How to Manually Force Sync Azure AD with Active Directory

Imagine you’re the captain of a ship sailing the high seas. Your ship is like your Azure AD environment, and just as you need to keep your ship’s course up-to-date with the latest navigational information, you need to keep your Azure AD environment synced with the latest user and group information.

To manually force sync Azure AD Connect using PowerShell, you’ll need to give the command to “hoist the sails” and get the ship moving forward. In other words, you’ll need to open PowerShell and type “Import-Module AAD” and hit enter. Then enter the following command:

Start-ADSyncSyncCycle -PolicyType Delta

This command tells Azure AD Connect to start a delta sync cycle, which will update your Azure AD environment with any changes made to your on-premises Active Directory since the last sync.

Once you’ve given the command to start the sync cycle, you’ll need to keep a sharp eye on the horizon (or PowerShell window) for any errors or warnings that might appear. If you spot any issues, you’ll need to take corrective action to keep your ship sailing smoothly.

But with this clever little trick up your sleeve, you’ll be able to manually force sync Azure AD Connect using PowerShell like a seasoned sea captain navigating the treacherous waters of the high seas!