how to fix sync problems

Question

I run sync to One Drive. My files have quit syncing

Answer 1

Hi

Please click the OneDrive cloud icon near the clock on your taskbar. If it says Paused, select Resume syncing. If you don’t see the icon, open Start, type OneDrive, and open the app.

If your files still won’t sync, what message appears when you click the cloud icon?

Answer 2

Try these Windows OneDrive steps in order:

1. Check the OneDrive icon in the taskbar.
   • If sync is paused, select Resume syncing.
   • If OneDrive is not running, open Start, type OneDrive, and open it.
2. Check whether a specific file is blocking sync.
   • If OneDrive shows “This file can’t be synced”, close the file if it is open in another app.
   • In File Explorer, right-click the file, select Properties > Security, and make sure the account has Read and Write allowed.
3. Move the problem file out of OneDrive and back in.
   • Right-click the OneDrive cloud icon and select Close OneDrive.
   • In File Explorer, move the file with the sync issue to a folder outside OneDrive, such as **C:**.
   • Start OneDrive again from Start.
   • Wait until OneDrive shows Up to date.
   • Copy the file back into the OneDrive folder.
4. Look for hidden or temporary files in the OneDrive folder.
   • Hidden or temporary files can show a syncing status even when OneDrive says Up to date.
   • Show hidden files in File Explorer and remove hidden files or folders that are not associated with files currently being edited.
   • Close any open Office files and clear the Office document cache if temporary Office files are stuck syncing.
   • Warning: manually deleting temporary Office files can cause data loss, so only delete files that are safe to remove.
5. If files still show syncing incorrectly, test whether Windows Search indexing is causing the status problem.
   • Open Start, type Services, and open Services.
   • Double-click Windows Search.
   • Change Startup type to Disabled.
   • In Service status, select Stop.
   • Select OK.
6. If OneDrive still will not sync, stop and reestablish the sync connection.
   • Right-click the OneDrive icon in the Windows notification area.
   • Select Stop syncing a folder…
   • Select the folder, then choose Stop syncing and confirm with Yes.
   • The files stay on the PC. If syncing is started again later, OneDrive creates a new folder and may add a number to the folder name.
7. Check storage.
   • If Microsoft storage is exceeded, new files cannot upload or sync.

If the issue is only that File Explorer shows files as syncing while the OneDrive app says Up to date, the most likely causes in the available guidance are hidden or temporary files, or an incorrect Windows Search cached status.

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References:

• Troubleshoot OneDrive error: "This file can’t be synced"
• The OneDrive sync status icon incorrectly shows "syncing" in File Explorer
• Repair sync connections in OneDrive for work or school
• Fix OneDrive sync problems on Mac