diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 396c822..9092264 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ If you don't need the ability to sync your shell history, you can install hiSHto
 curl https://hishtory.dev/install.py | HISHTORY_OFFLINE=true python3 -
 ```
 
-This disables syncing and it is not possible to re-enable syncing after doing this.
+This disables syncing completely so that the client will not rely on the hiSHtory backend at all. You can also change the syncing status via `hishtory syncing enable` or `hishtory syncing disable`.
 
 </blockquote></details>
 
diff --git a/client/client_test.go b/client/client_test.go
index 1958991..a169b93 100644
--- a/client/client_test.go
+++ b/client/client_test.go
@@ -3127,4 +3127,66 @@ func TestForceInit(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NotContains(t, tester.RunInteractiveShell(t, `hishtory export`), "echo foobar")
 }
 
+func TestChangeSyncingStatus(t *testing.T) {
+	markTestForSharding(t, 14)
+	defer testutils.BackupAndRestore(t)()
+	tester := zshTester{}
+
+	// Install it offline and record a command or two
+	userSecret := installWithOnlineStatus(t, tester, Offline)
+	assertOnlineStatus(t, Offline)
+	tester.RunInteractiveShell(t, `echo "device1_whileOffline_1"`)
+	testutils.CompareGoldens(t,
+		tester.RunInteractiveShell(t, `hishtory status -v | grep -v User | grep -v Device | grep -v Secret`),
+		"TestChangeSyncingStatus-Offline",
+	)
+
+	// Go online
+	out := tester.RunInteractiveShell(t, `hishtory syncing enable`)
+	require.Equal(t, "Enabled syncing successfully\n", out)
+	testutils.CompareGoldens(t,
+		tester.RunInteractiveShell(t, `hishtory status -v | grep -v User | grep -v Device | grep -v Secret`),
+		"TestChangeSyncingStatus-Online",
+	)
+
+	// Back up that device and set up another device to confirm syncing is working
+	restoreDev1 := testutils.BackupAndRestoreWithId(t, "dev1")
+	installHishtory(t, tester, userSecret)
+	out = tester.RunInteractiveShell(t, `hishtory export`)
+	require.Contains(t, out, "device1_whileOffline_1")
+	testutils.CompareGoldens(t,
+		tester.RunInteractiveShell(t, `hishtory status -v | grep -v User | grep -v Device | grep -v Secret`),
+		"TestChangeSyncingStatus-Online",
+	)
+
+	// Go back to the first device, disable syncing, and then record a command
+	restoreDev2 := testutils.BackupAndRestoreWithId(t, "dev2")
+	restoreDev1()
+	testutils.CompareGoldens(t,
+		tester.RunInteractiveShell(t, `hishtory status -v | grep -v User | grep -v Device | grep -v Secret`),
+		"TestChangeSyncingStatus-Online",
+	)
+	out = tester.RunInteractiveShell(t, `hishtory syncing disable`)
+	testutils.CompareGoldens(t,
+		tester.RunInteractiveShell(t, `hishtory status -v | grep -v User | grep -v Device | grep -v Secret`),
+		"TestChangeSyncingStatus-Offline",
+	)
+	require.Equal(t, "Disabled syncing successfully\n", out)
+	tester.RunInteractiveShell(t, `echo "device1_whileOffline_2"`)
+	out = tester.RunInteractiveShell(t, `hishtory export`)
+	require.Contains(t, out, "device1_whileOffline_1")
+	require.Contains(t, out, "device1_whileOffline_2")
+
+	// Then go back to the second device which won't see that command
+	testutils.BackupAndRestoreWithId(t, "dev1")
+	restoreDev2()
+	out = tester.RunInteractiveShell(t, `hishtory export`)
+	require.Contains(t, out, "device1_whileOffline_1")
+	require.NotContains(t, out, "device1_whileOffline_2")
+	testutils.CompareGoldens(t,
+		tester.RunInteractiveShell(t, `hishtory status -v | grep -v User | grep -v Device | grep -v Secret`),
+		"TestChangeSyncingStatus-Online",
+	)
+}
+
 // TODO: somehow test/confirm that hishtory works even if only bash/only zsh is installed
diff --git a/client/cmd/install.go b/client/cmd/install.go
index 999f0ec..acce593 100644
--- a/client/cmd/install.go
+++ b/client/cmd/install.go
@@ -599,12 +599,15 @@ func setup(userSecret string, isOffline bool) error {
 	if config.IsOffline {
 		return nil
 	}
-	ctx := hctx.MakeContext()
+	return registerAndBootstrapDevice(hctx.MakeContext(), &config, db, userSecret)
+}
+
+func registerAndBootstrapDevice(ctx context.Context, config *hctx.ClientConfig, db *gorm.DB, userSecret string) error {
