Using multiple devices can be challenging to pick where you left the work in one device on a new one. However, if you have the Sync feature enabled on Microsoft Edge, you can sync favorites and other browser data across multiple devices. Since Microsoft Edge is cross platform, you can access your MS Edge favorites from Android, and Apple devices through the neat sync feature.
Since Microsoft Edge wasn’t a cross platform browser before, users couldn’t sync their browser data among devices making the Legacy version of the browser less user friendly. However, with the new Chromium-based Edge, users can finally use this browser as their default one and sync it on multiple devices. With that said, there is a lot of confusion among users regarding how they can sync microsoft edge across various devices.
If you are planning on using Microsoft Edge as your default browser but aren’t sure how you can sync it with other devices then read on. Because I am going to explain precisely how you can sync the Edge browser data and tell you all about this cross-platform functionality.
What is the cross-platform Sync feature in Microsoft Edge?
Ever since Microsoft Edge became a cross platform browser, the team behind Edge has enjoyed much more freedom in terms of design and features. One of the neat new features that come with cross platform support is the ability to sync your Edge browser across all your devices.
When you have the Edge sync feature turned on, you are practically using the same browser on every single device. Everything including your browsing history, extensions, favorites, passwords, payment information, and settings can be shared across various devices.
On top of that, the cross-platform support of the new Chromium-based Edge means you can access your browser data regardless of the device you use. Whether it’s an Android, iOS, or Windows device, you will get seamless syncing no matter the platform. Users that avoid using Edge due to it being a Windows-exclusive browser can now use Edge and get a more consistent experience.
Users can easily enable and disable the sync feature depending on their preferences. However, you will need to sign into the Edge browser using the same account on every single device in order to sync browser data. Not to mention some users have reported that Microsoft Edge’s sync feature was turned on by default for them. Luckily you can also disable the sync feature if it’s already turned on for you. All you have to do is follow similar steps we are about to explain in the next section to find the sync settings.
How can you Sync Edge across devices?
Now that you know about the Sync feature in the new Edge browser and how it works you can better understand how you can actually use it. You can activate the sync feature through various platforms, and we are going to explain all of them. So without further ado, here is how you can sync MS Edge using different devices:
Microsoft Edge desktop version:
Microsoft Edge’s desktop version allows complete control over the sync settings. You can turn on sync using these simple steps:
- Load up Microsoft Edge and click your profile picture. If you aren’t logged into the browser, you will need to enter your username and password at this step.
- After clicking on your profile picture and signing in, you will see a Manage profile settings option, and you have to click it.
- Next, you will have to click Sync and then click Turn on sync and confirm to start the cross-platform sync process.
Microsoft Edge mobile version:
You can conveniently adjust sync settings using the mobile version of the Edge with the help of these steps:
- Tap on More options and then tap on the settings option.
- Locate the Accounts section and tap on your email address which represents your Edge account.
- Now tap sync under Sync settings and toggle it on to start syncing across devices.
How to adjust sync settings in MS Edge?
Microsoft Edge also allows you to select the browser settings and data you want to sync. In order to adjust the sync settings, all you have to do is:
- Copy and paste edge://settings/profiles/sync into your Edge browser’s address bar to go directly to your Edge sync settings page.
- Select the data and settings you want to sync and leave the ones you don’t want to sync unmarked.
What causes MS Edge to not sync?
If you have tried the methods provided above to turn on Sync for your Edge browser, but it doesn’t work as intended, the first thing you should do is make sure the sync is actually on. In order to confirm this, you can click on your profile icon in the Edge browser and see if there is a green tick next to Sync is on. If it says sync is on, you already have the sync active; however, if it’s not active, you will have to activate it using the method explained in the previous section.
If the issue persists despite the sync feature being on, you can try the following methods to fix the problem:
Reset the sync:
You can always reset the sync feature in Edge in order to fix any temporary issues with the feature. Microsoft recommends resetting the feature in case it isn’t working as expected. You can reset sync with the help of these steps:
- Open your Microsoft Edge browser and paste edge://settings/profiles/sync into the address bar and press enter to load up the sync options.
- At the bottom of the sync page, you will find a button named Reset Sync next to Reset sync now. Simply click the reset button.
- You will get a prompt that will tell you that resetting sync will remove browsing data from Microsoft servers, but it will remain stored on the device locally. Check the check box and then click on Reset to authorize the reset.
