Sync setup between desktop and mobile devices

Prior search results on Sync problems were outdated and closed. They also indicated problems with Syncing. This post is to perhaps update a new user, like myself, on how to Sync Bookmarks when switching over to Brave from Chrome.
I created a sync chain on my Samsung S10 cell phone as the Sync option did not appear on my desktop version. Then added my Samsung Galaxy Tab device. But no bookmarks could be added at this point.
My desktop Brave did not have Sync in the Settings menu until I discovered that Sync is turned off by default (too much searching involved to find that answer).
Resolution: simply go to brave://flags and search for Sync It is down at the bottom of the search results for some reason. Follow instructions to Enable Sync on your desktop. Then I simply joined my desktop to the sync chain (via my cell phone where the chain started). All my Chrome bookmarks arrived at all devices and synced clear and without error. I thinned the herd as some bookmarks were outdated and the other devices updated immediately.
If you are starting from scratch, it is probably better to start the sync chain from your desktop and then add your mobile devices.
I did not do it that way because I was stuck without Sync on my desktop until I discovered I had to enable it.
Hope this helps other new users.

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I would not suggest that. It may crash the browser. It’s disabled by default because of that issue.

Sync v2 is in the works and will re-enable Sync. Coming soon.

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The main purpose of the sync was to get my 100’s of bookmarks shared to the mobile browser.

Now that I have done that, if I have to disable sync on the desktop to prevent crashing, all I will be giving up is the sync.

How long before v2 is released?

Is the mobile sync still OK to use?

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I was able to sync my mac book pro with my iPhone 10. but I can’t sync my iPad with my computer. I don’t get “scan or enter your sync codes”
I get a QR code but Safari wants to look for it. Any help would be greatly appreciated .

@psyduck1562 ,

Pardon, if you and others may, where I am blunt . . . Your concern, issue, is presently a convenient place for me to address the Brave Browser for iOS Sync BUG(s). (Please do not take this, personally; tx.)

The Brave Browser for iOS Bookmarks function, has bugs. BB iOS Bookmarks is NOT STABLE.

The net result, is that the BOOKMARKS file of BB iOS, cannot be relied upon, to be READ WRITE -able, and STRUCTURALLY SOLID . . . in the event of a Sync process being generated . . . from iOS device to desktop computer . . . that the Sync would then succeed.

The Bookmarks file of BB iOS – if the file has FEW bookmark entries – might work, iOS device to desktop computer.

But, a Bookmarks file of BB iOS with hundreds (and esp. thousands) of entries - including dozens (or hundreds) of folders AND SUB-FOLDERS . . . just might be one of the causes for the long-suffering Sync issue / problem / troubles: iOS device to desktop computer.

The reason I am blunt about all that, is because, as a tech. rep. observer of things, I was around (customers issues with, and) for the teething of Apple’s .mac, then .me, then .icloud . . . Sync efforts.

The occurrence of duplicate and triplicate records of entries and / or events, soon taught us, that in order to survive the mess, an Apple Mac and / or iOS user, MUST routinely back up their involved data, such as their Bookmarks file.

Our backup method, was to nightly (while nobody was around), initiate a compression of certain parent folders, such as a .zip compression, or using tar - a .tgz file would result. And next, such compressed files of, for example - the BraveSoftware folder at:

/Users/your_username/Library/Application\ Support/BraveSoftware

compressed result:

“20220213_Sunday_BB_Bookmarks_bkup.zip”

that would be copied to some external hard drives (plural) . . . so that, the valuable Bookmarks were not lost – they would survive the machinations of the never reliable Sync.

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That said - re the need for manual backups - the need to fix the Sync problem, might include the establishment of Which Device shall be the home nest, the senior or most reliable home for your Bookmarks.

FIRST

Disable BB Sync on all devices involved.

In the case of BB iOS Sync, choose the desktop or laptop computer, as the home nest for Bookmarks: Make sure that you approve of its (the home nest) Bookmarks. Export a copy of those Bookmarks. Save an extra copy to some external drive(s).

SECOND

Delete or remove all the entries / records of Bookmarks on the iOS device.

Clear the cookies that you can, all the cache, and whatever website data, and history, from all devices.

Restart your iDevices, following Apple’s guidance:

“https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201559”

THIRD

For the Sync settings of all devices, allow ONLY the Bookmarks, to be subject to Sync’ing.

FOURTH

Enable Sync, first, on the desktop computer - the “home nest” for Bookmarks.

FIFTH

Enable Sync on the iOS device.

The Bookmarks of the “home nest” should Sync / flow to the iOS device.

SIXTH

If that worked OK, now add just one new bookmark to the BB Bookmarks of the iOS device.

Did that single, new bookmark show up at the “home nest?”

If “Yes” then good. If “No” then (for now) the problem is more likely to be with the Sync processing, than the Bookmarks file. (But, if Chromium Sync v2 is working, then probably the Bookmarks function needs attention)

But I still am not satisfied with the BB iOS Bookmarks lack of stability and support.

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Brave Browser Sync Design - at GitHub:

Brave Browser Sync v2 - at GitHub

Note, in that last link (Sync v2; Brian Clifton edited this page on Oct 11, 2021):

Sync v2 is fully live on Desktop and Android. iOS supports sync also - but only bookmarks and history at the moment. We’re working on more types now - you can click here to see open issues tracking that work.

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Might help: