New sync chain gets created whenever I open brave

[jagsdr2018]

New sync chain gets created whenever I open brave

Description of the issue:
I’ve been trying to sync my brave profiles on my Linux machine with my Windows machine, but I found that this was not working.

I copy the sync code from Linux, open the newly installed Brave on windows, turn on sync and select “I already have a sync code”, but the windows pc just appears on its own in the sync chain and nothing gets synced from my Linux Brave.

I opened my Linux machine again to check what was going on and I noticed that every time I close and reopen my browser and check Sync again, the sync words change every time.

Also, when I toggle “Sync Everything” On, it doesn’t automatically toggle all sync data on and I have to do it manually. (This happens to two of the 4 profiles I have with brave. The other two automatically toggles all sync data when you click “Sync Everything”).
And once I exit and reopen Brave, all the sync data I’ve toggled on previously will be toggled off again, and the sync words will be different.

Steps to Reproduce (add as many as necessary):

1. Open Brave
2. Go to Sync, check sync code and and toggle on all sync data. Notice that toggling “Sync Everything” On does not automatically toggle on all sync data (only happens with 2/4 of my profiles).
3. Exit back to settings and Close brave
4. Reopen Brave and Sync and notice that the sync words have changed and all the Sync Data options are toggled off again.

Reproduces how often:
Reproduces all the time with two of my profiles

Brave Version(See the About Brave page in the main menu):
Version 1.21.77 Chromium: 89.0.4389.90 (Official Build) (64-bit)

Type of devices currently running on the Sync chain in question:
I’ve been trying to sync my Linux brave with my windows brave and macos brave, but each machine always ends up on its own sync chain

Additional Information:
If I can’t get sync to work easily, how can I backup my Linux bookmarks, passwords, history, extensions, and rewards manually?
And can they be imported into other operating systems?

update 1:
Apparently sync works fine with my two other profiles that don’t have the “Sync Everything” bug and they don’t change their sync words when I close them. Still need my two other profiles though.

update 2:
reinstall didnt work. kept the .config/BraveBrowser folder to reopen my profiles. same thing, the sync codes keep changing when brave is closed.

will I be able to use the config files for brave windows at least? So i can transfer all my bookmarks and stuff

[e.l.m]

Mine does the same thing on my Apple products on the OS system. I enter the code on my Macbook to sync to the iMac and the iMac sync code changes and the Macbook is not registered in the chain. Very frustrating…I’ve been with Brave for almost a year and have never gotten a sync to work, including to my iPhone. Sync seems worthless.

[Mattches]

Thank you both for reporting and @jagsdr2018 apologies for the long wait time. The first thing I would suggest – if you haven’t already – is try removing both devices from the chain (got to Settings --> Sync --> Leave sync chain for each device), and trying to Sync again fresh.

In the meantime I will reach out to our Sync team and check Github for any known issues that may match what you two are seeing.

[e.l.m]

@Mattches I cant remove the sync chain from the iMac to start fresh. It will not let me. I did make a video of the issue if you have a way to upload it here?

I just erased Brave and reinstalled on my iPhone seeing if that will help and now just lost all the passwords because it still did not sync.

[Mattches]

@e.l.m,
At this time, iOS only Syncs bookmarks data, as it says on our Help Center:

Are you updated to the latest Brave version at this time on your desktop machine? It should be version 1.23.75 at the time of writing this.

[e.l.m]

Nope, not even the bookmarks are syncing. I am on the latest OS version 1.23.75. I started a new sync chain from my new Macbook instead of the iMac and scanned the Macbook sync QR code from my phone and it did not link anything.

[e.l.m]

I used the sync code from my iMac on my Macbook and it seemed to take but then I went back to the iMac and clicked “sync everything” or “customize sync” and it wont hold when I refresh. I also can not leave the sync chain registered to restart the process. There is an old Macbook registered on the sync chain that I can not erase.

[e.l.m]

Going to uninstall Brave on my iMac and see if I can get the sync chain removed then add the chain back from my Macbook. I will have to export and import my bookmarks and passwords if it does not work. Either way, I have never gotten the iOS sync to work and now lost my saved passwords as well.

[Mattches]

@e.l.m,
So it sounds like you have two issues here:

1. Data is not Syncing w/Sync enabled.
2. A new sync chain is being created when you launch the browser.

I’d like to start by addressing the first issue then we can tackle the second. To confirm, when you mention that you can’t remove the device from the chain, you’re saying that you do not see an x next to the device name?

[e.l.m]

Yes the x under remove is not available so I go to the bottom of the sync page and try to leave the chain but nothing happens when I go back into the sync settings. I even tried uninstalling Brave but the settings seem to be on the backend and everything is the same when I reinstall.

[RonTon]

I am running V1.26.67 and sync is not working. I try leaving sync chain and nothing happens, it still shows a sync but only to the desktop machine that I am on. No others show up.

[murkos]

Was this ever resolved? I’m seeing the same issue on my macbook. I can’t remove it, every time I load it, it starts a new chain.

[macfanol]

@murkos

Was this ever resolved?

No, it was never resolved

[murkos]

@Mattches - is there an update to this problem?