The new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge browser is not only available on the Windows operating system but it’s available on macOS, Android, and iOS as well.
Because the new Edge is based on the Chromium, Google Chrome browser extensions are supported out of the box, and most of the Chrome features are present in the new Edge as well.
If you have installed the new Edge on more than one supported device, you might want to use its sync feature to sync your Edge browser data across your devices. That is, you can sync passwords, favorites, addresses and contact information, and browser settings across your devices using the same Microsoft account on all your devices.
It’s worth noting that the current version of Edge (version 79) doesn’t support syncing open tabs, browsing history, extensions, and collections.
The best part is that you can select what you want to sync on a device. That is, for instance, you can choose to sync only favorites or browser settings if you wish to do so.
Here is how to enable or disable the sync in the new Edge browser.
Method 1 of 4
Turn off sync while installing Edge
If Edge is already installed, refer to the directions in Method 3 (scroll down to see).
Upon installing Edge, you will get an option to turn on/off and configure the sync feature. Here is how to do that.
Step 1: During the installation of Edge, when you get the following screen, click on the Yes toggle button to turn off the sync.
To configure the sync, click on the Customize sync settings link.
Step 2: On the Sync settings dialog, select what you want to sync and then click the Apply button. Note that these options will be grayed out if you have turned off the sync in the previous step.
If you wish to sign out of the Microsoft account in Edge, click on the Sign-out link.
Method 2 of 4
Turn on sync while installing Edge
Step 1: During the installing of Edge, you will get the following screen. Click on the Sign-in to sync data button.
Step 2: Type your Microsoft account email address. Click the Sign-in button. Enter the password of the email address. Click the Sign-in button to proceed further.
If you have enabled two-step verification for your Microsoft account, you will need to enter the PIN that you receive to your email address or mobile.
Step 3: When you get this screen, DO NOT click the Next button. Instead, click the Microsoft apps only link to sign in only to the Edge browser instead of signing-in to Windows 10 with your Microsoft account.
Step 4: Next, you will get the following screen. Click on the Customize sync settings link.
Step 5: Select what you want to sync. Click Apply. That’s it!
Method 3 of 4
Turn on or off sync in Edge (from within the Edge)
Use these directions if Edge is already installed on your computer.
Step 1: Fire up the Edge browser. Type edge://settings/profiles/sync in the address bar and hit the Enter key to open the sync page.
Step 2: The page displays “Sync is on” text just below your Microsoft account email address to indicate that the sync is turned on and working. Click on the Turn off sync button to disable the feature completely. Or select what you want to sync.
NOTE: A blank page indicates that you have not signed in to the Edge browser. In that case, please refer to the directions in Method 3 of this guide (scroll down to see).
If the sync is turned off, you will see “Not syncing” text. Click the Turn on sync button.
Method 4 of 4
Turn on sync in Edge (when not signed-in to Edge already)
Step 1: In the address bar, type edge://settings/profiles and press the Enter key to open the profiles page.
Step 2: Here, click on the Sign-in button next to your profile name. Sign in with your Microsoft account by typing your Microsoft account email address and password.
Step 3: When you get the “Sync your profile” pop up, click the Sync button to start syncing!
To change the sync settings, type edge://settings/profiles/sync in the address bar and then press Enter key. Select what you want to sync.
Patrick A Porter says
The instructions do not work for me either on my Windows-10 machine. There simply is no “Turn Of Sync” button to be found anywhere. The only way I can stop syncing is to log out of my Microsoft account and stay logged out. When combined with the nightmare difficulties I am having with the “surprise” update that turned on OneDrive in my new Windows-11 machine and hijacked all of my personal files, I will be permanently closing my Microsoft account (if that is even possible to do – and I suspect that is not). ?
C. Morton says
This method of turning off sync does not work for me. When I open edge//settings/profiles/sync, the option to “Turn off sync” is simply not there. Actually, not anywhere.
I do not wish to sync my data and personal information from one device to another, especially when it comes to passwords and my personal details. The reason for this is pretty obvious, with cyber security risks at an all-time high.
Yes, it is convenient, though I don’t want it and I did not ask for it. Also, other people may use my “other devices” and this puts me at risk.
I know you can turn off some parts of sync by using the slider on the right-hand side, though Edge selects what it wants you to turn off and what it doesn’t want you to turn off, so that it can store this data without your consent.
Not all options are available as per your diagram above, and in fact, you can’t even turn it off at all on my version of Edge which is the latest version. Useless.
Angela Francis says
Think carefully before you do synchronise. I have two separate accounts on a platform, one for business, one fore personal. To save logging out and in, I use Edge for one, Chrome for another. Made the mistake of synching and now Edge switches to the personal login AND logging out on Edge logs me out in Chrome. Even worse, can’t undo the synching, have followed steps on Microsoft forum, still synchs.