Microsoft Entra ID password synchronization

Synchronize Entra ID passwords across enterprise applications

In hybrid identity environments, employees maintain separate credentials for their Entra ID account and other enterprise systems such as on-premises Active Directory, SaaS applications, legacy on-premises platforms, and more. Each system carries its own password policy and expiration cycle, managed independently with no awareness of the others. The result: users juggle multiple passwords, each aging on its own timeline, leading to password fatigue, weaker credential hygiene across systems, and a steady stream of help desk tickets driven by forgotten or expired passwords on platforms that have nothing to do with each other.

ManageEngine ADSelfService Plus changes that. When users perform Entra ID self-service password reset or change their Entra ID password, ADSelfService Plus automatically propagates that change to every connected application—including on-premises Active Directory, cloud apps, and enterprise systems—in real time. One password, everywhere it needs to be.

What native Entra ID password writeback can't do

Microsoft's built-in password writeback, available through Entra Connect, allows cloud-initiated resets to sync back to on-premises Active Directory. But that's where it stops.

• It writes back to AD only. No other connected applications receive the updated credential.
• It requires Azure AD Premium P1 or P2. Password writeback is a licensed feature, not included in base Entra ID plans.
• It depends on Entra Connect being online. If the sync agent is down, writeback fails silently.
• It applies no policy enforcement at sync time. The password that reaches AD is whatever the user set, no additional complexity checks, no breach validation against connected systems.

How ADSelfService Plus Entra ID password sync works

• The user resets or changes their Entra ID password through the ADSelfService Plus self-service portal.
• The Password Policy Enforcer validates the new password against your configured complexity rules before anything is written.
• The ADSelfService Plus Password Sync Agent captures the new password, encrypts it, and transmits it securely to the ADSelfService Plus server over HTTPS.
• ADSelfService Plus looks up the user across all configured target systems. Where the user account is identified, it automatically pushes the new password—whether that's on-premises Active Directory, Google Workspace, Salesforce, SAP, or any other connected platform.
• A notification email or SMS is sent to the user confirming the password change across their accounts.

Supported platforms for Entra ID password sync

ADSelfService Plus supports Entra ID password synchronization across the following systems.

Cloud-based: Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Zendesk, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Zoho, ServiceNow

On-premises: Active Directory, IBM i/AS400, Oracle E-Business Suite, Oracle Database, SAP NetWeaver, OpenLDAP, AD LDS, 389 Directory Server, Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, HP-UX

Key capabilities of Entra ID password synchronization with ADSelfService Plus

Real-time password change replication

Password changes don't queue for the next Entra Connect sync cycle. The moment a user completes a self-service reset, the updated credential reaches every configured target system immediately.

Universal password policy enforcement

An advanced password policy applies at the point of change before the new credential is written to Entra ID or any synchronized system. Passwords that don't meet requirements don't get synchronized anywhere.

Entra-group- and Entra-domain-based granular password synchronization scope

IT admins can control which groups, and domains are in scope for Entra ID password sync, and which target applications are included per set of users. A password change for a finance team member doesn't have to propagate to systems that the team never accesses.

User-controlled Entra ID password sync scope

End users can choose which connected applications they want their Entra ID password synced to at the time of change. Not every user needs every system updated—ADSelfService Plus puts that choice in their hands, reducing unnecessary propagation while keeping access consistent where it matters.

Regulatory compliance

Consistent password enforcement and sync audit trails support compliance with HIPAA, NIST, the PCI DSS, and other frameworks that require credential governance across connected systems.