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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.lobstr.io/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

Some data on the web is only accessible after you log in — LinkedIn profiles, Twitter feeds, and Leboncoin listings are common examples. To scrape this data, lobstr.io needs to browse as if it were logged in to your account. Account Sync makes this possible.
lobstr.io never stores your username or password. The browser extension captures only your login cookies, which are used to maintain your session. Your credentials stay private.

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Watch the full walkthrough

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Sync your first account

1

Install the lobstr.io Chrome extension

Install the lobstr.io Account Sync extension from the Chrome Web Store:Install extensionThe extension is what captures your login cookies and makes them available to lobstr.io.
Download the lobstr.io add-on from the Chrome Web Store
2

Log in to the third-party site

In Chrome, go to the website you want to connect — for example, twitter.com or linkedin.com — and log in to your account normally.
Log in to the third-party account
3

Sync the account from your lobstr.io dashboard

With the extension installed and you logged in to the third-party site:
  1. Go to your lobstr.io dashboard and log in.
  2. Click Accounts in the left sidebar.
  3. Select the account type you want to sync (e.g., LinkedIn, Twitter).
  4. Click Yes, I want to sync.
Synchronize your new account from the lobstr.io dashboard
lobstr.io will read your login cookies from the extension and store them securely. Your account is now synced and ready to use.

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Sync multiple accounts

You can connect more than one account of the same type — for example, two LinkedIn accounts — to increase scraping throughput.
Multiple accounts synced on lobstr.io

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Standard accounts (Twitter, Facebook, etc.)

For most platforms, repeat the sync process for each account:
  1. Log in to account 1 → sync → log out from account 1.
  2. Log in to account 2 → sync → log out from account 2.
  3. Repeat for additional accounts.

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LinkedIn and Leboncoin accounts

For LinkedIn and Leboncoin, logging out normally invalidates your cookies immediately. Clear your site data instead of using the normal logout button.
To switch between LinkedIn or Leboncoin accounts without breaking cookies:
  1. Log in to account 1 and sync it.
  2. Navigate to www.linkedin.com (or leboncoin.fr).
  3. Open Chrome DevTools (press F12 or right-click → Inspect).
  4. Go to the Application tab.
  5. Click Storage in the left panel.
  6. Check “including third-party cookies”.
  7. Click Clear site data.
  8. Log in to account 2 and sync it.
  9. Repeat for any additional accounts.
Clear site data from Chrome DevTools Application tab

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Refresh expired cookies

Login cookies don’t last forever. When they expire, lobstr.io displays a warning: “this account needs to be updated”. You’ll need to provide fresh cookies by re-syncing your account.
This account needs to be updated warning on lobstr.io
Make sure you have the lobstr.io extension installed and are logged in to the relevant third-party account, then use one of the two methods below.

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From the accounts section

  1. Log in to lobstr.io.
  2. Go to the Accounts section.
  3. Click Actions next to the account you want to refresh.
  4. Select Refresh cookies.
Refresh cookies from the Accounts section

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From a Squid’s settings

  1. Open a Squid that uses the account you need to refresh.
  2. Click the here link in the banner, or click the Settings icon.
    Click the banner or the settings icon
  3. Click the refresh icon next to your account name.
    Click the refresh icon next to the account name
Once refreshed, the account is active again and your Squids can resume scraping.