I %@$#$@& hate Chrome

January 28, 2014 6:50 AM

I have a Chrome/Google Apps for Domains account for work. When I log onto my computer at work with that account, I have a bunch of apps and a bunch of bookmarks.

My issue is: when I sign into Chrome at home with my work account, none of my apps or bookmarks are there. On the settings page (advanced sync settings) I have selected "Apps", "Bookmarks", "Extensions, "Passwords", "Settings", "Themes" and "Open Tabs" but my Apps and Bookmarks and Password that are on my work computer (under this account) are not there when I sign in on my home computer (under this account).

As mentioned, I hate Chrome, so I don't use at home for anything but work, but it doesn't work. The !%$^%@$% browser always requires me to re-enter my password, no matter how many times I tell it to keep me signed in and remember the password, but that's not actually my issue. I've plowed through so much at https://support.google.com/ but I can't find anything that says "You're an idiot. Here's how to fix this."

Please, can someone here tell me "You're an idiot. Here is how to sign into Chrome and have all your apps and bookmarks and passwords be available to you."

posted by crush-onastick to Technology (4 answers total)

It sounds to me like your IT managers at work have disabled Chrome's sync capability. Mine does the same thing, but I don't find it much of an issue. For bookmarks, you can use a web-based bookmark manager, like delicious. For apps, can't you just add the same apps to the copy of Chrome on your personal computer?

Oh, and, for the password issue, you could use something like lastpass that enters the password for you, instead of relying on Chrome to do it.
posted by Alaska Jack at 6:56 AM on January 28, 2014 [2 favorites]

I never sign in, so I don't have an answer for that, but one workaround for the bookmarks is to export your bookmarks which will give you an HTML file. Email that HTML file to yourself or put it on a flash drive and then import the bookmarks onto your home computer.
posted by gt2 at 6:56 AM on January 28, 2014

I agree your Apps for Domains administrator(s) at your employer have probably not enabled that service for your domain. If you have a decent support process there, you could request that they turn it on.

Alternately, it should work for you to create a consumer Gmail account that you use to sync Chrome at both ends instead. This will not affect the actual browser tabs you have logged in under your work account, the Chrome sync is separate from the web apps. I use a Domain Apps account in all my tabs but a personal account for Chrome sync, and it works fine.
posted by BlackPebble at 7:14 AM on January 28, 2014

(Full disclosure: I know nothing about computers but had the same problem.)

My fix: I open and then log in to Chrome, give it my password, and no bookmarks or apps load until I then open Gdrive or Gmail and then BAM everything is there. Have you tried that?
posted by kinetic at 7:24 AM on January 28, 2014