Fixed: ‘Google Drive Not Syncing’ Issues (best 5 ways)

This post tells you what to do if ‘Google Drive Not Syncing’ Issues. Without a doubt, it’s nearly impossible to find a service that can compete with Google Drive. Google Drive is amazing in every way. It has a good amount of free storage, strong security, and cheap paid plans. But what makes the cloud service the market leader is that it can be used on almost every platform. If you want to know more about this issue, you can visit official Google Drive website.

There is a Google Drive app for Android, iOS, and the windows. But like any other app, it also has problems. Many Google Drive users are unhappy with the desktop computer app. Cloud storages have become a popular choice for some people and businesses because they make it easier to access and protect data. That is, many people choose to store their important files in the cloud. Google Drive is one of the best cloud storage tools because it has a lot of features and is safe.

You can store files in the cloud from any folder on your SD cards, cameras, or computers. Using the same Google account, you can access your files on any smartphone, tablet, or computer. But the Backup and Sync app you downloaded from the website doesn’t work. Sync problems, like sync being stuck, Google Drive folders not syncing, not being able to finish syncing, etc., happen all the time.

How To Fix ‘Google Drive Not Syncing’ Issues on Windows

Fixed: ‘Google Drive Not Syncing’ Issues

Disconnect and Reconnect Your Google Account

If your Google account doesn’t connect correctly when you first set up Drive, it will start giving you sync errors. So, if you can’t change any files in Google Drive, try reconnecting your Google account. Note that you need to disconnect your account from Google Drive preferences before you can connect it again. To remove your Google account from Drive, do the following:

Click the Google Drive icon located on the taskbar.
Click the Settings (gear) icon and select Preferences.
On the Preferences window, click Disconnect account next to your Google account.
Again, click Disconnect to confirm your action. Once done, open Google Drive from the start menu.
Click Sign in with browser and reconnect your Google account.

Restart Your Computer

Almost all Windows errors can be fixed by restarting the computer, which is the best and most recommended solution. If a Windows programme crashes or your computer screen freezes for any reason, you can fix these problems by restarting your computer. A quick restart can also fix sync problems with cloud storage services like Google Drive, OneDrive, or MEGA.

Click the Windows icon on the taskbar and then the Power button to restart your computer. Last, click “Restart” to turn your computer back on. Try downloading or uploading a file through Google Drive for desktop once your computer has started up properly.

Examine the Internet Connection

Without a doubt, if you don’t fix a broken internet connection right away, it can cause a lot of trouble. If everything is fine except for a weak internet connection, you can’t get the sync to work perfectly.

We have a guide with common ways to fix errors that say you can’t connect to the internet. Even if your internet connection is fast and you get a good speed, you should still clear the DNS cache at least once.

Windows problems with the internet can be fixed by purging or clearing the DNS cache. Type ipconfig /flushdns into the Command Prompt to clear the DNS cache. The last step is to press the enter key on your keyboard.

Reinstall Google Drive

You can reinstall Google Drive if you’re still having trouble syncing. By reinstalling, all the settings will be wiped clean, and the corrupted Drive files may be fixed. First, go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps and remove Google Drive from there. Follow the steps below to reinstall Google Drive once you’re done removing it from your computer:

Go to Google Drive’s website and click Download Drive for desktop.
Run the installer file you just downloaded and click Install.
Click Sign in with browser and log in with your desired Google account.
Once you’ve signed into Google Drive, click Close to exit the installer.
Now you can view all your files stored in your drive from the Windows File Explorer.

Clear Temporary Files

Most of the time, reconnecting your Google account will fix sync problems, but sometimes it won’t. So, deleting Windows temporary files is another way to fix syncing problems.

The Windows operating system makes temporary files to make sure that all the programmes on your computer work well. But if these files get corrupted for any reason, Windows programmes start acting strangely and stop working right.

If you often have problems with Windows programmes, you should know how to delete temporary files in Windows. By deleting the temporary files, you force all Windows programmes to make new ones when they start up. This gets rid of all the broken files and fixes some of the most common sync problems.

How To Fix ‘Google Drive Not Syncing’ Issues on iPhone

Check Drive storage

This is one of the main reasons why Google Drive might not back up on your device or have trouble doing so. Drive does backups on its server, so it needs some space to store files. Go to Google Drive, click on the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines), and then click on Storage to see if you have enough space. If you don’t have enough room, delete some files or media from your Drive.

Enable Google Drive in Files

If you can’t see any of your Drive data in the Files app, it could be because you don’t have permission to access your Files to Drive. Make sure you have the Google Drive app installed and signed in, and then follow the steps below to turn it on:

Open the Files app → tap Browse at the bottom left.
Tap the three dots at the top → Edit.
Toggle on Google Drive under Locations, if not already.

