Edge Sync Stuck on Initializing? How to Fix It

Edge can sit on Initializing for hours when the profile, the account, or the sync service fails to finish the connection. Nothing breaks while it waits, but nothing syncs either.

Confirm you are signed in with the right Microsoft account, then work through Re-sync, Reset sync, and a test profile before blaming the network.

In this guide, I have covered:

Edge Sync Stuck on Initializing? Start With the Account

Your Edge sync page has been sitting on Initializing for a while, and clicking around changes nothing. The status means Edge hasn’t finished the handshake with the sync service. Most of the time the cause is ordinary: the wrong account is signed in, or sync is off for the data you actually want.

1. Select the profile icon in the top-right corner of Edge.
2. Pick the account you want, or choose Sign in to sync data if it isn’t listed.
3. Open Settings and more → Settings → Profiles → Sync.
4. Confirm the Sync switch is on.
5. Turn the data types you use off and back on: favorites, passwords, history, open tabs.

You’ll know it worked when your account name appears under the profile icon and the toggles stay where you put them. If you see Manage profile settings instead of Sign in to sync data, the profile is already signed in.

For the full sign-in and sync workflow, see Sign in to Microsoft Edge and Manage Sync Data across devices.

Sign Out and Sign Back In

You’re signed in, sync is on, and the status hasn’t moved. That usually means the session between Edge and your Microsoft account has gone stale, and signing out forces a fresh one.

1. Open Settings and more → Settings → Profiles.
2. Select Sign out.
3. Close every Edge window.
4. Reopen Edge, then select the profile icon in the top-right corner.
5. Choose Sign in to sync data and finish the Microsoft sign-in.
6. Go to Settings → Profiles → Sync and confirm sync is on.

Give it a minute or two. The status should leave Initializing and list the categories you enabled.

Re-sync the Data or Reset Sync

The account is correct, the sign-in is fresh, and Initializing is still on screen. Now ask Edge to rebuild the sync connection for this profile.

These options go further than clearing cookies because they target the sync link itself, not the site data around it.

1. Open Settings and more → Settings → Profiles → Sync.
2. Look for the message Still having sync problems? Try another option.
3. Select Re-sync data to this device.
4. Choose Re-sync and wait for Edge to finish the request.
5. If the status stays stuck, return to the same sync page and select Reset sync.
6. Confirm the reset if Edge asks.

After the reset, sign in again if prompted and check whether your sync categories are listed. A successful reset restarts the sync process, so not every item returns the moment you finish.

Reset sync changes the profile’s sync setup. Note which data types were enabled before you reset so you can turn the ones you need back on afterward.

Sync follows your Microsoft account, so the same connection feeds every device you’re signed in on. If Edge on Android keeps syncing data you switched off, that’s a separate fix: Edge on Android Sync Ignoring Privacy Settings? How to Fix It.

Check the Sync Status in Edge Internals

You want proof of whether Edge is reaching the sync server at all. The internal page edge://sync-internals shows exactly that.

1. Open a new tab in Edge.
2. Type edge://sync-internals in the address bar.
3. Press Enter.
4. Read the status messages and account details on the page.
5. Look for a connection message such as Setting up sync… or Couldn’t connect to the sync server. Retrying….

Microsoft’s sync documentation notes that Edge talks to the sync service at https://edge.microsoft.com. A retry message points at connectivity or service-side setup. Missing account key details point at an identity that isn’t ready yet.

For background, see the original Microsoft community discussion about Edge sync remaining on the initializing state.

Check Network and Service Access

Web pages load fine, so your connection works. Sync is pickier: it talks to one endpoint, and a VPN, proxy, or firewall rule can block that host without breaking the rest of your browsing.

1. Open a new tab and visit https://edge.microsoft.com.
2. Confirm the page loads or responds normally.
3. Disconnect from any VPN or network proxy.
4. Reconnect on a different network and reopen Edge.
5. Sign in to Edge and check Settings → Profiles → Sync again.

If the service is still unreachable after a network change, wait and try later. Microsoft’s troubleshooting notes also point to edge://policy for checking whether an organization policy controls sync or sign-in.

TIP: On a work or school computer, open edge://policy to see whether a policy is blocking Edge profiles or sync. If you don’t manage the device, ask the administrator before changing anything policy-related.

Try a Clean Edge Profile

Every account you try sticks at Initializing, so the local profile is now the suspect. A second profile settles it: same browser, same account, clean slate.

1. Open the profile icon in the top-right corner.
2. Select Add profile, or switch to an existing profile that isn’t stuck.
3. Sign in to your Microsoft account in that profile.
4. Open Settings → Profiles → Sync.
5. Wait for the new profile to finish its first sync setup.

If the new profile syncs, the old one is the cause. Don’t remove it until you know your favorites and passwords exist somewhere else. If the new profile also sits on Initializing, look above the profile level: account, network, or the service itself.

What Success Looks Like

Sync is fixed when three things line up. The profile menu shows your account, the sync page keeps your chosen categories on, and a change on one device appears on another within a few minutes.

If you’ve signed in fresh, re-synced, reset, tested a new profile, and checked the network, and the status still reads Initializing, stop resetting things. The remaining cause is usually account setup or Microsoft’s service, and waiting a few hours is the honest next step.

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