Why Is a Profile Still Saving After Close?

When a profile briefly shows Saving after its browser window closes, the browser is not usually still running. The browser process has exited, but MaskPilot is finishing the session’s data work. When uploads are allowed on this device, this phase also includes preparing, encrypting, and uploading the local backup.

What each status means

• Running: the browser process is still active on this device.
• Saving: the browser process has exited and no longer counts as running, but its data work has not finished.
• Stopped: the local operation has ended and the client has released this profile’s local occupancy.

Stopped means that the finishing operation has ended; it does not by itself prove that a cloud backup succeeded. Check backup status before relying on the latest changes from another device.

What happens while the profile is saving

The client first confirms that the browser released the profile directory and gives cookies, LocalStorage, and other files a short period to finish writing locally. With uploads enabled, it then creates a snapshot from stable data, checks that snapshot, encrypts it, and uploads it.

Browser-process exit and safe reuse of profile data are therefore separate points in time. Waiting for this phase prevents another launch, edit, or deletion from competing with unfinished data work.

Why relaunch and editing are temporarily unavailable

While the profile shows Saving, its launch, edit, share, copy, and delete actions are temporarily unavailable. The list says, You can launch again after saving finishes. Desktop-client installation also waits for local profile work to end.

This is data protection on the current device, not a runtime lease held by another device. Do not force-release it by quitting MaskPilot, deleting lock files, or editing the profile directory manually. Those actions can interrupt an unfinished backup.

If the status is Preparing rather than Saving, the browser process has not successfully started yet. The client may still be running preflight checks or preparing profile data, the browser kernel, or extensions. Use Cancel launch when you need to stop that flow.

What to do after closing the browser

1. Keep MaskPilot open and wait for Saving to change to Stopped.
2. If uploads are allowed on this device, keep the network stable instead of shutting down or quitting immediately.
3. Before switching devices, choose View backup status and confirm that Local changes no longer says Waiting for backup.
4. If Do not sync profile data is enabled on this device, local changes are not uploaded. A brief Saving state does not mean that the client bypassed this setting.

Other unrelated profiles remain governed by their own status, but do not repeat operations on this profile while it is saving.

If saving does not finish or reports an error

Record the profile name, approximate time when saving began, and the complete error. Then check whether the network was interrupted, whether this device allows uploads, and whether the disk still has free space. Do not start by deleting local data, reinstalling the client, or repeatedly force-ending processes.

If the state ends but View backup status still reports local changes waiting for backup, follow the failed-sync checklist that preserves local data. If the message refers to a local profile process or an old run record, first distinguish local processes from remote run records.

As general background, browser sync distinguishes information stored on a device from synchronized data available to other devices; see Google’s Chrome Sync data overview. For MaskPilot, rely on the profile status and View backup status to determine whether saving has finished.