How To Change or Reset Google Chrome Sync Passphrase

Want to change, reset, or remove Google Chrome Sync passphrase? Follow these simple steps to learn how to reset the Google sync passphrase.

One of the best features of Chrome is its ability to sync data like passwords, extensions, auto-fills, history, etc., with your Google Account. A vast majority of users use Chrome’s Sync feature to sync data between multiple devices. For example, you can sync Chrome data between your computer and mobile phone, whether Android or iOS.

Most data in your browser, like passwords, autofill, history, and passwords, are sensitive. To protect this sensitive data and make sure that no one but you can access it, Chrome uses a passphrase to encrypt it. Whenever you try to sync data in Chrome, you have to provide the passphrase to decrypt the data even after signing into your Google account. That way, even if someone has access to your Google account, they cannot get the Chrome sync data without knowing the passphrase.

If the passphrase is compromised or hard to remember, you might have to change or reset the Chrome sync passphrase. Resetting is also helpful if you forgot the Chrome sync passphrase. Though the process is not straightforward, it is still easy to follow, and there is no data loss. Basically, you have to reset Chrome sync and turn it on again after suppling the new passphrase.

Let me show you the steps to change or reset the Chrome sync passphrase in simple steps.

Reset Google Chrome Sync Passphrase

Follow the below steps to reset the Chrome sync passphrase.

The first and important thing you should do is open the Chrome browser, sign in to your account, and sync all the data. If you are already signed in, and the data is synced, you are good to go.

Why are we doing this? It’s because the resetting action will delete all the Chrome data from your Google account but not from your devices. Since the data is not deleted in the local machine, it will be synced with your Google account once we turn on the sync.

In the Google Browser, go to this page — https://chrome.google.com/sync. At the bottom of the page, click the “Clear data” button. As I said earlier, ensure all the Chrome data is synced to the current machine before pressing the button.

You will see a warning message telling you that your Chrome data will be deleted from your Google account but not from your devices. Click the “Ok” button to continue.

Now, click the Menu icon at the top right corner and select “Settings.” On the Settings page, select the “Sync and Google services” option under the “You and Google” section. You can get to the same page using — chrome://settings/syncSetup URL.

Here, click the “Turn on sync” button.

If you see another prompt, click the “Yes, I’m in” button.

After turning on the Sync, click on the “Encryption Options” option.

Here, you have two choices; you can either encrypt the saved passwords with your Google account or encrypt the entire Chrome data using a passphrase. Since we want to change the Chrome passphrase, select the “Encrypt synced data with your own sync passphrase” option, type a new passphrase two times in the available fields, and click the “Save” button.

With that, you have successfully reset the Google sync passphrase.

That is it. It is that simple to reset the Chrome sync passphrase. Sure, it is a roundabout way to do things, but at least there is an option. Most of all, once you learn how, it is pretty easy to follow.

I hope that helps.

If you are stuck or need some help, comment below, and I will try to help as much as possible.