2 min read
Google Chrome is the most popular browser, boasting a massive user base across PCs and mobile devices, despite not being the absolute best. The tech giant consistently addresses security vulnerabilities and introduces new features with regular updates to enhance the browser’s performance.
Some features, however, have remained unchanged despite these regular upgrades; for example, Chrome Sync, which was introduced in 2009 and is now considered obsolete, has not changed. In 2025, it feels inefficient to manually enable data syncing when logging into your Google account, even though the feature was excellent when it was first introduced. Last year, Google improved the syncing experience and has now revealed that it will begin to phase off Chrome Sync for earlier browser versions.
A blog post announced that Chrome versions from before 2021 will stop working with Sync in early 2025. Error messages such as “Update Chrome to start sync” or “Update Chrome to keep using the Chrome data in your Google Account” will begin appearing if your version of Chrome is older than four years.
Users are strongly encouraged by Google to update to the most recent version of Chrome for their devices in order to maintain Sync functionality. Chrome Sync will no longer be available on devices that are unable to update (whether because of OS or hardware limitations).
Why the Change?
When you connect your Chrome device to your Google Account, you’ll have access to all of your saved browsing history across all of your devices. Things like extensions, saved passwords, and user preferences fall into this category. When it started in 2009, we used technology in a very different way. At the time, “digital identity” was a new concept, so it made sense to have a manual process with different steps for checking in and syncing. Users’ expectations have grown in line with the development of digital technologies; manual synchronizing is something no one wants to deal with anymore.
The New Seamless Sync Experience
As of last August, a new “identity model” will replace Chrome Sync as the default login mechanism for both desktop and Android, according to Google. The new method is more similar to other Android apps in that syncing starts automatically when you sign in with your Google Account. You won’t have to pick the types of info to sync by hand anymore.
