Possibility to Enable Password Sync for a Federated Microsoft Office 365 Integration
Jun 23, 2025
Okta Classic Engine
Okta Identity Engine
Okta Integration Network
Overview
The article explains whether it is possible to sync passwords to O365 if the Single Sign On (SSO) method used is Web Services Federation (WS-Fed) for Office 365 integrations.
Applies To
- Office 365
- Provisioning
- Password Sync
Cause
WS-Fed is an authentication method that does not use passwords, so even if the Sync Password option under Provisioning > To App tab is checked, no password is sent.
Solution
When Office 365 is federated with Okta using WS-Fed, Okta does not need to sync user passwords to Office 365, as mentioned in the Okta documentation. WS-Fed is a protocol that transfers identity information securely and eliminates the need for a separate password for Office 365. Therefore, password synchronization from Okta to a federated O365 instance is not supported or required.
