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Fix Google Drive that will not sync

We'll check sign-in, storage, connectivity, and sync settings—on Windows, Mac, or web—or tell you when to contact support.

Troubleshooting · Backups & recovery
10–20 min
What you'll need
  • Google account
  • Internet connection
Step 1 of 6

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Steps

Goal: Get Google Drive syncing again by checking sign-in, storage, connectivity, and sync settings.

  • Confirm you are signed in and have storage space.
  • Good: Proceed to Check sign-in and storage.
  • Bad: Sign in or free storage first.

Check sign-in and storage

Goal: Confirm your Google account is active and has space.

  • Windows: click the Google Drive icon in the system tray. Mac: click the Google Drive icon in the menu bar. Check that you are signed in.
  • Go to drive.google.com, sign in, and check storage. When storage is full, sync blocks. Free space or upgrade.
  • Good: Signed in, space OK. Proceed to Check connectivity.
  • Bad: Sign in or free storage.

Check connectivity

Goal: Rule out internet issues before changing Drive settings.

  • Open a browser and load a website. Google Drive needs a stable connection to sync.
  • Good: Internet works. Proceed to Pause and resume sync.
  • Bad: Fix Wi‑Fi or network first. Restart the router if needed.

Pause and resume sync

Goal: Clear stuck sync with a simple pause and resume.

  • Windows: right-click Google Drive icon > Pause syncing. Mac: click Google Drive icon > Pause syncing.
  • Wait one minute. Resume syncing.
  • Good: Sync works. You are done.
  • Bad: Proceed to Sign out and sign back in.

Sign out and sign back in

Goal: Re-link your account to clear sync state.

  • Windows: right-click Google Drive icon > Preferences > Disconnect account. Mac: click Google Drive icon > Preferences > Disconnect account.
  • Sign in again. Google Drive will re-sync.
  • Good: Sync works.
  • Bad: Restart Google Drive. If still fails, check status.google.com for outages and contact Google support.

Check folders are included

Goal: Confirm the folders you need are set to sync.

  • Windows: right-click Google Drive icon > Preferences > Google Drive > Sync options. Mac: click Google Drive icon > Preferences > Google Drive > Sync options.
  • Check which folders are synced. When the folder you need is excluded, add it.
  • Good: Correct folders selected. Bad: Add the folder and wait for sync.

Restart Google Drive

Goal: Clear stuck state by restarting the app.

  • Windows: right-click Google Drive icon > Quit. Open Start, type Google Drive, launch it. Mac: quit Google Drive from the menu bar, then open from Applications.
  • Sign in if prompted. Wait for sync to start.
  • Good: Sync works. Bad: Contact Google support.

When to get help

Contact Google support if:

  • Google Drive does not sync after sign out and back in.
  • You have critical files and need help recovering them.
  • Check status.google.com for outages first.

Provide the error message from the Google Drive icon and the steps you have already tried.

Verification

  • Google Drive icon shows no errors (no red X or warning).
  • Files sync—check the cloud icon on files in File Explorer or Finder.
  • Google Drive folder shows correct sync status (green checkmarks for synced files).

Escalation ladder

Work from the device outward. Stop when the problem is fixed.

  1. Sign-in and storage Confirm signed in; check storage at drive.google.com.
  2. Connectivity Confirm internet works; fix Wi‑Fi or network if needed.
  3. Pause and resume Pause sync, wait, resume.
  4. Sign out and back in Disconnect account, sign in again.
  5. Restart Google Drive Quit and relaunch the app.
  6. Contact support Check status.google.com; contact Google support.

What to capture if you need help

Before calling support or posting for help, have these ready. It speeds everything up.

  • Error message from Google Drive icon or app
  • Storage free space in Google account
  • Folders set to sync
  • Steps already tried

Are you signed in and do you have storage space?

Sign-in and storage are common blockers for Google Drive sync.

Check the Google Drive icon (system tray on Windows, menu bar on Mac)—are you signed in? Go to drive.google.com and check storage. Good: signed in, space OK—proceed to connectivity. Bad: sign in or free storage first.

Yes No

You can change your answer later.

Sign in or free storage

Sign in to Google Drive with your Google account. If storage is full, free space at drive.google.com or upgrade your plan. Retry sync.

Done

Is your internet connection working?

Google Drive needs a stable connection to sync with the cloud.

Open a browser and load a website. Good: sites load—proceed to pause and resume. Bad: fix Wi‑Fi or network first; Drive cannot sync without internet.

Yes No

You can change your answer later.

Fix internet connection

Check Wi‑Fi or Ethernet. Restart the router if needed. Confirm other devices can reach the internet. Retry Google Drive sync.

Done

Does pause and resume fix sync?

Stuck sync often clears with pause and resume.

Right-click Google Drive icon (Windows) or click Google Drive icon (Mac) > Pause syncing. Wait one minute. Resume syncing. Good: sync works. Bad: sign out and sign back in.
Question

Sync working?

Continue

You can change your answer later.

Sign out and sign back in

Disconnect account in Google Drive preferences. Sign in again. Google Drive will re-sync. If still fails, restart the app or contact Google support.

Done

Reviewed by Blackbox Atlas

Frequently asked questions

Why would Google Drive not sync?
Signed out, storage full, internet issues, sync paused, or folders excluded. Check sign-in and storage first, then connectivity.
Can I fix Google Drive sync myself?
Yes. Sign in, free storage, pause and resume sync, sign out and back in. Check the Google Drive icon for specific errors.
When should I contact support for Google Drive?
If sync fails after reset and you have critical files. Check Google Workspace Status for outages first, then contact Google support.

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