Firefox Sync troubleshooting and tips

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  • Revision id: 19120
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  • Creator: Ibai
  • Comment: Updated for fx9 and added the explanation to fix the Sync Setup reset issue
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If you've run into a problem with Firefox Sync, this article will walk you though the most common solutions.

Firefox Sync configuration resets every time I close Firefox

This is a common issue with users who have privacy settings configured to reset their passwords at any time the browser is closed. Firefox Sync stores its configuration with the rest of the passwords. If your passwords are deleted by restrictive security settings or add-on accessing your passwords you will need to change it to use Firefox Sync.

You can visit the Settings for privacy, browsing history and do-not-track article for details. Use one of the following options:

  • Remember history
  • Use custom settings for history. If you select this option, make sure you uncheck Clear history when Firefox closes. If you really want to delete your history when Firefox closes, check the option, click {Button Settings} and uncheck "Saved passwords"

How do I fix Sync problems that display an error message?

If Sync displays an error message, it is possible the Sync Service is not operating as expected. Before attempting any of the procedures below, you should verify the Sync Service isn't experiencing failures by checking on the status of the service at https://services.mozilla.com/status/.

How do I resolve an incorrect name or password error?

If the "Sync encountered an error while connecting: Incorrect name or password. Please try again." error appears in the bottom error bar, complete the following steps:

  1. Click Preferences.... The Sync panel will display.
  2. Click Update. The Update Password window will open.
  3. Enter your new password in the window.
  4. Click Update Password to close the window and connect to Sync.

How do I resolve a wrong Sync Key error?

If the "Sync encountered an error while connecting: Wrong Sync Key. Please try again." error message appears in the bottom error bar, complete the following steps:

  1. Click Preferences.... The Sync panel will display.
  2. Click Update. The Update Sync Key window will open.
  3. Get a copy of your Sync Key from the device where you generated the new Sync Key. For more, see the Where can I find my Firefox Sync Key? section in How do I choose what information to sync on Firefox?.
  4. Enter your new Sync Key in the window.
  5. Click Update Sync Key to close the window and connect to Sync.

How do I resolve a wrong Recovery Key error?

If the "Sync encountered an error while connecting: Wrong Recovery Key. Please try again." error message appears in the bottom error bar, complete the following steps:

  1. Click Preferences.... The Sync panel will display.
  2. Click Update. The Update Recovery Key window will open.
  3. Get a copy of your Recovery Key from the device where you generated the new Recovery Key. For more, see the Where can I find my Firefox Recovery Key? section in How do I choose what information to sync on Firefox?.
  4. Enter your new Recovery Key in the window.
  5. Click Update Recovery Key to close the window and connect to Sync.

How do I solve Sync problems without an error message?

The following problems do not display an error message:

  • Your Sync client isn't compatible with the data you have on the Sync server.
  • The Sync servers are having issues to handle your data.
  • The Sync servers are under a heavy load - in this case, the error will stop when the server load returns to normal.

Follow these steps in order until one of them fixes the Sync problem:

Check to see if other extensions are interfering with Firefox Sync

  1. Disable all extensions and themes except Firefox Sync.
  2. Then test for faulty extensions or themes.

For more information on how to troubleshoot extensions and themes, see Troubleshoot extensions, themes and hardware acceleration issues to solve common Firefox problems

Uninstall the Firefox Sync add-on

Since we launched Firefox 4, Sync is now part of the browser and the Sync add-on that was used in Firefox 3.6 and below is no longer needed. If you still have this Sync add-on, uninstall it. For detailed instructions on how to uninstall add-ons, see Disable or remove Add-ons.

Update Firefox and the Sync add-on on all your devices

To improve the Sync service, the Sync data format may be changed when the latest Firefox version is released. This means that any of your other devices which have not been updated will need to be updated in order to keep syncing. Update Firefox and download the latest Firefox Sync add-on.

Note: After updating, you may need to connect your device again. See How do I add a device to Firefox Sync?

Reset your Sync data

In some cases where you are getting regular errors and restarting Firefox or waiting doesn’t solve the issue, you can try to reset your Sync data. In order to do so, see the How do I reset my Sync data? section of the How do I choose what information to sync on Firefox? article.