to also migrate the extensions and their data of the Default profile then I’ll buy you your favorite beverage or favorite sweet (no, really). I’ll reply after I try it tomorrow.

[alexr]

I tried. Didn’t work. Every combination I tried does the same thing, regardless of whatever extra profiles or which profile was active last or which profiles were open when quitting … the default profile ALWAYS coomes up without any extensions!

… but here’s more weirdness: the extension data IS there. If I manually install the missing extensions from Web Store, they come up with the old extension data pre-configured (apart from the Chrome flags "allow in Incognito, etc)

This must be a bug.

Any devs here paying attention?