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Chromium Google Sync Not Working on Raspberry Pi? What to Do

Chromium on Raspberry Pi cannot sync its browser profile directly with a Google Account because Google restricts its private Chrome Sync APIs. Signing in to a Google website still works, but it does not sync Chromium bookmarks, passwords, history, or tabs. For full Google browser sync, use official Chrome ARM64; to keep Chromium, use a bookmark extension and password manager instead.

Quick answer: Gmail login is not browser sync. Do not try to restore sync by copying OAuth keys into Chromium. For Google browser sync, follow the Chrome ARM64 path below; for Chromium-only bookmark or password sync, jump to the alternatives.

Scope: Raspberry Pi OS desktop with Chromium. The Chrome installation path below targets 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS Trixie, not a headless Lite installation or a 32-bit OS. Package availability does not establish compatibility with every older Pi model.

Can Chromium sync with a Google Account?

No—not through Chromium's built-in profile on Raspberry Pi OS. Signing in to Gmail or another Google website does not enable browser sync. Choose one of these paths:

  • Install official Chrome ARM64 for Google Account browser sync.
  • Keep Chromium and use Floccus for bookmarks plus a dedicated password manager.
  • Use Firefox Sync for bookmarks, passwords, history, and tabs in one account.

Install Chrome ARM64 for Google Sync

On 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS Trixie, download Google's ARM64 .deb, confirm that its Architecture field is arm64, then install the local file with APT. Do not install the similarly named AMD64 build.

First check your OS userspace, not just whether the Pi has a 64-bit CPU:

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dpkg --print-architecture
getconf LONG_BIT

Continue with the ARM64 package only if these report arm64 and 64. Otherwise use the Chromium or Firefox alternatives below.

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curl -fL https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_arm64.deb \
  -o google-chrome-stable_current_arm64.deb
dpkg-deb -f google-chrome-stable_current_arm64.deb Package Version Architecture
sudo apt install ./google-chrome-stable_current_arm64.deb

Verify the result: launch google-chrome-stable, sign in using Chrome's profile controls, and check the account's saved-data settings. Test a non-sensitive bookmark on another signed-in Chrome device. A Gmail tab alone does not verify browser sync; installation alone does not either.

If any command fails, use the Chrome ARM64 installation error guide before trying another package.

What you need Recommended approach
Google Chrome Sync for bookmarks, passwords, history, and tabs Install Google's official ARM64 package on 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS
Chromium with cross-browser bookmark sync Use Floccus with a storage provider you trust
Chromium with password sync Use a dedicated password manager such as Bitwarden
One account that synchronises the whole browser Use Firefox Sync
32-bit Raspberry Pi OS Use Chromium extensions or Firefox; do not force-install the ARM64 package

Do not add copied OAuth client IDs or secrets to Chromium. Google restricted its private Chrome APIs for third-party Chromium builds in March 2021, so the old /etc/chromium.d/oauth2-client workaround is no longer a supported solution. See the Chromium announcement.

Check your Raspberry Pi before downloading

Confirm that both the CPU userspace and Debian package architecture are 64-bit ARM:

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uname -m
dpkg --print-architecture
getconf LONG_BIT

For the ARM64 package, the expected results are aarch64, arm64, and 64. A Raspberry Pi with a 64-bit processor can still be running a 32-bit OS, so checking only the board model is not enough.

Also update the package index before installation:

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sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade

Download google-chrome-stable_current_arm64.deb

Google's direct ARM64 Debian package URL is:

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https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_arm64.deb

This URL returned the official ARM64 package during the 3 August 2026 verification. Availability and version can change, so test the response instead of trusting a copied filename:

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curl -I -L \
  https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_arm64.deb

Continue only when the final response is HTTP 200. Download the package, then inspect its identity and architecture before running an installer:

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curl -fL \
  https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_arm64.deb \
  -o google-chrome-stable_current_arm64.deb

dpkg-deb -f google-chrome-stable_current_arm64.deb \
  Package Version Architecture Maintainer

Expected fields include package google-chrome-stable and architecture arm64. The version changes as Chrome is released, so do not require the example version above. If the metadata names a different package or architecture, stop and delete the download.

Install it with APT so dependencies are resolved:

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sudo apt install ./google-chrome-stable_current_arm64.deb

Launch Chrome from the desktop menu or run:

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google-chrome-stable

Select the profile icon, sign in to Chrome with your Google Account, and choose which data to save. Google explains the account behaviour in How sign-in with your Google Account works in Chrome.

