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007: Google Chrome Accounts

What is a Google Chrome account? A Google Chrome account is a feature of Chrome that allows you to save your Google Chrome settings to the cloud and synchronize them with other computers. If you don’t understand the word “Cloud” don’t be worried we will soon have another episode explaining the cloud to you. Once it’s ready there’ll be a link up above my head.

It can be very handy to sync your data if, like me, you access the web on multiple computers. But it can also be useful if you want to make sure that all your settings are backed up so that if something goes wrong with your computer, you can replace the computer, sync all of your settings back to the new one.

Let’s see how it’s done. In Chrome, head up to the top right corner and click on the head and shoulders or people icon. If there’s a name there you might already be signed in. Otherwise click “Sign in to Chrome”, sign in with your Google Account like the one we made in the last video. Enter the password.

I don’t need to protect this account but it’s probably worth having an email and phone number in there just in case you do have a problem with your account. Chrome will now tell you you’ve signed in, and turned on sync, so your bookmarks, history, passwords and other settings will be synced to your Google account. You can use them on your other devices and it will also allow Google to personalize your Google services so that you get more correct search ads and other things on Google.

Okay, so once you’re signed in, your settings will sync and the name of the account appears up there in the top right corner where the people icon was before. All of your settings will sync and any other computer you sign in to Chrome on will get all of your settings delivered to it.

Another strength of this system is the ability to create multiple Chrome accounts. If you have a personal account and a home account, you can go to the people menu again which is now the name, click “Manage People” and add another person, repeating the entire process.

Now we have a second Chrome window open with all the details and settings for the new account in a similar way that we did with incognito mode, you can have two separate Google accounts open and keep your home and work life separate easily.

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