Update Drive and iOS

Do you have an old version of Google Drive or iOS? This could be why your iPhone isn’t syncing or working with Google Drive. With each update, companies fix bugs and problems.

Check your internet connection

Drive uses cloud storage, which works only when you’re connected to the internet. This means that Drive won’t sync, back up, or show any of your files if you’re not connected to the internet.

If you’re using Wi-Fi, make sure your router works and that you have enough speed. Also, if you are using mobile data, make sure that Airplane Mode is turned off and that your SIM card works.

Delete and re-add Google accounts in Drive

Sometimes the problem is with just one account and not with the app as a whole. These accounts are called “corrupted accounts,” and if you just delete them, your problems will go away. On iOS, there are two ways to do it:

From iPhone settings

Open Settings.
Tap Mail → Accounts.
Select the account to remove.
Tap Delete Account.

From the Gmail app

Open the Gmail app and switch to the right account.
Tap your profile picture at the top right → Account → Manage accounts on this device.
Now, select Remove from this device and tap Remove to confirm.

How To Fix ‘Google Drive Not Syncing’ Issues on Android

Enable Sync in Google Account settings

You should also check your Google Account to make sure that Sync for Google Drive is turned on. If you go to system settings, it’s easy to find out if that’s the case. If you turn this option off, Google Drive for Android won’t automatically sync files you upload on other devices. Here’s how to turn on Drive Sync in the settings for your Google Account:

Open Settings.
Select Accounts.
Tap Manage accounts.
Enable the Auto-sync data option.
Select the Google Account you use as the default one on your device. The one you used to sign in when you initialized your device for the first time.
Tap Sync account.
Make sure that the Drive option is enabled.

Check the connection

If you’re having trouble with an app that needs a connection, the first thing you should do is check the connection. If your connection isn’t stable or the app doesn’t have permission to use background data, Drive won’t be able to connect to the storage server and won’t be able to sync the data. To do that, make sure to check the following steps:

Restart your device along with your router.
Connect to a Wi-Fi or mobile data network and make sure that the connection is stable.
Use Wi-Fi for syncing rather than mobile data, if possible.
If you’re in need to use mobile data, make sure that the ”Transfer files only over Wi-Fi” option is disabled. Navigate to Drive > hamburger menu > Settings, and toggle off Transfer files only over Wi-Fi.

Sign out and sign in again with the Google account

Since your Google Account is used by Drive and many other Google apps and services, it’s obvious that you should reset your account to fix problems. Make sure to turn on Sync after you remove and re-add your Google Account. Also, you won’t need to restore all the apps on your device, so skip this step when asked. Here’s how to sign out of your Google Account and sign back in:

Open Settings.
Select Accounts. You need to open Manage accounts on some devices.
Now choose Google.
Remove the Google account.
Reboot your device and sign in again.
Skip restoring apps from the backup, accept the terms, and check if the Google Drive is syncing or not.

Clear the app data

Clearing the app’s local data is another common workaround that we always recommend. There is always a chance that the local data has been messed up. Even the smallest thing can stop the app from working, but this will reset it and let it sync files again. And, hopefully, solve the current problem.

Tap Settings.
Open Apps.
Navigate to Drive and open it from the list of available apps.
Tap Storage.
Clear Data and restart your device.

You can also clear the cache through the app’s settings. Here’s what to do.

Open the Drive app.
Tap the hamburger menu.
Open Settings.
Tap Clear cache.

Use Drive through the web browser

If you need to use Google Drive quickly and your Android device won’t sync, you can always use the web-based client. To stop the browser from taking you straight to the app, all you have to do is turn on the Desktop site option. What you have to do is:

On your Android, open Google Chrome or any other browser.
Tap on the 3-dots menu and enable Desktop Site.
Navigate to Google Drive for Web.

FAQ

Why is my Google Drive not synching?

If you don’t have enough Google storage, you can free up space or use Google One to get more storage. Changes you make to a file you don’t own won’t sync if the file’s owner doesn’t have enough space. To sync changes, contact the file owner and ask them to either give you ownership of the file or take care of its storage.

Why won’t Google Drive sync on my phone?

When the Google Drive app on Android doesn’t sync, it’s very important to keep this app up-to-date, since updates can sometimes fix bugs. Just go to Play Store > three-line menu > My Apps and Games. Then, see if there is an update for Google Drive. If yes, make changes.

Why is sync not working on my Android?

Try turning off your phone, resetting it, or taking out the battery, and then try again. Try taking your device out of SYNC and taking SYNC out of your device, and then try again. Always check your cell phone’s security and auto-accept settings for the SYNC Bluetooth connection.

Why is Google Drive not working on Android?

As a cloud service, Google Drive needs to be connected to the Internet to work. So, make sure that your mobile device’s Wi-Fi or mobile data is turned on. If your phone is already connected to the Internet but you still can’t sync, back up, share files, etc., try closing the app and starting it up again.