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Can I have per-device sync options instead of global setting?

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I read https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-do-i-choose-what-types-information-sync-firefox but it seems that what is synced can only be setup globally. Is this right?

I have 2 uses for firefox with the following devices:

1. Personal with my private laptop with Firefox stable and Dev Edition and my android phone. 2. At work with a Nightly, Dev Edition and Stable version.

I would like to sync Password and Addons among all of these devices. Among the personal devices I would like to share just everything.

So I went to the "personal devices" and enabled everything for sync. Then at the "at work" devices I enabled only Password and Addons. *Bang*, but this also changes the settings for the personal devices to only Password and Addons.

Is there any solution to get the sync working on a per-device level (maybe some workaround)? Or if not, a bugzilla report to follow, in case this is planned? I do not understand why what is sync is setup on a global level instead of per device.

I read https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-do-i-choose-what-types-information-sync-firefox but it seems that what is synced can only be setup globally. Is this right? I have 2 uses for firefox with the following devices: 1. Personal with my private laptop with Firefox stable and Dev Edition and my android phone. 2. At work with a Nightly, Dev Edition and Stable version. I would like to sync Password and Addons among all of these devices. Among the personal devices I would like to share just everything. So I went to the "personal devices" and enabled everything for sync. Then at the "at work" devices I enabled only Password and Addons. *Bang*, but this also changes the settings for the personal devices to only Password and Addons. Is there any solution to get the sync working on a per-device level (maybe some workaround)? Or if not, a bugzilla report to follow, in case this is planned? I do not understand why what is sync is setup on a global level instead of per device.

All Replies (5)

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With using Nightly and Developer I hope that you have separate Profiles for each of them, and separate from the Release version Profile. Otherwise the daily changes in Nightly and the almost daily changes could possibly corrupt the Release version data via Sync.

'gerd.neumann said

I read https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-do-i-choose-what-types-information-sync-firefox but it seems that what is synced can only be setup globally. Is this right?

That is a per Profile / "device" setting, unless unbeknownst to me that was changed recently. Only that data which is selected in a Profile will be included in the Sync process for that Profile / "device".

As far as Sync for Add-ons, not all the preferences for each extension will automatically get sync'd; some extensions have "hidden" (in about:config) preferences that need to be 'toggled' on to enable the pref for Sync. And those extensions typically don't provide good documentation about those preferences. (At least the extensions that I use didn't provide a clear explanation.)

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Thx, for answering. I'll recheck (when I'm home) if it's really per device. Maybe I'm mistaken.

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Sorry, but that does not seem to be true. Sync settings seem to be per account and not per device. I changed my settings to sync everything at home (history, bookmarks, etc) and now at work the sync for these is also enabled.

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Well, as I mentioned that may have changed recently - but I haven't read anything about that type of change and the KB article hasn't been edited recently to show a difference between the Firefox 38 ESR version (which is still supported - barely) and Firefox 46 the current "Release" version as far the "data types" sync. But if a change was made in 49 Nightly or 48 Developer, that KB info might not get changed until late in the Beta stage, just before hitting "Release".

Sorry, you'll need to wait for someone else to "weigh-in" here, I guess I can't help you any further as I can't duplicate your setup.

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This has has nothing to do with Beta/Aurora/Nightly channel, this also very much also happens on the stable Firefox 46 and it has happened to me for the past year or so (probably always).

Can't you reproduce this:

  • Fx 46 with sync profile on desktop device A
  • Fx 46 with same sync profile on desktop device B

Enabling 'Sync <bookmarks> across all devices' on device A will also enable it on device B.