 	registerPath := "/api/v1/register?user_id=" + data.UserId(userSecret) + "&device_id=" + config.DeviceId
 	if isIntegrationTestDevice() {
 		registerPath += "&is_integration_test_device=true"
 	}
-	_, err = lib.ApiGet(ctx, registerPath)
+	_, err := lib.ApiGet(ctx, registerPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to register device with backend: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/client/cmd/syncing.go b/client/cmd/syncing.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5c45a61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/cmd/syncing.go
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/ddworken/hishtory/client/data"
+	"github.com/ddworken/hishtory/client/hctx"
+	"github.com/ddworken/hishtory/client/lib"
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+var syncingCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:       "syncing",
+	Short:     "Configure syncing to enable or disable syncing with the hishtory backend",
+	ValidArgs: []string{"disable", "enable"},
+	Args:      cobra.MatchAll(cobra.OnlyValidArgs, cobra.ExactArgs(1)),
+	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+		syncingStatus := false
+		if args[0] == "disable" {
+			syncingStatus = false
+		} else if args[0] == "enable" {
+			syncingStatus = true
+		} else {
+			lib.CheckFatalError(fmt.Errorf("unexpected syncing argument %q", args[0]))
+		}
+
+		ctx := hctx.MakeContext()
+		conf := hctx.GetConf(ctx)
+		if syncingStatus {
+			if conf.IsOffline {
+				lib.CheckFatalError(switchToOnline(ctx))
+				fmt.Println("Enabled syncing successfully")
+			} else {
+				lib.CheckFatalError(fmt.Errorf("device is already online"))
+			}
+		} else {
+			if conf.IsOffline {
+				lib.CheckFatalError(fmt.Errorf("device is already offline"))
+			} else {
+				lib.CheckFatalError(switchToOffline(ctx))
+				fmt.Println("Disabled syncing successfully")
+			}
+		}
+	},
+}
+
+func switchToOnline(ctx context.Context) error {
+	config := hctx.GetConf(ctx)
+	config.IsOffline = false
+	err := hctx.SetConfig(config)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to switch device to online due to error while setting config: %w", err)
+	}
+	err = registerAndBootstrapDevice(ctx, config, hctx.GetDb(ctx), config.UserSecret)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to register device with backend: %w", err)
+	}
+	err = lib.Reupload(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to switch device to online due to error while uploading history entries: %w", err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func switchToOffline(ctx context.Context) error {
+	config := hctx.GetConf(ctx)
+	config.IsOffline = true
+	err := hctx.SetConfig(config)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to switch device to offline due to error while setting config: %w", err)
+	}
+	_, err = lib.ApiPost(ctx, "/api/v1/uninstall?user_id="+data.UserId(hctx.GetConf(ctx).UserSecret)+"&device_id="+hctx.GetConf(ctx).DeviceId, "application/json", []byte{})
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to switch device to offline due to error while deleting sync state: %w", err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func init() {
+	rootCmd.AddCommand(syncingCmd)
+}
diff --git a/client/testdata/TestChangeSyncingStatus-Offline b/client/testdata/TestChangeSyncingStatus-Offline
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7aa5b5b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/testdata/TestChangeSyncingStatus-Offline
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+hiSHtory: v0.Unknown
+Enabled: true
+Sync Mode: Disabled
+Commit Hash: Unknown
diff --git a/client/testdata/TestChangeSyncingStatus-Online b/client/testdata/TestChangeSyncingStatus-Online
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dd68c6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/testdata/TestChangeSyncingStatus-Online
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+hiSHtory: v0.Unknown
+Enabled: true
+Sync Mode: Enabled
+Sync Server: http://localhost:8080
+Sync Status: Synced
+Commit Hash: Unknown