Deleted Sync Chain, deleted all Bookmarks from all devices, Bookmarks keep reappearing after starting new chain

Brave Browser Sync
1

[SOLVED - No problem on Brave side]

Sync stopped working because of too much data in the sync chain. I wanted to clean up anyhow with a fresh start. I deleted the sync account, cleaned up the bookmarks by manually exporting the bookmarks from my main machines and deleting the duplicates (wrote a tool for that - will open source it later).

Devices: 4 Windows PC (including the “main” one), iPad, iPhone, Macbook (M4), Linux PC

Step by step:

  • deleted sync account
  • deleted all bookmarks (having two folders “Bookmarks”, “Other bookmarks”)
    • while moving the mouse to the menu to import, the bookmarks start to reappear
    • Ctrl-A, DEL → keeps reappearing after a second or so
  • deleted sync account again
  • opened up sync settings on all devices, saw that the sync account was removed and sync disabled.
  • deleted all bookmarks on all devices other than main
  • started sync chain on main
  • added all devices to this sync chain (with the deleted bookmarks)
  • deleted bookmarks on main
  • imported cleaned up bookmarks
    • “Other bookmarks” stayed deleted
    • “Bookmarks” bookmarks started to reappear at the end of the list
  • desperately deleted the last popped up entry
    • beginning of the bookmarks messed up and all bookmarks get doubled up

I am lost - I just want to have a solid base for syncing.

What can I do? All Google and LLM queries point me to a sync-internal setting that does not exist anymore, being replaced by “leave sync chain” I suppose.

2

nevermind - I found the culprit. Leaving it here to warn others:

iCloud Bookmark Sync (with Safari) recreated all the Bookmarks over and over again…

3

additional warning: If you have extension sync turned on, iCloud Bookmark Sync will be installed on all devices, when you do not remove it on ALL devices prior to enabling sync again, it gets synced back to the original one and the bookmarks popping in again :see_no_evil_monkey:

4

@schasskistn

Please copy your follow-up reply:

additional warning: If you have extension sync turned on, iCloud Bookmark Sync will be installed on all devices, when you do not remove it on ALL devices prior to enabling sync again, it gets synced back to the original one and the bookmarks popping in again

and paste as an addition to (you can edit → ) your earlier reply:

nevermind - I found the culprit. Leaving it here to warn others:

iCloud Bookmark Sync (with Safari) recreated all the Bookmarks over and over again…

Next, designate your earlier reply as the Solution.

And, you might close your follow-up reply.

So, you have the complete Solution and additional warning, as an all-in-one reply that you also declared as the Solution. (For the benefit of others who may search for an answer.)