How can I tell whether sync actually worked?
Sync & devices · Help center · Current as of 2026-10-10
Short answer
The Sync panel in Settings names the account, says when it last synced, and turns the indicator red with the reason if the last attempt failed. Pressing Sync now reports exactly how many objects were pulled and pushed, which is the quickest way to confirm a change has travelled rather than assuming it has.
Read it in this order
- The account. On a device where things look wrong, check you are signed in as who you think you are.
- Last synced. Today's syncs show a time, older ones a date. "Never" means nothing has gone up or come down yet on this device.
- The dot. Red carries the actual error — an expired session, no connection, a server that refused — rather than a generic failure.
- Sync now. The result counts what moved: zero pulled and zero pushed means both ends already agreed.
Why a change might not have travelled yet
Sync runs only while the vault is unlocked, since a locked vault holds no key. A phone with the app closed, or a browser tab locked by auto-lock, is not syncing — it catches up when you next unlock it. If automatic sync is switched off, nothing moves until you ask it to.
When one device will not catch up
Unlock it, press Sync now, and read the error rather than retrying blind. A session that has been revoked, or an account password reset elsewhere, both need you to sign in again on that device. If it asks for a passphrase you do not recognise, somebody has changed the vault passphrase on another device.
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