OneDrive not syncing

Question

To resolve OneDrive storage issues when you have 1 TB of storage but files are less than 1 GB, follow these steps:

1. Check if your OneDrive storage quota is exceeded by signing in to your Microsoft account and viewing your storage usage. Sometimes shared folders or expired subscriptions affect your quota. Files in your Recycle Bin also count towards your quota. Sign in here. [1], [2]
2. Delete unnecessary files or folders from your OneDrive and then empty the Recycle Bin to free up space. You can do this via the OneDrive website or app. [2]
3. Check for shared folders that might be causing your storage to appear full and remove them if not needed. [1]
4. Consider purchasing additional storage if your subscription has expired or if you need more space beyond the included 1 TB. It can take up to 24 hours for new storage to reflect. [1]

I've done all of this and still been waiting for more than a month for this "to Sync" also want to create a new folder on OneDrive web and pc, it says folder exits but it doesn't show on the web nor pc

Please assist with this

Answer 1

Why does OneDrive says my storage is full even though I've only used ~1% of it? I have 1TB storage and use less and 1GB of data

Answer 2

The storage quota is not the cause here. The symptoms point to a OneDrive sync issue and possibly a hidden or problematic folder entry with the same name.

Try the following steps in order:

1. Check for sync limits and stuck processing
   • In Windows, select the OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area.
   • If the status shows “Processing changes” or similar for a long time, pause and then resume sync:
     1. Select More > Pause syncing (choose 2 hours).
     2. After a few seconds, select More > Resume syncing.
   • If there are more than ~300,000 items in OneDrive (including any backup or shortcut libraries), reduce the number of items or stop syncing some libraries. To check, in File Explorer right‑click the OneDrive folder > Properties and look at Contains.
2. Check for restrictions that block a specific folder A folder that “never finishes” or refuses to create can be blocked by:
   • Name/path limits
   • Invalid characters
   • Broken links inside files
   • 0‑KB files
   • Local path longer than 260 characters
   Review the items in the affected area and make sure:
   • No file or folder names contain invalid characters.
   • The full path (C:\…\OneDrive\…\folder\file.ext) is under 260 characters.
   • There are no 0‑KB files.
   • Large linked content (for example, PowerPoint linking to video files) is still reachable or remove the links.
3. Fix a single file or folder that will not sync If only one folder or a few files are stuck:
   • In File Explorer, right‑click the problem file/folder > Properties > Security and ensure the account has Read and Write permissions.
   • If permissions are correct but the item still will not sync, move it out of OneDrive and back in:
     1. Right‑click the OneDrive cloud icon > Close OneDrive.
     2. In File Explorer, move the problematic file/folder to a location outside the OneDrive folder (for example, C:\Temp).
     3. Start OneDrive again from Start menu.
     4. Wait until OneDrive shows Up to date.
     5. Move the item back into OneDrive and let it sync again.
4. Repair or reset the OneDrive sync connection If sync still does not complete after the above checks, repair the sync connection for the account. Use the documented “repair sync connections with OneDrive” procedure for OneDrive for work or school. This re‑establishes the sync relationship without changing the online data.
5. If the web still reports “folder already exists” After repairing sync and cleaning up any invalid/hidden items, try again to create the folder with the same name. If the message persists, create it with a slightly different name (for example, Counter_1) to get working storage while support investigates the phantom folder entry.

If the issue continues after these steps, collect screenshots of the OneDrive sync status and error messages and contact OneDrive support or post in Microsoft Community for deeper investigation, as there may be a corrupted item or backend entry that only support can clear.

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References:

• A OneDrive file or folder never finishes synchronization
• Fix OneDrive sync problems
• Restrictions and limitations in OneDrive and SharePoint
• Fix OneDrive sync issues on Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1
• OneDrive shows "This file can't be synced"