Google Drive and the seamless syncing across devices go hand-in-hand. Irrespective of whether you are on macOS, driving Android, or using Windows, Google’s cross-platform cloud service has got you covered. However, it can’t claim to be immune to issues. Recently, a good many PC users have reported that Google Drive is not syncing on Windows 11. If this issue has derailed your files as well, now is the right time to take on the issue and resolve it. Keep reading to…
Fix Google Drive Not Syncing on Windows 11 24H2
So, what has caused the Google Drive syncing to go out of track on your PC? Bear in mind that it occurs due to many reasons such as –
- Google Drive outage
- Internet connection issue
- Insufficient storage space
- Corrupted cache files
- Outdated Google Drive app
- Windows Firewall blocking
- Antivirus interference
- File name restrictions
- Syncing disabled
- Incorrect Google account
From the malicious software updates to file name restrictions to firewall blocking, you need to take care of several roadblocks while dealing with the Google Driving issue on your PC.
1. Restart Google Drive
Keep a close eye on the temporary glitches as they might be preventing Google Drive from syncing. Restarting the cloud service will help you flush out the miscellaneous glitches.
- To do so, close Google Drive from the system tray by right-clicking the icon and selecting Quit Google Drive.
- After that, reopen Google Drive from the Start menu and check if syncing resumes.
2. Check Google Drive Server Status
It’s worth pointing out that the server outage can disrupt file synchronization to the point where it will struggle to work.
- Hence, visit the Google Workspace Status Dashboard to check if Google Drive is down.
- If there’s an outage, wait until Google resolves the issue.
3. Ensure You Are Signed Into the Correct Account
Wrongly configured account sign-in can block access to synced files.
- Click the Google Drive icon in the system tray, select the gear icon, and go to Preferences.
- Verify that the correct Google account is signed in.
4. Restart Your PC
Conflicting system processes might also interfere with Google Drive syncing on your PC.
- Click the Start menu, select Power, and choose Restart.
- After restarting, open Google Drive and check if the syncing issue is resolved.
5. Check Internet Connection
The below-par or sluggish network can make life really difficult for the file syncing. Therefore, first your poor internet connection.
- Ensure your PC is connected to a stable Wi-Fi or Ethernet network.
- Turn off/on Wi-Fi to resolve the glitch.
- Restart your router and reconnect to the internet.
6. Pause and Resume Syncing
Pausing and resuming often works wonders in refreshing the sync process.
- Therefore, click the Google Drive icon in the system tray, select the gear icon, and click Pause syncing.
- After that, make sure to wait a few seconds, then resume syncing.
7. Check Google Drive Storage Limit
The exceeding storage limits may be hindering the file uploads on your Windows 11 device.
- Go to Google One Storage and check available space.
- Delete unnecessary files or upgrade to a higher storage plan if needed.
8. Run Google Drive as Administrator
The lack of permissions may prevent Google Drive from syncing files properly. To ward off this issue, I’d recommend you run Google Drive as an administrator.
- Close Google Drive completely from the system tray.
- Open the Start menu, type Google Drive, and right-click it.
- Select Run as administrator and check if syncing resumes.
9. Check File Name and Path Length
Do note that the files with long names or special characters may not sync properly.
- Ensure that file names do not contain restricted characters like
\ / : * ? " < > | - Shorten file names if they exceed 255 characters.
- Move deeply nested files to a shorter directory path.
10. Enable Google Drive Syncing
Be sure that syncing is not disabled in Google Drive settings on your device.
- Click the Google Drive icon in the system tray and go to Preferences.
- Under My Computer, ensure that file syncing is enabled.
- Check the Folders to Sync section and confirm the correct folders are selected.
11. Sign Out and Sign Back Into Google Drive
A temporary account session could be in direct conflict with syncing. To take control of this hurdle, sign out and sign back into Google Drive.
- Fire up the Google Drive app, click the gear icon, and select Preferences.
- Click Disconnect account, then sign in again with your Google credentials.
12. Clear Google Drive Cache
Corrupted cache files could also be interfering with syncing.
- Press Win + R, type
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Google\DriveFS, and press Enter. - Delete all contents inside the folder.
- Restart Google Drive and check if syncing works.
13. Update Google Drive App
Your outdated app may be having a hard time getting along with the latest Windows update.
- On your PC, launch the Google Drive, click the gear icon, and select About.
- Check if an update is available and install it.
- If needed, download the latest version from the official Google Drive website.
14. Disable Windows Firewall and Antivirus Temporarily
Your overprotective security software may block Google Drive from syncing.
- Open Windows Security and navigate to Firewall & network protection.
- Temporarily disable the firewall and check if Google Drive starts syncing.
- If an antivirus is installed, try disabling real-time protection and test syncing.
15. Reinstall Google Drive
The corrupt installation could be gaslighting the syncing problem.
- Press Win + I, go to Apps > Installed apps.
- Now, find Google Drive and hit the triple-dot icon next to it.
- Click Uninstall, restart your PC, and download Google Drive from the official website.
- Install it again and sign in to your account.
16. Check Windows Update
Your outdated Windows version might be causing the compatibility issues, thereby making life difficult for Google Drive to go about its job.
- Open Settings and go to Windows Update.
- Click Check for updates and install any pending updates.
- Restart your PC and try syncing Google Drive again.
Wrapping up…
With these reliable solutions, you should be able to troubleshoot the Google Drive not syncing issue on Windows 11 and restore seamless file synchronization. Now, let me know the tricks that have come to the rescue to your cloud service.
