Hard Match in Microsoft Entra ID is the hidden mechanic that links on-prem Active Directory users to their cloud identities with precision. When soft match fails, Hard Match steps in ensuring the right account binds to the right identity without duplicates or sync chaos. In this video, we break down: What Hard Match is Why it is used Real-world examples How sourceAnchor & immutableId work Step-by-step process PowerShell + Graph API approach Common sync issues & fixes Perfect for IAM engineers, Azure administrators, and hybrid identity learners navigating the labyrinth of Entra ID sync behavior. 00:00 — Introduction 00:25 — What is Hard Match in Entra ID? 02:10 — Difference Between Soft Match & Hard Match 04:40 — Why Hard Match Is Needed 06:25 — How SourceAnchor & ImmutableId Work 08:15 — Real-Life Scenarios (Duplicate Users, Restored Objects, Cloud-Only to Hybrid Merge) 10:30 — Hard Match Using PowerShell (Step-by-Step) 13:20 — Hard Match via Graph API 15:10 — Common Errors & Troubleshooting 17:00 — Best Practices for Hybrid Identity 18:00 — Summary & Final Thoughts hard match entra id, azure ad connect hard match, microsoft entra id, hybrid identity, azure active directory, immutableid, sourceanchor, azure ad sync, cloud identity, soft match vs hard match, azure ad troubleshooting, iam engineer, azure tutorial, identity management, azure admin, microsoft 365 sync, duplicate users azure ad, entra id tutorial #HardMatch in Microsoft Entra ID, Azure #adconnect hard match, Microsoft Entra #hybrididentity, #immutableId in Azure AD, #sourceAnchor #mS-DS-ConsistencyGuid, #softmatch vs #hardmatch Azure AD, fix duplicate users in Azure AD, cloud-only user merge AD, Azure AD user sync troubleshooting, how to set immutableId PowerShell