xBrowsersync disabled due to lack of statement on use of user data

[PhilaBurger]

Describe the issue you are experiencing
Chrome has disabled the xBrowsersync extension. The Chrome store lists it as non supported because "This extension is no longer available because it doesn't follow best practices for Chrome extensions." and recommends its removal.

How can the issue be reproduced?

1.Open up the extension manager and see that the extension is disabled and can not be enabled.

Screenshots

Desktop browser
Please complete the following information for all affected desktop browsers:

• OS: Mac Sonoma 14.7.4
• Browser Chrome
• Version 133.0.6943.142 (Official Build) (x86_64)

Application log
No log available, as the application won't start.

[joel-bd]

I ran into this, too. I believe that it's not a problem with a statement on userdata so much as chrome dropping support for manifest v2 and pushing everyone to switch to manifest v3.

[PhilaBurger]

Hopefully, the devs can get that migrated and republish the app, so we can start using it, again?

[clecap]

Me too...

[DawidKrysiak]

you can very easily use it now.
Download the latest zip file, unzip it, in chrome's extensions manager select 'Load Unpacked'.
Yes, google will warn you all the time and even try to disable the extension every now and then, but it is, quite frankly, hilarious for a company like Google to release a warning about other people's behaviours.

[PhilaBurger]

Per

you can very easily use it now. Download the latest zip file, unzip it, in chrome's extensions manager select 'Load Unpacked'.

Perhaps...but it's a wee bit of a hassle

Yes, google will warn you all the time and even try to disable the extension every now and then, but it is, quite frankly, hilarious for a company like Google to release a warning about other people's behaviours.

Perhaps, but if one is going to write apps for a platform and accept that platform's terms of service, one must continue to abide by those terms of service if they wish to continue to work in that platforrm, yes?

[DawidKrysiak]

@PhilaBurger , I am not telling you what to do, I am just giving you a solution that requires 1 minute of your time to resolve the issue , until it's resolved (if at all) in the chrome web store. You do you, I have no problem with unzipping a file. My biggest issue is with google now, as they keep switching off the plugin.

update: the reason I said "if at all" is because this plugin was flagged by Google for a very long time, now they try to remove it from our browsers for days and I see no movement from the project.

[malins]

This whole project looks unmaintained as of now. Last commit 3 years ago.

[DawidKrysiak]

This whole project looks unmaintained as of now. Last commit 3 years ago.

yes. I am tempted to fork this and start working on AWS integration - I wish to use my own, secure storage for the bookmarks. AWS is cheap as dirt.

[paschalis-mpeis]

Unfortunately the project seems to be dead. I've switched to floccusaddon/floccus, which seems to do a quite good job.

[PhilaBurger]

This is excellent. I've even managed to connect it to my own Owncloud WebDAV server so that I can keep my bookmarks stored in my own datastore. Thank you.

…

On 2025-05-16 04:01, Paschalis Mpeis wrote: paschalis-mpeis left a comment (xbrowsersync/app#506) [1] Unfortunately the project seems to be dead. I've switched to floccusaddon/floccus [2], which seems to do a quite good job.

-- [3] "It's always suicide-mission this, save-the-planet that. No one ever just stops by to say 'hi' anymore." --Colonel Jack O'Neill, SG1 Links: ------ [1] #506 (comment) [2] https://github.com/floccusaddon/floccus [3] https://poplme.co/hash/lqQkxj0F/1/es

[natpicone]

👋 Hi! I wanted to let the community know that I'm actively working on resuming maintenance of this project.

xBrowserSync is one of the few simple, privacy-respecting, open-source tools for syncing bookmarks across different browsers — and I think it's worth keeping alive.

My current priorities are:

1. Manifest V3 migration — to restore the Chrome extension
2. Critical data-loss bugs — sync overwriting / deleting bookmarks
3. Other open issues — based on community votes and impact

Thank you for your patience and continued interest. Your reports are not going unheard. 🙏