"There was an error" when I try to connect to sync with manually installed Firefox Android
Hi, I'm having the same problem as described in both of these threads:
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1164526
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1163534
In the second thread, the moderator briefly says "My guess is you installed Firefox 43 manually". Which is also the case for the first user and for me. "Unfortunately", the problem in the other thread was solved by an update, so the topic of manual install was never discussed. Can't find anything in particular about the pitfalls of manual apk Firefox installation anywhere.
When installed from Google Play Store, the latest version syncs with no problem, but I'm purposely trying to run Version 39, as the latest one is too slow on my aging Android 4.1.2 phone. 39 works well, except for the sync. Would be nice to know what to do to overcome the manual installation hurdle. Thanks!
Alle svar (4)
Hi
By using Firefox for Android 39 (which I think is about two years old), you may struggle to use some services (such as Sync) further to work that has been done to improve Sync in later versions of Firefox.
I would always recommend that you run the most recent version of an application so that you have important and useful security and stability updates.
Thanks for replying. I agree with what you're saying, just in my case I'm trying to get some life out of the old phone. Recent Firefox works, but it's slow and stuttering. The default built-in browser is too basic for my taste. Having the sync feature would be nice for easy bookmark transfer between mobile and desktop.
I'm not sure I'm denied access to sync because of newly added features, I think something (in the preferences?) is missing, because of not installing it via Google Play Store - is the installation process different? I don't know.
Ok, been having a think about this and I guess you have three options:
To use an older version of Firefox for Android, but this will be missing security and stability updates and does not look like it is compatible with newer iterations of Sync.
To use the most recent version of Firefox for Android, which will run on Android 4, but I appreciate it may struggle a little.
or
Use Firefox Focus for Android. It is a much lighter browser and does not have all the features of Firefox for Android, like Sync or bookmarks...but you can save links to the Android Home Screen to tap and load the page.
A fellow Mozilla contributor taught me that trick at a recent meeting and he found that it gave him a quick "speed dial" to frequently required websites.
I hope that this helps.
Thanks a lot for pointing to Firefox Focus, sounds interesting and I was willing to try it out, but apparently it needs Android 5 and above to work :-(
I guess I'll just use FF 39 as it is, without sync, still an improvement over the stock browser.
I noticed there isn't a single "services.sync.xxx" entry in my android Firefox's about:config. Wondering if manually entering them would make a difference, with the smartphone display and keyboard that would really be a pita, maybe I'll try it anyway, just to see what happens.