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Troubleshoot Microsoft Entra Password Hash Synchronization Alerts
Question details
The user needs to resolve an alert indicating that the password hash synchronization heartbeat was skipped for 120 minutes.
- Product
- Microsoft Entra ID
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Monitoring identity synchronization health between on-premises environments and cloud directories.
- Observed behavior
- A Microsoft Entra ID alert reports a skipped heartbeat for password hash synchronization (120 minutes), despite Azure AD Connect appearing to synchronize correctly.
Ensure you have administrator access to your Azure AD Connect server and gather the exact alert text, server name, and timestamps before proceeding with troubleshooting.
Consult Microsoft Entra ID Specialists on Q&A
Since backend synchronization agents and heartbeat alerts require specialized investigation, posting the issue to the dedicated Microsoft forum is the most effective step.
In many cases, the Azure AD Connect tool may show a healthy primary directory sync, but the specific agent handling the password hash synchronization heartbeat might experience isolated timeouts or communication errors. Microsoft specialists can analyze your specific server logs to determine the root cause.
Collect the exact alert text, your synchronization server name, the specific timestamps of the 120-minute heartbeat skip, and the current health status reported by Azure AD Connect.
Open your web browser and go to the official Microsoft Q&A forum for Microsoft Entra ID: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/tags/455/entra-id.
Create a new thread detailing the heartbeat skip issue. Include the information gathered in the first step so that Microsoft support engineers can properly investigate the synchronization agents.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Microsoft Entra ID report a skipped heartbeat when Azure AD Connect works?
This can happen if the specific password hash synchronization agent experiences a temporary network timeout, service restart, or localized communication delay, even if the primary directory sync processes continue to function normally.
How often does the password hash synchronization heartbeat run?
By default, the password hash synchronization heartbeat runs regularly in the background. Alerts are typically triggered and sent to administrators if the service fails to register a valid heartbeat for over 120 minutes.
Can I simply restart Azure AD Connect to fix the heartbeat alert?
Restarting the Microsoft Azure AD Sync service on your server can sometimes resolve temporary agent hangs, but it is highly recommended to review the Windows Event Viewer logs first to identify the actual root cause of the skipped heartbeat.
