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Firefox on Mac OS (and Firefox on Windows) not syncing correctly via Firefox account

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  • 2 inale ngxaki
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  • Impendulo yokugqibela ngu the-edmeister

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I have someone of a round robin setup. I use Mac OS and Safari mostly and iCloud to sync to my iOS devices (when it comes to - well, everything, including bookmarks in browsers). I also have 2 Windows 8.1 machines that I use regularaly, so I wanted to sync my bookmarks. I found the iCloud control panel for that for the PC and it does the job ok. Originally I was only going to sync to IE 11, but then I started using Firefox too, and now I am also using Chrome on the PC - really can't decide which is better yet.

Anyway, then I started to wonder about using Firefox (and Chrome) on my Mac as well. On the Mac there is no iCloud control panel that handles bookmark syncing. But luckily my Firefox account (and Google account on Chrome) does just that. So I enabled syncing via Firefox account on one of the Windows machine that successfully stays in sync with my iCloud bookmarks, and which I use most, and I did the same with the Google account on my Chrome on that same Windows machine. Turned on sync on Windows and waited a while (oh yes, before I did I made sure that both, Firefox account and Google account were completely cleaned out when it comes to bookmarks and default bookmarks they may have come with.

Then I turned to my Mac and launched the latest Firefox version and logged into my Firefox account from inside the browser settings and turned on sync. (did the same on Chrome on Mac). Then waited a while. Actually had to quit and restart Firefox but after restarting Firefox on Mac the bookmarks appeared. Yay. The bookmarks on Gooogle Chrome on Mac appeared also after while without restart.

So all is well, right? Well, not really. Obviously changes made on Firefox bookmarks on the Mac, if Firefox on that windows machine is not running, will have to wait to be synced back to iCloud until Firefox on Windows is turned on and used and syncs with the Firefox account. Then once the changes are loaded it will send these to iCloud and that will rippled back to my iOS devices, etc. So not the ideal setup, but so far so good. (oh yes, same problem for Google Chrome by the way).

Yesterday I added a bunch more bookmark folders to my Safari on the Mac. This morning I checked and all browsers, including Firefox on Windows (which syncs with iCloud control panel) shows these book marks. Now if sync with Firefox account works correctly, the Windows Firefox should have uploaded these changes to my Firefox account. This is where the if comes in. I don't know if that's correct or not.

Then on my Mac I have been waiting and waiting, but these changes are not loading. I quite the browser and opened it back up.... nothing. I even disconnected my Firefox account on my mac Firefox, restarted, and then reconnected the account. Then I received a Sync error at the bottom of the browser screen (see screen shot). I clicked on Sync now, and still nothing. I have been waiting quite a while now, as long as I am writing this, and nothing. The bookmarks didn't come in to my Firefox on my Mac. Then I was worried and thought what if the bookmarks on Firefox mac work fine and now is telling the Firefox account that the version of Bookmarks on the Mac are right, and then deletes the bookmarks on Firefox Windows that were added by iCloud, thereby causing a ripple in space and time and then removing all these bookmarks from my iCloud all together. Well, so far that didn't happen. Firefox on Windows still shows the folders, as well as the rest of the iCloud using devices. Google Chrome seems to be working still, and even though the sync of Bookmarks seem to take forever, especially when you are waiting for changes to be received on the Mac, or when making changes in Chrome for Mac. That takes an awfully long time!

So not sure what to make of this. Why isn't there a manual sync now button on all versions of Firefox and Chrome, in case if the sync service don't do their jobs? Anyone can help? How to submit this to the Firefox team? Or do they read this here?

Thanks much for reading. I wished that all browsers in the world could play nice with each other across platforms! :)

Sincerely,

Mr L (Martin)

I have someone of a round robin setup. I use Mac OS and Safari mostly and iCloud to sync to my iOS devices (when it comes to - well, everything, including bookmarks in browsers). I also have 2 Windows 8.1 machines that I use regularaly, so I wanted to sync my bookmarks. I found the iCloud control panel for that for the PC and it does the job ok. Originally I was only going to sync to IE 11, but then I started using Firefox too, and now I am also using Chrome on the PC - really can't decide which is better yet. Anyway, then I started to wonder about using Firefox (and Chrome) on my Mac as well. On the Mac there is no iCloud control panel that handles bookmark syncing. But luckily my Firefox account (and Google account on Chrome) does just that. So I enabled syncing via Firefox account on one of the Windows machine that successfully stays in sync with my iCloud bookmarks, and which I use most, and I did the same with the Google account on my Chrome on that same Windows machine. Turned on sync on Windows and waited a while (oh yes, before I did I made sure that both, Firefox account and Google account were completely cleaned out when it comes to bookmarks and default bookmarks they may have come with. Then I turned to my Mac and launched the latest Firefox version and logged into my Firefox account from inside the browser settings and turned on sync. (did the same on Chrome on Mac). Then waited a while. Actually had to quit and restart Firefox but after restarting Firefox on Mac the bookmarks appeared. Yay. The bookmarks on Gooogle Chrome on Mac appeared also after while without restart. So all is well, right? Well, not really. Obviously changes made on Firefox bookmarks on the Mac, if Firefox on that windows machine is not running, will have to wait to be synced back to iCloud until Firefox on Windows is turned on and used and syncs with the Firefox account. Then once the changes are loaded it will send these to iCloud and that will rippled back to my iOS devices, etc. So not the ideal setup, but so far so good. (oh yes, same problem for Google Chrome by the way). Yesterday I added a bunch more bookmark folders to my Safari on the Mac. This morning I checked and all browsers, including Firefox on Windows (which syncs with iCloud control panel) shows these book marks. Now if sync with Firefox account works correctly, the Windows Firefox should have uploaded these changes to my Firefox account. This is where the if comes in. I don't know if that's correct or not. Then on my Mac I have been waiting and waiting, but these changes are not loading. I quite the browser and opened it back up.... nothing. I even disconnected my Firefox account on my mac Firefox, restarted, and then reconnected the account. Then I received a Sync error at the bottom of the browser screen (see screen shot). I clicked on Sync now, and still nothing. I have been waiting quite a while now, as long as I am writing this, and nothing. The bookmarks didn't come in to my Firefox on my Mac. Then I was worried and thought what if the bookmarks on Firefox mac work fine and now is telling the Firefox account that the version of Bookmarks on the Mac are right, and then deletes the bookmarks on Firefox Windows that were added by iCloud, thereby causing a ripple in space and time and then removing all these bookmarks from my iCloud all together. Well, so far that didn't happen. Firefox on Windows still shows the folders, as well as the rest of the iCloud using devices. Google Chrome seems to be working still, and even though the sync of Bookmarks seem to take forever, especially when you are waiting for changes to be received on the Mac, or when making changes in Chrome for Mac. That takes an awfully long time! So not sure what to make of this. Why isn't there a manual sync now button on all versions of Firefox and Chrome, in case if the sync service don't do their jobs? Anyone can help? How to submit this to the Firefox team? Or do they read this here? Thanks much for reading. I wished that all browsers in the world could play nice with each other across platforms! :) Sincerely, Mr L (Martin)

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Some users have reported problems when using two different "sync" services, so it's not surprising that 3 different services are causing problems for you. My advice is to use one service that is capable of "syncing" all three browsers.

There is a Sync button sitting in the Customize palette of Firefox. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/customize-firefox-controls-buttons-and-toolbars