Firefox Sync troubleshooting and tips

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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 resets every time I close Firefox

This happens when you have Firefox set to either not remember passwords or to delete them when it's closed. To keep Sync from being reset there are two settings you'll need to check:

Turn on the Remember passwords for sites preference and then setup or sign into your Sync account:

  1. In the Menu bar at the top of the screen, click Firefox and then select Preferences or Settings, depending on your macOS version.Click the menu button Fx89menuButton and select Settings.
  2. Select the Security panel.
  3. In the "Passwords" section, check Remember passwords for sites.
  4. The template "closeoptionspreferences" does not exist or has no approved revision.
  5. After setting up Firefox Sync you can uncheck this setting.

Make sure Firefox doesn't delete stored passwords when it's closed. If you have selected Use custom settings for history in the Privacy panel, you'll need to follow these steps:

  1. In the Menu bar at the top of the screen, click Firefox and then select Preferences or Settings, depending on your macOS version.Click the menu button Fx89menuButton and select Settings.
  2. Select the Privacy panel.
  3. Ensure that Clear history when Firefox closes is unchecked.
  4. If you want or need to keep this setting checked, click the Settings... button next to it and then uncheck Saved passwords in the Data section.
  5. The template "closeoptionspreferences" does not exist or has no approved revision.

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 details, see Where can I find my Sync Key?
  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 details, see Where can I find my Recovery Key?
  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

Sync is now built into Firefox 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 How do I reset my Sync data?