Having trouble syncing files to OneDrive on Windows 11? This article provides helpful tips and tricks for troubleshooting the OneDrive not syncing issue. It covers topics such as checking your internet connection, closing and reopening OneDrive, verifying file size and name, and reconnecting the OneDrive account. With these simple steps, you can get OneDrive up and running in no time.
Table of Contents
Check Your Internet Connection
First check if the internet is working properly by launching CMD and executing a command. If there is packet loss, then it may be necessary to switch networks or contact the ISP. It is also suggested that you disable any proxy network that has been set up on the computer in order to allow OneDrive to establish a connection with its server.
Close and Reopen OneDrive
If the OneDrive not syncing in Windows 11 error persists, then restarting the app or service may help rectify the issue. To do so, right-click on the OneDrive icon found in the taskbar and select the Close OneDrive option. Then launch OneDrive again from the Start Menu. If this does not work, try resetting OneDrive manually. Open the Run prompt (by pressing Windows and “R” key together) and enter the command: %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset. Alternatively, open the Command Prompt (by pressing Windows and “X” key and selecting Command Prompt) and enter the same command. After resetting OneDrive, enter the command: %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe to run the setup and re-establish the connection.
Verify File Size and Name
When using Microsoft OneDrive, it is important to remember a few key points in order to avoid sync problems. Firstly, any file larger than 1GB should be compressed before uploading to the cloud, and the file name should not be longer than 400 characters. Additionally, the file path should not exceed 255 characters, and if it does, the folders should be renamed to maintain a shorter pathname.
Reconnect the OneDrive Account
Unlink and then re-link the Microsoft account to OneDrive. Additionally, users can also manually add their OneDrive account from the Windows settings.
Re-Sync Folders
Restart the OneDrive app and disable all folders being synced before manually restarting the sync for each folder. You can also manually select the folders you wish to sync with OneDrive to ensure that the files are properly synced.
Turn off Battery Saver
When OneDrive is not syncing in Windows 11, the cause may be that the laptop is running in battery-saver mode. In Battery Saving mode, OneDrive files will stop syncing by default. To fix this issue, users should click on the Battery icon present at the taskbar and click on Battery Saver to disable it. Alternatively, users can launch OneDrive from the taskbar and open Settings. Under the Settings tab, they can uncheck the Automatically pause sync when this device is in battery saver mode option.
Add OneDrive to Firewall Whitelist
Head over to the Start Menu and search for "Windows Defender Firewall". Then click on "Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall" from the left menu bar. After that, click on the "Change Settings" button followed by "Allow Another App". Then click on Browse, navigate to the OneDrive.exe file, and select it. If you have installed it in the default directory, then you may access the file from either of the two below locations: C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneDrive or C:\Program Files\Microsoft OneDrive. Finally, click "Add > OK" to save the changes.
Now that the file has been added to the whitelist, open the OneDrive app by selecting the "Start" button, searching for "OneDrive," and then selecting the OneDrive desktop app in Windows 10, the Microsoft OneDrive program in Windows 7, or the OneDrive app in Windows 8.1. When OneDrive Setup starts, enter your personal account, or your work or school account, and then select "Sign in" to fix the OneDrive not syncing in Windows 11 error.
Turn off Proxy
OneDrive may not be able to sync files due to a proxy network or third-party DNS server. To fix this, users should turn off the proxy network or revert to the default DNS address provided by their ISP.
Revert to Default DNS
Revert to the default DNS address provided by your ISP and turn off the proxy network while the sync is in progress. Doing so should help OneDrive establish a connection with its server and allow for successful file synchronization.
Use Group Policy Editor
Open the local group policy editor and disable the "Prevent the Usage of OneDrive for File Storage" setting. This should be followed by restarting the PC for the policy to be implemented. Additionally, if a proxy network has been set up on the computer, it should be turned off while the sync is in progress by using the Windows+I shortcut keys to open the Settings menu and going to Network and Internet > Proxy > Manual Proxy Setup.
Compress Files and Folders
OneDrive has a limit of 10 GB for individual file uploads. If you don't have enough space on your OneDrive account, you should try to empty it in order to fix any sync problems. Additionally, make sure your hard disk has enough space by using the Disk Cleanup feature.
Update Windows
If you are having difficulty syncing OneDrive on an older version of Windows, you can try updating your operating system. To do this, go to Control Panel > System & Security > Windows Update and check for an update. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the update. If the issue persists, you can try manually connecting your OneDrive account. Go to Windows Settings, select Accounts > Email & App Accounts > Add an Account, and enter your OneDrive (Windows/live) credentials.
Switch Off the Office Upload
The automatic office upload option can interfere with the functioning of OneDrive, but this issue can be resolved by unchecking the option of "Use Office to sync Office files that I open" in the Settings. If the problem persists, then users should unlink OneDrive from their PC and select the folders to be synced manually.
