VeePN Blog VeePN Blog
  • What is VPN?
    • How does a VPN work?
    • Access Content
    • Unblock Websites
    • VPN for Gaming
    • Streaming Media
    • Streaming Music
    • VPN for Netflix
    • Internet Privacy
    • Anonymous IP
    • Conceal Identity
    • Prevent Tracking
    • Save Money
    • Online Security
    • VPN Encryption
    • What’s my IP
    • Hide your IP
  • Apps
    • All Apps
    • iOS
    • Android
    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • TV
    • Router
    • Chrome
    • Firefox
  • Features
    • All Features
    • VPN Servers
    • Double VPN
    • No Log VPN
    • Kill Switch
    • NetGuard
    • Extra Features
  • Pricing
  • Support
Get VeePN Now
Digital identity Safe surfing Mobile security Wireless security Big brother
More categories
Good to know Online threats Entertainment Hackerwatch Cryptocurrency
Digital identity Safe surfing
More
Mobile security Wireless security Big brother Good to know Online threats Entertainment Hackerwatch Cryptocurrency
Digital identity Safe surfing Mobile security Wireless security Big brother Good to know Online threats Entertainment Hackerwatch Cryptocurrency
Get VeePN Now
Blog Good to know
How to Unsync Google Accounts
Good to know
VeePN Research Lab • Upd: Oct 10, 2022
Quick Navigation
1. What is sync in Google?
2. How to unsync Google Chrome
3. How to remove synced bookmarks from Chrome
4. How to unlink Gmail accounts

How to Unsync Google Accounts

The ability to sync data across multiple devices is handy. However, if information you didn’t want to share starts showing up where it shouldn’t, you may need to take action. If you use a Google account that’s oversharing with other devices, the time to unsync has arrived. Let’s discuss Google sync and how you can disable the feature in Chrome and other places.

Using the internet without a VPN is like marching into a crowd and shouting your browser history at anyone who’ll listen. Without top-grade encryption backed up by strong bandwidth and a huge network of secure servers, you might as well openly announce your browsing habits to your ISP, hackers, and anyone else who wants to snoop. Fortunately, VeePN provides everything you need to stay safe and keep your online activities private.

What is sync in Google?

Google sync could refer to any of the company’s services that synchronize information across multiple devices. Android, Chrome, and Gmail all offer sync options, but behavior varies with each platform. Generally, Android syncs OS information, Chrome syncs browser data, and Gmail syncs mail and notifications.

Google Sync

Previously, Google Sync was a service designed for businesses and educational institutions. The system utilized Microsoft Exchange technology, and allowed users to synchronize mail, contacts, and calendars across multiple mobile devices. Google has since discontinued the product.

Sync in Android

Sync in Android allows you to synchronize information on your mobile device with other phones or tablets using the same Google account.

Here’s a comprehensive list of the items Android syncs with Google accounts:

  • People details
  • Calendar
  • Contacts
  • Keep notes
  • Google Play Movies & TV
  • Drive
  • Gmail

You can locate all Android sync information in Settings > Accounts and backup > Manage accounts. From here, you can tap the account you want to view, select Sync account, and see all of the relevant settings.

Sync in Gmail

Sync in Gmail is a feature of the Android mobile app. With synchronization enabled, notifications and new emails appear automatically. If you have sync turned off, you’ll need to manually tell Gmail when to check for new mail.

Here’s how you check your Gmail sync settings:

  1. Launch the Gmail app on your Android device
  2. Tap the More options (hamburger)menu and select Settings
Gmail Android More options menu
  1. Tap your account and scroll down to Sync Gmail
Gmail Android settings

From here, you can tick or untick the setting, depending on your preference. Having sync turned off may be useful if you want to conserve mobile data and battery life. Constantly checking for and downloading new messages can use excessive data and drain your phone’s battery quicker. If you’re not particularly attached to Gmail, you may want to consider some alternative email providers.

Sync in Google Chrome

Sync in Chrome saves data, such as browsing history, bookmarks, passwords, payment details, and other settings to Google’s servers. Enabling the feature allows you to access this information on any device logged in to the same Google account in the Chrome browser.

Here’s a comprehensive list of items that Google Chrome syncs:

  • Apps
  • Bookmarks
  • Extensions
  • History
  • Settings
  • Theme
  • Reading list
  • Open tabs
  • Passwords
  • Addresses and phone numbers
  • Google Pay payment methods

Evidently, syncing is a useful feature, and having access to important items on all of your devices is convenient. However, trusting your private data to Google may not be in your best interest. Sure, the tech giant already tracks your habits for advertising purposes, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up additional information so easily.

Do you know which devices are syncing your private data to Google’s servers? Have you accidentally enabled the feature and sent information somewhere it shouldn’t have gone? If you’re unsure, we can help you check your sync settings and unsync your Google account if needed.

How to unsync Google Chrome

If you don’t want all of your browser data syncing to your Google account, you can choose to unsync Google Chrome. The steps required are slightly different in each OS, so we’ll run through the specific process for each platform. If you’re tired of Chrome invading your privacy, you may want to consider an alternative browser.

