OneDrive not syncing

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: OneDrive not syncing. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Problem

Files won’t sync to OneDrive, or you see sync errors. Your files may be outdated or not appearing on other devices.

Symptoms

• Yellow/orange sync icon (cloud with arrow) stuck on files
• Red “Sync Error” badge on the OneDrive icon
• Files show “Pending” or “Uploading” for a long time
• Error message: “We couldn't sync this file”

Solutions

Step 1: Check OneDrive service status

1. Click the OneDrive icon in the taskbar to view the current status.
2. If a red X or error badge is shown, note the error message.
3. For known service outages, visit the public Office status page: https://status.office.com. Small business customers without Microsoft 365 admin portal access can check this public page for service health.
4. If you are using OneDrive for Business, see OneDrive for Business sync issues for additional guidance.

Step 2: Verify you are signed in

1. Click the OneDrive icon → “Help & Settings” → “Settings”.
2. On the “Account” tab, confirm the displayed account.
3. OneDrive supports both Business (organisation) and consumer Microsoft accounts. If the wrong account is shown, click “Sign out” and then “Sign in” with the correct credentials.
4. When multiple accounts are signed in, ensure the account you want to sync is the primary one.

Step 3: Ensure the OneDrive client is up‑to‑date

1. Open OneDrive → “Help & Settings” → “Settings” → “About”.
2. Check the version number displayed.
3. Compare this version to the latest version listed on the Microsoft download page.
4. If an update is available, download the newest client from https://www.microsoft.com/onedrive/download and reinstall it. There is no “Update” button within OneDrive settings.

Step 4: Confirm sync is not paused

1. Right-click the OneDrive icon and look for “Pause syncing”.
2. If “Resume syncing” is shown, click it to restart the sync process.

Step 5: Review selective sync and Files on‑demand settings

1. OneDrive → “Help & Settings” → “Settings” → “Account”.
2. Click “Choose folders” to include or exclude specific folders from syncing.
3. On the “Settings” tab, verify that “Files on‑demand” is enabled if you want placeholder files.

Step 6: Check storage space

1. Visit onedrive.com to view your cloud storage utilisation.
2. Delete unnecessary files and empty the OneDrive Recycle Bin.
3. Free up local disk space on the computer if the drive is near capacity.

Step 7: Verify file and path restrictions

1. Modern OneDrive supports paths up to 400 characters. Move files to a shorter folder hierarchy if the limit is exceeded.
2. File names that differ only by case (e.g., Report.docx vs report.docx) are treated as duplicates on OneDrive and can cause sync failures.
3. Prohibited characters include \/:*?"<>| and any leading or trailing spaces.
4. File types such as .tmp, .lnk, and certain executable extensions are blocked. See the OneDrive blocked file types article for a full list.
5. Rename or relocate offending files, then retry syncing.

Step 8: Test network connectivity and proxy settings

1. Confirm that ports 443 (HTTPS) are open on your firewall.
2. If a proxy is used, ensure it allows traffic to *.sharepoint.com and *.onedrive.com.
3. Verify VPN configurations do not block or route OneDrive traffic through restricted networks.
4. For detailed proxy guidance, see Proxy settings for Microsoft 365.

Step 9: Reset OneDrive

1. Close OneDrive completely (right-click the icon → “Close OneDrive”).
2. Press Win + R. The reset command path may vary by installation type:
• Per-user installation: type "%localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\OneDrive.exe" /reset
• Per-machine installation: type "%programfiles%\Microsoft OneDrive\OneDrive.exe" /reset
3. Press Enter and wait about one minute; OneDrive should restart automatically. If it does not, launch OneDrive from the Start menu.

Step 10: Unlink and relink your PC

1. OneDrive → “Help & Settings” → “Settings” → “Account”.
2. Click “Unlink this PC”.
3. Warning: Unlinking this PC will cause OneDrive to re-download all synced files when you sign back in. This can consume significant bandwidth and time, especially for large libraries or metered connections.
4. After the client signs out, click “Sign in” and follow the prompts to set up the sync relationship again.

Step 11: Repair OneDrive via Windows Settings

1. Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps → Microsoft OneDrive → Advanced options. Note: this path applies to standalone OneDrive installations; Microsoft 365 app installations may not appear here.
2. Click Repair. If the problem persists, select Reset (this will reinstall the client while preserving your files).

Step 12: Check for large or problematic files

1. OneDrive for work/school and OneDrive for Business limits files to 250 GB; consumer OneDrive accounts allow up to 100 GB. Ensure files do not exceed the applicable limit.
2. Avoid file names that contain any of the prohibited characters listed in Step 7.
3. Close any programmes that have the file open, then retry syncing.
4. If a file is missing after a sync, see OneDrive file missing.

Step 13: Check for conflicting files

1. Look for files with “(1)” or “conflict copy” appended to the file name in your OneDrive folder.
2. These indicate OneDrive could not merge changes from multiple locations and created a conflict copy.
3. Review both versions, keep the correct one, and delete or rename the conflict copy.

Step 14: Check antivirus and security software

1. Windows Defender or third-party antivirus software may block OneDrive from accessing files or network resources.
2. Temporarily disable real-time protection to test if sync resumes.
3. If sync works, add an exclusion for the OneDrive folder and the OneDrive executable in your security software.
4. Re-enable protection after testing.

Step 15: Clear OneDrive cache

1. Close OneDrive completely.
2. Press Win + R, type %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\settings, and press Enter.
3. Delete the contents of the settings folder.
4. Navigate to %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\OneDrive and delete the cache folder if present.
5. Restart OneDrive.

Small business considerations

If your organisation uses OneDrive for Business, shared folders and admin policies can affect sync behaviour:

• Shared folders: Ensure you have edit permissions for shared folders. View-only permissions will not allow syncing changes back to the cloud.
• Admin policies: Your IT administrator may enforce data loss prevention (DLP) policies, conditional access, or device restrictions that block syncing.
• Permissions: If you recently moved folders or changed sharing settings, permission inheritance may have broken. Contact your administrator to verify access rights.

macOS troubleshooting

1. Click the OneDrive icon in the menu bar → “Help & Settings” → “Preferences”.
2. On the “Account” tab, verify you are signed in with the correct account.
3. Click “Reset OneDrive” if available, or quit OneDrive and restart it from the Applications folder.
4. Ensure OneDrive has Full Disk Access in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Full Disk Access.
5. Check storage space at onedrive.com and verify file path restrictions as described in Step 7.

Need more help?

If OneDrive still won’t sync, Open a Ticket with IT Support and include:

• The specific error message
• Which files are failing to sync
• Your computer name

Still Having Issues?