Does Failed Restore Overwrite Local Data?

When usable profile data already exists on the current device, MaskPilot keeps it in place if the remote package cannot be read, downloaded, validated, or fully restored. Incomplete remote content does not replace the local copy, and local changes remain waiting for synchronization.

This protection is conditional. It does not mean the latest local changes were uploaded, and it cannot restore data that no longer exists locally and was never uploaded.

What happens during a failed restore

MaskPilot checks the remote profile package before using it and completes the restore away from the active local copy. The current local data is replaced only after the remote content has passed the required checks and finished restoring.

When usable local data exists, it remains in place if MaskPilot cannot:

• Read the current remote package information.
• Finish downloading the package or confirm that the downloaded content is complete.
• Open or restore the downloaded content successfully.
• Finish the replacement without an interruption or profile-use conflict.

The local profile may therefore remain usable even while the remote sync attempt fails. A successful local launch is not proof that the local changes have reached another device.

When MaskPilot stops instead

If the current device has no usable local profile data, MaskPilot cannot safely fall back after a remote failure. It stops the launch rather than creating an empty profile or treating an incomplete restore as successful.

Launch can also stop when the local copy contains pending changes but the remote version changed independently. In that case, the local changes are preserved rather than silently overwritten. Do not keep launching the same profile on multiple devices to guess which version will win.

What to do after a sync error

1. Keep the original device and its local profile data unchanged.
2. Stop using the same profile on other devices until the version difference is understood.
3. Record the profile name, time, visible sync status, and complete error message.
4. On a stable network, start the same profile again once to trigger another restore attempt. If it opens, close its browser normally to trigger an upload when uploads are allowed.
5. Open View backup status and confirm that Local changes no longer shows Waiting for backup before relying on another device.

Do not delete the profile, clear its local data, reinstall the client, or manually copy files into its data directory as an initial troubleshooting step. These actions can remove the local copy that the fallback depends on or make the version history harder to diagnose.

For the normal upload and cross-device restore sequence, see sync and recover browser profile data. If uploads are intentionally disabled on this device, first review disable profile sync on one device because retained local changes will not upload until that setting changes.

What this protection does not guarantee

• It is not a separate export or permanent offline backup.
• It does not protect against local disk loss, manual deletion, or unusable local data.
• It does not make unuploaded changes recoverable on a different device.
• It does not merge two independently changed copies or choose one without reporting a conflict.

The general Chrome sync troubleshooting guidance also distinguishes a paused or failed synchronization process from the information stored on a device. For MaskPilot, use the product-specific boundaries above: preserve the original local copy, avoid concurrent launches, and verify completion before switching devices.

Before contacting support

Provide the profile name, affected device, approximate time, whether the profile still opens locally, whether another device used it, the current device sync setting, and the full visible message. Remove website credentials, cookies, session data, encryption material, and unrelated personal information from screenshots or logs.