Preparing the Folder Sync service account

Last published : Apr 17, 2026
During the installation of Folder Sync you must specify a service account for Folder Sync to run under. Before you install Folder Sync you must prepare a Windows account with the required attributes. You must also give the Folder Sync service account the required permissions on each Exchange server that Folder Sync has to process. The Folder Sync service account must be able to synchronize mail items from all of the mailboxes within the Exchange environment.
To prepare the Folder Sync service account
  1. Create a Windows Active Directory domain user account with a non-expiring password.
  2. Enable an Exchange mailbox for the account.
  3. Make the account a member of the local Administrators group on the server on which Folder Sync is to be installed.
  4. Create a login for the account in SQL Server, and give the SQL Server login the sysadmin server role. This server role is required to enable Folder Sync to deploy its database.
  5. Use the account to log on to the server on which you want to install Folder Sync. Then create an Outlook profile for the account. Use the default profile name, which is Outlook.
  6. Give the Folder Sync service account the required permissions on each Exchange server that Folder Sync has to process.
Follow the procedure that applies to your version of Exchange Server.
Exchange Server 2003 See Setting the permissions for the Folder Sync service account on Exchange 2003 .
Exchange Server 2007 See Setting the permissions for the Folder Sync service account on Exchange 2007 .
Exchange Server 2010 and 2013 See Setting the permissions for the Folder Sync service account on Exchange 2010 and Exchange 2013 .
More Information
Steps to set up Folder Sync