Ask HN: Why does Apple not sync cookies between devices?
9 comments
Cookies are a form of session token, and should not be synced.
Browser on Safari on Mobile(i.e. iOS) could have a different version and not support all the features of Safari on Desktop(i.e. MacOS), the way these browsers are developed and distributed prevents the cookies from sync in theory, for each request sent via cookie is an opportunity to identify the browser and provide better webpage based on the default api of browser, practically though this would not be required on 99% websites, and would work perfectly fine with sync in place, but that 1% could break, and since there are standard in place, it makes no sense to sync them.
Apple’s decision not to sync cookies reflects its commitment to privacy and control over user data. While inconvenient for some, it aligns with their broader strategy to prioritize security and minimize exposure to third-party risks. For users needing cross-device functionality, alternatives like iCloud Keychain or password managers offer safer, more targeted solutions.
I feel like that would be asking for security issues.
Someone logs into their bank account (or something sensitive) at home. Later they foolishly login to their browser at work not realizing that they now have the employer access to …. everything.
Or even a bad actor just gets the device and you unknowingly perpetually are giving them access.
You could have work arounds and yes the user should know better, but the problems seem inevitable.
Someone logs into their bank account (or something sensitive) at home. Later they foolishly login to their browser at work not realizing that they now have the employer access to …. everything.
Or even a bad actor just gets the device and you unknowingly perpetually are giving them access.
You could have work arounds and yes the user should know better, but the problems seem inevitable.
I think these theoretical scenarios probably don't apply to Apple? As long as devices are password-gated. If you have a password to someone's device, it's already over, they have access to everything, including synced passwords.
Btw, something that Apple does sync that's similar is passkeys. They're synced to iCloud. At least on GitHub, you don't even need 2fa if you log in via passkey.
Btw, something that Apple does sync that's similar is passkeys. They're synced to iCloud. At least on GitHub, you don't even need 2fa if you log in via passkey.
It would be better to share screens across your devices easily. Your problem is not limited to web apps. What if I want to resume an iPad App on a Mac when I get home?
Also Cloudflare might one day offer a product that does this.
Also Cloudflare might one day offer a product that does this.
I can't think of a _technical_ reason why this isn't possible. I think it just comes down to Apple's security and privacy posture.
No browser does this afaik
Cookies are often used to identify devices. Syncing them across devices would defeat that purpose.
Same for Google Chrome's sync, it does not sync cookies.