Lightning Sync stopped working in February 2024. The remaining work for any org is auditing what was set up, removing orphan configuration, and either migrating to Einstein Activity Capture or accepting that activity sync no longer happens.
- Inventory existing Lightning Sync configurations
Setup, Quick Find, Lightning Sync, Lightning Sync Configurations. The list shows every config, the users assigned, and the sync direction. Export the list before removing anything; you might need to recreate the user assignments in EAC.
- Decide migration target per user group
Einstein Activity Capture for most users. For users who genuinely need bi-directional contact sync, no Salesforce product currently replaces it; consider Cirrus Insight, Groove, or another third-party AppExchange package.
- Enable Einstein Activity Capture
Setup, Quick Find, Einstein Activity Capture. Enable the feature, configure the connected accounts (Microsoft or Google), and assign users to the new configuration. Activate Sync to Salesforce if you need Tasks and Events on the standard objects.
- Remove the Lightning Sync configurations
Once users are on EAC and activities are showing up, delete each Lightning Sync configuration. Revoke the OAuth grant on Exchange or Google Workspace. Remove Application Impersonation rights from the service account mailbox.
- Audit the activity backfill
Einstein Activity Capture only captures going forward; it does not retroactively sync historical Outlook activity. If reporting requires historical activity, export the existing Task and Event records and document that anything before EAC enable date came from Lightning Sync.
Lightning Sync supported Both Ways, Salesforce to Exchange/Google, and Exchange/Google to Salesforce. EAC supports only ingestion into Salesforce; no outbound sync.
Contacts only, events only, or both. EAC handles emails and events; for contact sync no native replacement exists.
Lightning Sync wrote to standard Task and Event objects. EAC writes to its own Activity 360 store with optional Sync to Salesforce per user.
Lightning Sync used a single service mailbox with Application Impersonation. EAC uses per-user OAuth or admin-consented connections; per-user is more secure but slower to provision.
- Lightning Sync stopped running in February 2024. Any org still showing it in Setup is looking at orphan configuration, not a working sync.
- Einstein Activity Capture is not a drop-in replacement. It is one-way (no Salesforce-to-mailbox sync) and lands data in a separate Activity 360 store by default.
- Standard Event and Task reports that included Lightning Sync events lose data after the migration unless Sync to Salesforce is enabled.
- Bi-directional contact sync has no Salesforce-native replacement. Third-party AppExchange products are the only path.
- Service account permissions remain granted on Exchange or Google after Lightning Sync retirement. Revoke them as part of cleanup or they linger forever.