SOLVED

Sync isn’t available for this account

Iron Contributor

I think I have a strange issue with Microsoft Edge 80.0.361.54. I get an error, "Sync isn’t available for this account." when using my work account on my Windows Server 2019 servers, but using the same account on my Windows Server 2016 servers sync is available. So what is it? :)

Best regards,
Dennis.

11 Replies
Hi,
what you are experiencing is normal.
Sync is only available for free Microsoft accounts and Azure active directory accounts which include Office 365 and Microsoft 365 subscriptions.
Windows Server on-premise Can't provide syncing functionality for the Chromium based Edge.

@HotCakeX But it DOES work on Windows Server 2016 while it does not on Windows Server 2019? (and an Office 365 subscription has been added to the account)

Best regards,
Dennis.

@dmutsaers OK, I found the culprit. Somehow the account being used on Windows Server 2019 in the automatically created profile in Microsoft Edge is in the format "DOMAIN\Username", and not the UPN "username@domain.net". When creating a new profile with an username in the UPN format, "username@domain.net", and renaming the default Microsoft Edge profile to "Default.old" and the newly created "Profile 1" to "Default", it works.

Best regards,
Dennis

Yes that is also expected.
what is your config on Windows server 2016? is it an Azure Active directory or Hybrid config?

Edge Chromium, Chrome, Firefox, Opera etc etc, none of the browsers available in the market have the ability to use the local on-premise Active Directory to sync data.

you must be using an online account to get sync and that online account should be either Free Microsoft account OR a work Microsoft account with Enterprise State Roaming
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/devices/enterprise-state-roaming-enable

@HotCakeX Same domain, same (hybrid) account, different OS. The problem is that the Microsoft Edge First-run Wizard uses the wrong username (SAM) on Windows Server 2019, where as the same wizard on Windows Server 2016 uses the correct user name (UPN).

Best regards,
Dennis.

@dmutsaers we have found a kind of same experience on clients:

* Windows 7 login with staff\user will translate to login in with upn; user@han.nl.

* Windows 10 1803 with upn will translate to login in staff\user and failure to sync.

* Windows server 2016 with login staff\user logs on automatically with user@han.nl, only enabling sync is needed.

 

reg, Henno.

  

best response confirmed by dmutsaers (Iron Contributor)
Solution
Thanks,
so the problem only happens on Hybrid environments where Edge doesn't use (fails to recognize) the UPN and instead uses the old fashioned down-level logon name (pre-Win 2000 era style).

Irony is that Edge on Windows Server 2019 which is newer uses the old style and on Windows server 2016 which is older uses the new UPN style.

@dmutsaers, if I may ask. Where would you make those profile changes at for Microsoft Edge. I am trying to give the new MS Edge a shot, since it is now built on the same framework as Chrome. I too am experiencing the same issue. DOMAIN\User configured automatically against our MS Server 2019 Standard domain controller. Even though we have an active Office365 licence and Azure AD Sync enabled, I can't get the default "Work" user at DOMAIN\User to sync. I can add a user@domain.com profile just fine, however now I have two profiles, the "Work" one is the default, and I can not find a way to delete that profile.

Any updates on this?  I want to start rolling out Edge for my Windows 10 clients in our hybrid environment, but this annoying UPN issue is preventing this.  Any workarounds known? (without creating/deleting profiles)

@lexlodon 

Create a new profile in Microsoft Edge, using the correct username in UPN format, i.e. user@domain.com. A new profile directory will be created at "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Profile 1". Close Microsoft Edge. Rename "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default" to something else, like "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default.OLD". Rename "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Profile 1" to "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default". Open Microsoft Edge and verify the correct username/UPN is being used now. Close Microsoft Edge and delete %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default.OLD".

@HotCakeX is there any way to modify an existing DOMAIN\User profile to a correct UPN, i.e. user@domain.com profile? Adding a new profile, renaming the old profile, and replacing the new profile with the old one as suggested below does not help that fact that I have setup my local Edge profile on my laptop with both my existing Chrome and Firefox favorites already. I was hoping to not have to start from scratch again. It would also be a great feature to simply export the data from a profile to make future issues like this easier to resolve.

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Accepted Solutions
best response confirmed by dmutsaers (Iron Contributor)
Solution
Thanks,
so the problem only happens on Hybrid environments where Edge doesn't use (fails to recognize) the UPN and instead uses the old fashioned down-level logon name (pre-Win 2000 era style).

Irony is that Edge on Windows Server 2019 which is newer uses the old style and on Windows server 2016 which is older uses the new UPN style.

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