Once the reset is done, the sync feature will remain enabled, and you don’t have to activate it again. You can then test the sync feature again to confirm if it’s working as intended. If it is still not syncing correctly, you can try the next fix.
Make sure your account page has permission to store cookies
Edge can only sync browsing data across devices if it has the Microsoft account page permission to save cookies. So if you suspect that your account page doesn’t have the permission to store cookies, you can enable the permission using these steps:
- Load up Microsoft Edge and click on the three dots next to your profile picture.
- From the drop-down menu, open Settings and then select Cookies and site permissions from the side menu.
- Next, click on Manage and delete cookies and site data and find the Allow section.
- Click the add button next to the Allow section, add account.microsoft.com to it, and click Add.
Resetting your Edge browser
If all the above-mentioned fixes fail to activate the sync feature, you can reset the Edge browser as a last resort. However, it is essential to understand that resetting your Edge browser will result in losing certain types of browser data, including cookies.
With that said, here is how you can reset your Microsoft Edge browser:
- Open your browser, add edge://settings/reset to your address bar, and press enter.
- Click on Restore settings to their default values and click Reset.
Doing this will restore your browser to its default state, similar to a fresh install. So any conflicting extensions and other errors could get fixed.
Should you turn on sync for Microsoft Edge?
Now that you know how to turn the sync feature on, the next logical question that comes to mind is whether this feature is worth it or not. While Microsoft Edge has only recently introduced this feature, other browsers have had the ability to sync across devices for many years. And with this feature turned on, you can get the seamless experience of switching between devices without losing the browsing data.
What are some risks of turning the sync feature on?
There is a flip side to syncing your data across devices, and that is Microsoft will have access to it. Without further ado, here are some risks associated with syncing browsing data across devices:
Risk of malware transfer
When you sync browsing data across devices, it includes any extensions that you have on one device. While a rare occurrence, it is possible for some extensions to contain malware.
When your devices are synced, the malware may transfer from one device to another, infecting all the devices. Similarly, if you leave a web page open that may have malware, it might get carried to other devices and infect them as well.
Lastly, different devices and platforms offer varying levels of security, so while one device might be secure from certain types of malware, other devices wouldn’t.
Therefore it is important to ensure that you have the necessary anti-malware tools set up on your devices when you have syncing enabled on Edge.
Company stores synced data
Microsoft will store a certain amount of data on their servers for a set period of time when you sync it. So if you are concerned about the company having access to your data, you might want to keep the feature turned off.
Microsoft has privacy and data security measures in place to prevent unauthorized access to stored user data. For example, they encrypt user data when it is being transmitted from one device to another. Similarly, they also hold the data in their servers in encrypted form. With that said to some users, simply the idea of a corporation having access to their data might be enough reason to avoid syncing data across devices.
Unauthorized access to private data
If multiple individuals use your devices, then there is a risk that they might be able to access your browsing information as well. Therefore whenever you are turning this feature on, make sure that you have taken all necessary measures to protect your browsing data from getting into the wrong hands.
We recommend only turning on the sync feature across multiple devices if you actually own all the synced devices. In addition, you must maintain possession of these devices at all times to ensure that your browsing details are being spoofed.
Lastly, in case your device is lost or gets stolen, there is a risk of the sensitive browsing data such as passwords and financial information getting into the wrong hands.
How long does it take for Microsoft edge completely sync across devices?
Syncing process can vary in speed depending on the amount of data being transferred, the internet connection, and the number of devices being synced. It can take from a few hours to a full day to sync all the data with all the devices. If you have accumulated a lot of browsing data over time, you may have to wait longer compared to someone with a few KBs of data.
If it has been several hours until you started the syncing process, and it still hasn’t synced, then chances are there is something wrong. That is where you can start using the fixes we have mentioned in this article.
Conclusion
Edge has finally entered the race to become a cross platform browser a couple of years back. And while the browser is a bit late to the party it still has solid backing from Microsoft and has the potential to establish a loyal user base.
Being the default browser in Windows, a lot of users can benefit from the sync feature. However, as mentioned in this article, you should use this feature with care in case you are unsure who might have access to your devices.
With that said, the Microsoft Edge browser’s sync is less than perfect, and it may cause issues from time to time. Now that you know how you can fix those issues you are much more equipped to start syncing the browser across devices.