After installation, the Google repository configuration normally allows future Chrome updates through regular system upgrades. Verify the installed package and repository files with:

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apt policy google-chrome-stable
ls /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ | grep -i chrome

If the ARM64 download returns 404 or another error

Do not substitute the AMD64 package. google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb targets x86-64 computers and will not run natively on Raspberry Pi OS ARM64.

Use one of these supported fallback patterns instead:

  1. Continue using the Raspberry Pi OS Chromium package.
  2. Synchronise bookmarks with an extension such as Floccus.
  3. Synchronise passwords with a cross-platform password manager.
  4. Use Firefox and Firefox Sync for whole-browser synchronisation.
  5. Recheck Google's official Chrome download page rather than using packages from an unknown mirror.

Avoid random third-party .deb files. A browser handles passwords, cookies, and session tokens, so package origin matters.

Keep Chromium and sync bookmarks

Floccus can synchronise bookmarks through Nextcloud, WebDAV, Google Drive, or another supported backend.

  1. Install Floccus from the browser's extension store.
  2. Choose a backend and create a dedicated sync folder.
  3. Configure the same account and folder on your other browsers.
  4. Run a manual sync on one device before enabling automatic sync everywhere.
  5. Keep a bookmark export until you have confirmed that merging behaves as expected.

This synchronises bookmarks, not Chromium history, open tabs, cookies, or Google Password Manager data.

Keep Chromium and sync passwords

A dedicated password manager is usually a cleaner option than trying to restore Chromium's retired Google API integration.

  1. Install the official extension from your chosen password manager.
  2. Enable multi-factor authentication on the vault account.
  3. Import passwords only after checking the import file and destination account.
  4. Delete unencrypted CSV exports after verifying the migration.
  5. Test autofill on non-critical accounts first.

Do not place a vault password, OAuth secret, or recovery code in a shell script or Chromium configuration file.

Use Firefox Sync instead

Firefox supports its own account-based synchronisation on Raspberry Pi OS:

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sudo apt update
sudo apt install firefox

Open Firefox, select the menu, sign in, and choose the data types to synchronise. This is the simplest fallback when you need bookmarks, passwords, history, and tabs under one browser account and Chrome ARM64 is unavailable.

Troubleshooting

dpkg: error processing archive ... package architecture (arm64) does not match system (armhf)

Your Raspberry Pi OS userspace is 32-bit. Reinstall with a 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS image if your board supports it, or use the Chromium/Firefox alternatives above.

curl: (22) The requested URL returned error: 404

The package is not currently available at that endpoint. Do not remove -f or install an HTML error response as though it were a Debian package. Use a fallback and check again later.

Chrome installs but will not start

Run it from a terminal to capture the error:

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google-chrome-stable
journalctl --user -b --no-pager | tail -100

Confirm the architecture, available disk space, and package dependencies:

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dpkg --print-architecture
df -h /
sudo apt --fix-broken install

Signing into Gmail does not enable browser sync in Chromium

Website sign-in and browser-profile sign-in are separate. Signing into a Google website inside Chromium does not restore the private Chrome Sync API.

FAQ

Can Chromium on Raspberry Pi sync directly with a Google Account?

No. The Raspberry Pi OS Chromium build does not have supported access to Google's private Chrome Sync APIs. Use official Google Chrome when a compatible ARM64 package is available, or synchronise through another service.

Is Google Chrome ARM64 available for Raspberry Pi now?

Yes. The official direct URL returned a valid google-chrome-stable ARM64 Debian package during this site's 3 August 2026 verification. Always check HTTP status and dpkg-deb metadata because availability and versions can change.

Does changing OAuth client IDs re-enable Chromium Sync?

No supported configuration does this. Old guides that export GOOGLE_API_KEY, GOOGLE_DEFAULT_CLIENT_ID, or GOOGLE_DEFAULT_CLIENT_SECRET describe a retired workaround.

Can I install the AMD64 Chrome package with emulation?

It is technically possible to experiment with x86 emulation, but it adds complexity and performance overhead and is a poor choice for a security-sensitive daily browser. Prefer a native ARM64 browser.

How do I check that an update is available?

Use apt policy google-chrome-stable and apt list --upgradable. Install browser security updates promptly through sudo apt full-upgrade.

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