Fix ActiveSync Health Set Failing in Microsoft Exchange

Read Time: 4 minutes

Summary: Resolve the “ActiveSync Health Set Failing” error through ActiveSync health checks, IIS reset, SSL certificate validation, virtual directory correction and connectivity testing. Restore mobile email access, eliminate synchronization failures, fix delayed communication issues and recover corrupted Exchange mailbox database files when native troubleshooting methods fail.

You might not know but there exists a vital element that delivers smooth email access across smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. It is called “Exchange ActiveSync”.

You might also witness that there are recurring sync failures, delayed messages or mobile connectivity issues. What can be the driver for such issues? It is due to the “ActiveSync Health Set Failing” error.

To counter such an ActiveSync Health Set Failing error, this guide will provide all the necessary information in the easiest way possible.

What Is ActiveSync Health Set In Exchange?

ActiveSync Health Set is a built-in monitoring system to check the status of Exchange services and other server components. With this, users can easily sync:

Tasks
Emails
Contacts
Calendars
Mobile devices

Why Does the ActiveSync Health Set Failing Error Occur?

Here are the most common reasons for the ActiveSync Health Set Failing error:

Expired configured certificates.
Interruption in the Exchange ActiveSync service.
Mobile policies might deny device access.
Internet Information Services (IIS) related issues.
Misconfigured ActiveSync directories may block requests.

How to Troubleshoot ActiveSync Health Set Failing Error Manually? [Complete Steps]

This section highlights the complete steps to fix the error from the start. Follow each section carefully to obtain better results.

Section I. Check the ActiveSync Health Status

Use the methods below to identify the actual service status before applying solutions.

Method 1. Check ActiveSync Health Status via PowerShell

Step 1. Open the Exchange Management Shell and use the below command.

Get-ServerHealth -Identity ServerName | Where {$_.HealthSetName -eq “ActiveSync”}

Step 2. Check the ActiveSync status if it is healthy, degraded or unhealthy.

Method 2. Test the ActiveSync Connectivity Issue

Step 1. Use this below command to test connectivity-related problems:

Test-ActiveSyncConnectivity

Step 2. This helps you verify latency, connectivity and authentication.

Method 3. Review the Exchange Health Reports

Step 1. Access the Exchange Admin Center.

Step 2. Go to the monitoring or server health section.

Step 3. Review the ActiveSync health notifications.

Step 4. Identify the warning details.

Section II. Apply These Methods to Fix ActiveSync Health Set Failing Error

1-minute Hacks: Try out these solutions first.

Restart the Exchange ActiveSync Services.
Restart the IIS functionality to restore connectivity.
Review Mobile Device Policies [if any are blocking access].
Review Event Viewer Logs and find out any hidden errors.
Monitor Exchange Server resources.

Implement these practical solutions to troubleshoot ActiveSync Health Set problem once you have identified the service status. Here they are:

Solution 1. Recycle the Exchange Application Pools

Sometimes, the Application pools generally freeze or consume excessive memory in Exchange. So, use the given steps to refresh the ActiveSync application environment.

Step 1. Access the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.

Step 2. Expand Server and go to Application Pools.

Step 3. Locate the MSExchangeSyncAppPool and right-click on it.

Step 4. Then, proceed to Recycle option.

Step 5. Run the below cmdlet to verify service health.

Test-ServiceHealth

Solution 2. Verify the ActiveSync Virtual Directory Settings

When there is a misconfigured virtual directory, it can cause sync failures. Here’s how to fix:

Step 1. Access the Exchange Management Shell and use the below command.

Get-ActiveSyncVirtualDirectory

Step 2. Check whether the Internal URL, External URL, and Authentication settings are correct or not.

Step 3. Use the below cmdlet to update configurations if incorrect.

Set-ActiveSyncVirtualDirectory

Step 4. Restart the IIS after the completion.

Solution 3. Check SSL Certifications

ActiveSync uses SSL certificates and if they are expired, then it might cause connectivity failures. So, check the certifications now:

Step 1. Access Exchange Admin Center and locate the Servers and proceed to Certificates.

Step 2. Review the Expiration date, Assignment status and Certificate validity.

Step 3. Confirm that the certificate is enabled for IIS.

Solution 4. Run the Exchange Connectivity Analyzer Tool

Microsoft Remote Connectivity Analyzer is a diagnostic tool to test connectivity for Exchange Server and fixes them. Here’s how:

Step 1. Access the Exchange connectivity testing tools.

Step 2. Select the Exchange ActiveSync Test.

Step 3. Put in your Exchange account credentials.

Step 4. Click on Perform Test.

Step 5. Review the test results carefully.

When Native Solutions Failed to Resolve the Issue? – Know the Best Approach

You can use the above solutions to troubleshoot ActiveSync Health Set Failing error. But when the issue extends beyond the service interruptions, these methods may fail. If you have tried all the provided solutions and are still facing the same issue, then it indicates corruption in the mailbox database.

To recover the data from damaged files, you have to rely on advanced solution providers like Kernel. The Exchange Recovery tool scans the added files deeply and restores them to their original state.

Free Download 100% Secure

Ending Notes

Here, we have covered all the necessary information required to resolve ActiveSync Health Set Failing error. You can restore the functionality by following the structured approach provided in the blog. However, when the manual methods don’t work, go with the recommended solution. The software helps to remove corruption and export EDB files to Microsoft 365 directly.