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Cannot set up Sync: sync button missing in menu

  • 5 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 604 views
  • Last reply by kwetal

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On my work computer I downloaded and installed FF 61.0.2 as a PortableApp. After starting, it has no SYNC button in its menu, so I cannot initiate SYNC with my other devices. I followed the solution to a similar question (https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1214040), but there is no "Firefox Account" in the left column. But at the top of the preferences page there is a message "Your organization has disabled the ability to change some options." I found out that this has to do with the config option identity.fxaccounts.enabled having a false value. Indeed, in the about:config screen, the setting "identity.fxaccounts.enabled" has the value false and its status is locked. How do I unlock this setting?

What I already tried: Search the PC for mozilla.cfg and check for the statement lockPref("identity.fxaccounts.enabled", false).

There is a file C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\mozilla.cfg, but it does not contain the text identity.fxaccounts.enabled. In fact, there is a complete FF installation in C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox but this company-managed FF-version also does not have the "Sign in to sync" button. This was the reason to install the up-to-date PortableApps version in the first place. I have searched the complete C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox directory for the text identity.fxaccounts.enabled; the only relevant occurrence is in file browser/omni.ja: pref("identity.fxaccounts.enabled", true). (The other occurrences are read accesses.)

On my work computer I downloaded and installed FF 61.0.2 as a PortableApp. After starting, it has no SYNC button in its menu, so I cannot initiate SYNC with my other devices. I followed the solution to a similar question (https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1214040), but there is no "Firefox Account" in the left column. But at the top of the preferences page there is a message "Your organization has disabled the ability to change some options." I found out that this has to do with the config option identity.fxaccounts.enabled having a false value. Indeed, in the about:config screen, the setting "identity.fxaccounts.enabled" has the value false and its status is locked. How do I unlock this setting? What I already tried: Search the PC for mozilla.cfg and check for the statement lockPref("identity.fxaccounts.enabled", false). There is a file C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\mozilla.cfg, but it does not contain the text identity.fxaccounts.enabled. In fact, there is a complete FF installation in C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox but this company-managed FF-version also does not have the "Sign in to sync" button. This was the reason to install the up-to-date PortableApps version in the first place. I have searched the complete C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox directory for the text identity.fxaccounts.enabled; the only relevant occurrence is in file browser/omni.ja: pref("identity.fxaccounts.enabled", true). (The other occurrences are read accesses.)

Chosen solution

Success!

It appears that the group policies for firefox are stored in the registry under key "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox". I changed the value of "DisableFirefoxAccounts" to 0 and voila! I can connect to Sync again.

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Screenshots added.

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Looks like Portable Firefox from Portable Apps has locked Firefox Accounts from being used.

That is a 3rd party build, not created by Mozilla. See Portable Apps support for help with their build of Firefox Portable, http://portableapps.com/forums/support/firefox_portable

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Thank you cor-el, the link to the Group Policies (https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/customizing-firefox-using-group-policy) put me on the right path. It appears that the policy Disable Firefox Accounts has been enabled.

Any chance to circumvent this policy? Or do I have to build my own customized Firefox for that?

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Chosen Solution

Success!

It appears that the group policies for firefox are stored in the registry under key "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox". I changed the value of "DisableFirefoxAccounts" to 0 and voila! I can connect to Sync again.