How does Google Chrome sync work?

[kol12]

Does anyone know how Google Chrome sync works? I cleared the browser history for Chrome on my android phone and its also cleared all my Chrome history on my PC. I now realise that sync was enabled but shouldn't my Chrome history on my PC be stored locally? How does Google manage to clear my PC history via sync?

I am new to using Chrome on smartphone and should of thought about sync first. Is it possible that the clearing of history via my Android device has altered some other settings of Chrome on my PC as well that I'm not aware of? I say this because when I opened Chrome on my PC yesterday I noticed the new tab page that shows most visited websites were all missing there thumbnails, it then clicked that it is probably related to the history clearing via Android. It looks now like the most visited tabs are rebuilding themselves.

 

[i7Baby]

It knows your log in.

 

[kol12]

Can you explain further?

 

[i7Baby]

No matter where you log in to Chrome from - and you do have to log in now (even if its done automatically from your PC or phone) - it keeps track of your settings.

So when you open Chrome again - no matter from what device - you get the same settings as last time.

I don't know if they also keep the same history - check that too.

 

[kol12]

I understand that different devices can sync Chrome settings. Certain things can be excluded from sync as well. What I want to know is how can the history be cleared from Chrome on my PC when it was turned off? Does this mean that Chrome settings on my PC are actually stored on a google server or does it access the local files on my PC to make these changes?

 

[i7Baby]

Well the syncing shows they keep some info on their server. But exactly what I don't know. I'd guess and say your browsing history is open to them. After all - they can and do sell the info - in stats form though eg on Friday between 10-11am 1521 people from Minnesota were on Tom's Hardware website. And Tom's pays them say $1100 pa to get the data by state and time 24/7 so they can then target an ad campaign to those states where they think the usage should be higher. That's how Google makes money.

 

[kol12]

So I guess even if my Chrome history is stored locally on my machine Chrome must have access to change it from sync instructions? I'm just wondering if Chrome on my PC as been altered in some other way as well but maybe it's just that the history has been wiped and that's it..

 

[i7Baby]

No. I think this is the way Google has set up everything - Google (search), Chrome, GMail and YouTube are all 'data mined' so Google can on-sell the info on who's doing what when and where.

I know I was real p'd off when the took over YouTube. They made it so you could only log on with a Google GMail email account. Now you know why.

 

[kol12]

Sorry I'm not sure what you mean or how this relates to my last question..

 

[i7Baby]

So I guess even if my Chrome history is stored locally on my machine Chrome must have access to change it from sync instructions? Yes

 

[kol12]

Yeah I guess that's what I thought too. I'm just trying to work out whether it's changed anything else in Chrome on my PC other than just clearing the history. Probably not though..

 

[i7Baby]

Some things might not work from PC to phone eg some extensions.

 

[jayvl]

Think of your settings being a blob of data in the google cloud. When you launch chrome and sign in you basically have a vanilla browser. If your sync-all setting is on it will immediately copy the settings from the cloud to your browser. It will also undo any local changes made to the browser prior to signing in. Now your browser is 'up-to-date'. Any subsequent changes you make in your browser while signed in will be instantly mirrored to your cloud settings (hence the name sync).

So when you deleted your history this was immediately mirrored to your cloud settings. When you started chrome on your pc it immediately synced from the updated cloud. You could have prevented the deletion on your pc by doing either:
1 - On your PC: quickly disable sync history when you start chrome (or slowly if you pull out your internet cable first). Reset your sync data using google dashboard. Sign out and sign in again in chrome to let it resync your PC to the cloud.
OR 2 - On your tablet/phone: selectively disabling syncing browser history prior to deleting it (in the settings page).