"Sync Now" for Firefox on Android

Talk about Mozilla browsers for small devices such as PDAs and cellphones.
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tan-ce
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Joined: April 4th, 2013, 11:05 pm

"Sync Now" for Firefox on Android

Post by tan-ce »

I just started using Firefox for Android, and I rely on the tab sync quite a fair bit. I noticed the sync interval is very long, both on the PC and on Android, but on the PC, there's a "Sync Now" command, so it doesn't really bother me.

However, with Firefox on Android, the only was I could find to force a sync is to go to the Accounts & Sync settings screen, selecting "What to sync" then pressing OK. It would be nice to have this option on the menu as well, to save the several taps to reach the settings page. Or is there already an easier way to this that I don't know about?
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LIMPET235
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Re: "Sync Now" for Firefox on Android

Post by LIMPET235 »

Moving to the Mobile Forum...
[Ancient Amateur Astronomer.]
Win-10-H/64 bit/500G SSD/16 Gig Ram/450Watt PSU/350WattUPS/Firefox-115.0.2/T-bird-115.3.2./SnagIt-v10.0.1/MWP-7.12.125.

(Always choose the "Custom" Install.)
alamarco
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Joined: May 7th, 2013, 4:19 pm

Re: "Sync Now" for Firefox on Android

Post by alamarco »

I second this.

The sync for Firefox is way too slow. While a slow sync isn't a huge issue for bookmarks, it is when syncing tabs. What's the point of syncing tabs if you can't access them in a convenient fashion?

Chrome syncs almost instantaneously. When on my mobile and PC it only takes seconds for tabs to show up on either device. I hope Firefox can take more of a Chrome like approach to syncing.

At the very minimum a sync now button within Firefox for Android should exist.

Currently the best way I sync is within Firefox:
Menu >> Settings >> Sync >> Firefox account >> Sync now

If I'm in Firefox I find that faster than going through the Android settings itself. Although it's not that much better. It's still 5 steps to get a basic sync going. I tried looking for an add-on with no success. Wish one existed like the QuitNow add-on.
dirtdigger
Posts: 2
Joined: December 11th, 2013, 6:18 am

Re: "Sync Now" for Firefox on Android

Post by dirtdigger »

I third this. Sync is abysmally slow on Firefox for Android and it is the one thing keeping me from switching. Tab sync should be instantaneous as in Chrome for Android. Bookmarks don't need to be, but it would be nice.
rnewman
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Joined: December 11th, 2013, 11:25 am

Re: "Sync Now" for Firefox on Android

Post by rnewman »

Fennec flushes tab state five seconds after it changes (to avoid contention), and syncs every five minutes. There's a strong temptation to sync more often, but you might be upset about the bandwidth consumption.

Have you considered using Send Tab to move tabs from Android to Desktop? Share > Firefox Sync. That's instantaneous on the Android side.

Filed: Bug 949046, Bug 949045. See the meta bugs those link to.
rnewman
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Joined: December 11th, 2013, 11:25 am

Re: "Sync Now" for Firefox on Android

Post by rnewman »

dirtdigger
Posts: 2
Joined: December 11th, 2013, 6:18 am

Re: "Sync Now" for Firefox on Android

Post by dirtdigger »

rnewman wrote:Have you considered using Send Tab to move tabs from Android to Desktop? Share > Firefox Sync. That's instantaneous on the Android side.


Yep, that works for Android -> Desktop (it takes about 10 minutes for it to show up on the desktop side, but there's at least a sync-now button available there).

rnewman wrote:Fennec flushes tab state five seconds after it changes (to avoid contention), and syncs every five minutes.


Could you please explain what flushing the tab state means in layman terms? Also, according to the account settings for Firefox for Android, it only syncs every hour. But maybe that's a full sync, and not just tabs or something. I do not know the inner workings of the sync process.

An upload sync when tabs are changed would be useful not just for Firefox for Android, but also desktop Firefox as well. I think as of now it takes about 10 minutes. I've had it happen before where I've loaded stuff on my desktop and suspended my computer a few minutes later, but before it had a chance to sync. Then I can't find those tabs on my mobile or other desktops, even with a manual sync.
Z.F.
Posts: 1
Joined: May 22nd, 2014, 12:26 am

Re: "Sync Now" for Firefox on Android

Post by Z.F. »

Firefox says needs email confirmation to sync and will send email but never does.

Can't sync
longtalker
Posts: 24
Joined: February 5th, 2009, 4:56 pm
Location: Romania, SE Europe

Re: "Sync Now" for Firefox on Android

Post by longtalker »

Windows -> Android Sync is still slow, years after this fact was first brought to the developers' attention, in this thread. There isn't even a SyncNow button added.

Great work, congratulations.
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