diff --git a/extensions/chromium/options/migration.js b/extensions/chromium/options/migration.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6d9f4c514
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extensions/chromium/options/migration.js
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2016 Mozilla Foundation
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+/* globals chrome */
+
+(function() {
+  'use strict';
+  var storageLocal = chrome.storage.local;
+  var storageSync = chrome.storage.sync;
+
+  if (!storageSync) {
+    // No sync storage area - nothing to migrate to.
+    return;
+  }
+
+  getStorageNames(function(storageKeys) {
+    storageLocal.get(storageKeys, function(values) {
+      if (!values || !Object.keys(values).length) {
+        // No local storage - nothing to migrate.
+        return;
+      }
+      migrateToSyncStorage(values);
+    });
+  });
+
+  function getStorageNames(callback) {
+    var x = new XMLHttpRequest();
+    var schema_location = chrome.runtime.getManifest().storage.managed_schema;
+    x.open('get', chrome.runtime.getURL(schema_location));
+    x.onload = function() {
+      var storageKeys = Object.keys(x.response.properties);
+      callback(storageKeys);
+    };
+    x.responseType = 'json';
+    x.send();
+  }
+
+  // Save |values| to storage.sync and delete the values with that key from
+  // storage.local.
+  function migrateToSyncStorage(values) {
+    storageSync.set(values, function() {
+      if (chrome.runtime.lastError) {
+        console.error('Failed to migrate settings due to an error: ' +
+            chrome.runtime.lastError.message);
+        return;
+      }
+      // Migration successful. Delete local settings.
+      storageLocal.remove(Object.keys(values), function() {
+        // In theory remove() could fail (e.g. if the browser's storage
+        // backend is corrupt), but since storageSync.set succeeded, consider
+        // the migration successful.
+        console.log(
+            'Successfully migrated preferences from local to sync storage.');
+      });
+    });
+  }
+})();
diff --git a/extensions/chromium/options/options.js b/extensions/chromium/options/options.js
index 1d8ec12d8..46b02bb8a 100644
--- a/extensions/chromium/options/options.js
+++ b/extensions/chromium/options/options.js
@@ -16,9 +16,15 @@ limitations under the License.
 /* globals chrome, Promise */
 
 'use strict';
+var storageAreaName = chrome.storage.sync ? 'sync' : 'local';
+var storageArea = chrome.storage[storageAreaName];
 
 Promise.all([
   new Promise(function getManagedPrefs(resolve) {
+    if (!chrome.storage.managed) {
+      resolve({});
+      return;
+    }
     // Get preferences as set by the system administrator.
     chrome.storage.managed.get(null, function(prefs) {
       // Managed storage may be disabled, e.g. in Opera.
@@ -26,7 +32,7 @@ Promise.all([
     });
   }),
   new Promise(function getUserPrefs(resolve) {
-    chrome.storage.local.get(null, function(prefs) {
+    storageArea.get(null, function(prefs) {
       resolve(prefs || {});
     });
   }),
@@ -93,7 +99,7 @@ Promise.all([
   // Reset button to restore default settings.
   document.getElementById('reset-button').onclick = function() {
     userPrefs = {};
-    chrome.storage.local.remove(prefNames, function() {
+    storageArea.remove(prefNames, function() {
       renderedPrefNames.forEach(function(prefName) {
         renderPreferenceFunctions[prefName](getPrefValue(prefName));
       });
@@ -102,7 +108,7 @@ Promise.all([
 
   // Automatically update the UI when the preferences were changed elsewhere.
   chrome.storage.onChanged.addListener(function(changes, areaName) {
-    var prefs = areaName === 'local' ? userPrefs :
+    var prefs = areaName === storageAreaName ? userPrefs :
                 areaName === 'managed' ? managedPrefs : null;
     if (prefs) {
       renderedPrefNames.forEach(function(prefName) {
@@ -136,7 +142,7 @@ function renderBooleanPref(shortDescription, description, prefName) {
   checkbox.onchange = function() {
     var pref = {};
     pref[prefName] = this.checked;
-    chrome.storage.local.set(pref);
+    storageArea.set(pref);
   };
   wrapper.querySelector('span').textContent = shortDescription;
   document.getElementById('settings-boxes').appendChild(wrapper);
@@ -151,7 +157,7 @@ function renderDefaultZoomValue(shortDescription) {
   var wrapper = importTemplate('defaultZoomValue-template');
   var select = wrapper.querySelector('select');
   select.onchange = function() {
-    chrome.storage.local.set({
+    storageArea.set({
       defaultZoomValue: this.value
     });
   };
@@ -180,7 +186,7 @@ function renderSidebarViewOnLoad(shortDescription) {
   var wrapper = importTemplate('sidebarViewOnLoad-template');
   var select = wrapper.querySelector('select');
   select.onchange = function() {
-    chrome.storage.local.set({
+    storageArea.set({
       sidebarViewOnLoad: parseInt(this.value)
     });
   };
@@ -197,7 +203,7 @@ function renderExternalLinkTarget(shortDescription) {
   var wrapper = importTemplate('externalLinkTarget-template');
   var select = wrapper.querySelector('select');
   select.onchange = function() {
-    chrome.storage.local.set({
+    storageArea.set({
       externalLinkTarget: parseInt(this.value)
     });
   };
diff --git a/extensions/chromium/pdfHandler.html b/extensions/chromium/pdfHandler.html
index fa4f2246f..e412ca1ae 100644
--- a/extensions/chromium/pdfHandler.html
+++ b/extensions/chromium/pdfHandler.html
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 -->
 <script src="feature-detect.js"></script>
+<script src="options/migration.js"></script>
 <script src="preserve-referer.js"></script>
 <script src="pdfHandler.js"></script>
 <script src="extension-router.js"></script>
diff --git a/web/chromecom.js b/web/chromecom.js
index 46ae1b3cc..275c49070 100644
--- a/web/chromecom.js
+++ b/web/chromecom.js
@@ -297,17 +297,22 @@
     }
   }
 
+  // chrome.storage.sync is not supported in every Chromium-derivate.
+  // Note: The background page takes care of migrating values from
+  // chrome.storage.local to chrome.storage.sync when needed.
+  var storageArea = chrome.storage.sync || chrome.storage.local;
+
   Preferences._writeToStorage = function (prefObj) {
     return new Promise(function (resolve) {
       if (prefObj === Preferences.defaults) {
         var keysToRemove = Object.keys(Preferences.defaults);
         // If the storage is reset, remove the keys so that the values from
         // managed storage are applied again.
-        chrome.storage.local.remove(keysToRemove, function() {
+        storageArea.remove(keysToRemove, function() {
           resolve();
         });
       } else {
-        chrome.storage.local.set(prefObj, function() {
+        storageArea.set(prefObj, function() {
           resolve();
         });
       }
@@ -331,7 +336,7 @@
           // Managed storage not supported, e.g. in Opera.
           defaultPrefs = Preferences.defaults;
         }
-        chrome.storage.local.get(defaultPrefs, function(readPrefs) {
+        storageArea.get(defaultPrefs, function(readPrefs) {
           resolve(readPrefs);
         });
       }