Unsync Google Chrome in macOS

Here’s how to unsync your Google account from Chrome on a Mac:

  1. Launch Chrome
  2. Click the More options menu in the top right corner and select Settings
Chrome Mac More options menu
  1. Click Turn off beside your account
Chrome Mac More options menu
  1. Tick Clear bookmarks, history, passwords, and more from this device if appropriate and click Turn off

Unsync Google Chrome in Windows

Here’s how to unsync your Google account from Chrome on a Windows PC:

  1. Launch Chrome
  2. Click the More options menu in the top right corner and select Settings
Chrome Windows More options menu
  1. Click Turn off beside your account
Chrome Windows settings
  1. Tick Clear bookmarks, history, passwords, and more from this device if appropriate and click Turn off

Unsync Google Chrome in iOS

Here’s how to unsync your Google account from Chrome in iOS:

  1. Launch Chrome
  2. Tap the More options menu and select Settings
Chrome iOS More options menu
  1. Tap your account
Chrome iOS settings
  1. Tap Sign out
Chrome iOS sync settings

Unsync Google Chrome in Android

Here’s how to unsync your Google account from Chrome in Android:

  1. Launch Chrome
  2. Tap the More options menu and select Settings
Chrome Android More options menu
  1. Tap Sync
Chrome Android settings
  1. Tap Sign out and turn off sync
Chrome Android sync settings

How to remove synced bookmarks from Chrome

Within your browser settings, you can choose which items Chrome includes in a sync. If you wish to unsync bookmarks, you can individually exclude them from the process. By customizing your sync settings, you can choose exactly what Chrome attaches to your Google account.

Unsync and remove bookmarks in desktop Chrome

Here’s how to unsync and delete bookmarks in the Chrome desktop app:

  1. Go to Settings > Sync and Google services
  2. Click Manage what you sync
Chrome desktop Sync and Google services settings
  1. Select Customize sync and switch off Bookmarks
Chrome desktop manage sync sedttings
  1. Click the More options menu, select Bookmarks, and open Bookmarks Manager
Chrome desktop bookmarks menu
  1. Select the bookmarks you want to remove and click Delete
Chrome desktop bookmarks manager

Unsync and remove bookmarks in mobile Chrome

Here’s how to unsync and delete bookmarks in the Chrome mobile app:

  1. Go to Settings > Sync
  2. Switch off Sync everything and untick Bookmarks
Chrome Android sync settings
  1. Tap the More options menu, select Bookmarks, and find and delete the items you want to remove
Chrome Android bookmarks manager

How to unlink Gmail accounts

You can unlink Gmail accounts from your browser by going to Google.com, clicking your profile picture, and selecting Sign out of all accounts. Once you complete the logout process, you’re free to sign in with any Google accounts you do want to use.

If you’re using an Android device, you can remove any Google accounts in Settings > Accounts and backup > Manage accounts. All you need to do is tap the account you want to delete and select Remove account.

Unsync to stop sharing private data with other devices

Sometimes we set up tools like Google sync without understanding exactly what they do. But you may soon notice that something’s wrong when private information starts showing up where it shouldn’t.

Unsyncing in Chrome will effectively stop Google from sharing bookmarks, browser history, and other sensitive details with additional devices. Whenever you enable a feature, you should always read the fine print and try to understand as much as possible before agreeing.

Knowledge is power, VeePN is freedom
Get VeePN Now
30-day money-back guarantee
Written by VeePN Research Lab VeePN Research Lab is dedicated to provide you latest posts about internet security and privacy.
Related Posts
What ChatGPT Is: 15 Ideas How You Can Use It in Everyday Life or in Your Workflow
What ChatGPT Is: 15 Ideas How You Can Use It in Everyday Life or in Your Workflow
Good to know 13 min read

What ChatGPT Is: 15 Ideas How You Can Use It in Everyday Life or in Your Workflow

Imagine having a robot at your fingertips that can write and talk to you just like a human advisor. Well, that’s ChatGPT for you, the artificial intelligence (AI) bot that’s taken the Internet by storm. From creating personalized content to handling tedious tasks, this AI tool does it all. In this post, we’ll explore the mind-blowing capabilities of ChatGPT— trust…

VeePN Research Lab
January 31
Guide on How to Access and Use ChatGPT Properly
Guide on How to Access and Use ChatGPT Properly
Good to know 11 min read

Guide on How to Access and Use ChatGPT Properly

Whether you’re struggling with generating unique product descriptions, creating exciting social media posts, or even writing code, ChatGPT can come to the rescue. This new AI-driven chatbot interacts with users in a conventional way and provides human-like answers to your queries. Sounds revolutionary? Indeed, this mind-blowing technology is already changing the way people perceive the creation of original content. However,…

VeePN Research Lab
January 31
Better to Prevent: What Is a Browser Hijacker?
Better to Prevent: What Is a Browser Hijacker?
Online threats 7 min read

Better to Prevent: What Is a Browser Hijacker?

Browsers are our gateway to the wild, wild web. But sometimes browsers can act wild wild themselves. Seeing a strange search engine instead of your homepage? Or lots of annoying ads all over the page? Yeah, your browser might have been hijacked. Read along to find out all about browser hijackers.    What is a browser hijacker? A browser hijacker is…

VeePN Research Lab
Updated: February 3
© 2023 VeePN. All Rights Reserved.