Microsoft Entra Connect Sync version v2.6.1.0 builds on the application-based authentication feature.

What's New

Entra Connect Sync v2.6.1.0 offers three application-based authentication improvements and two other improvements:

Enhanced application-based authentication logging is now available

Starting with Entra Connect Sync v2.6.1.0, enhanced application-based authentication logging is available in the Windows Event logs and trace logs to help diagnose authentication failures.

Application-based authentication gets borked when Sync Service Manager is used

Microsoft addressed an issue where using the Synchronization Service Manager UI to modify the Microsoft Entra ID Connector configuration deleted application-based authentication parameters, causing the configuration wizard and certificate rotation failures. Microsoft recommends not using the Synchronization Service Manager UI in older versions of Entra Connect Sync.

Application-based authentication certificate renewal starts at 70% of 90 days

The default certificate lifetime for certificates managed by Entra Connect is now 90 days. The certificate renewal threshold has been updated to use percentage-based lifetime consumption (70%) instead of a fixed 30-day window. The certificate renewal process will now attempt to renew after 70% of the lifetime has elapsed instead of fixed 30 day intervals.

Staging Mode configuration fails when Password Writeback is disabled

Microsoft addressed an issue where Staging Mode configuration failed when the Password Writeback Service is disabled or deleted from the Entra ID tenant.

Accessibility improvements

Microsoft addressed two Accessibility issues:

• Microsoft addressed an accessibility issue in the Connect wizard where help icons were announced incorrectly by screen readers, causing the full multi-line help text to be read as the control name. The help control now exposes the correct name and role, providing a better experience.
• Microsoft addressed a keyboard accessibility issue where a hyperlink inside a help popup was not reachable using keyboard navigation. The link is now accessible using the keyboard alone.

Version information

Version 2.6.1.0 of Entra Connect Sync (previously known as Azure AD Connect Sync) was made available for download on February 2nd, 2026.

Admins can download the latest version of Entra Connect Sync from the Entra admin center.

Superseded versions

Past versions of Microsoft Entra Connect Sync 2.x are retired 12 months from the date they are superseded by a newer version. With the release of Entra Connect Sync v2.6.1.0, support for Entra Connect Sync version 2.5.190.0 stops on February 2nd, 2027.

Support for Entra Connect Sync v2.4.27.0 and earlier versions of Entra Connect Sync has already stopped.

If you run a retired version of Microsoft Entra Connect, it might unexpectedly stop working.