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Google Drive not syncing. Here are 7 solutions to fix this
7 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Key notes
Because of enhanced data safety and accessibility, cloud storage emerged as a leading solution for both individual and organization users.
Google Drive is at the top of the list because of its good set of options and security.
Even though the competition is challenging, theGoogle Drivesolution is leading in many categories.
The free plan brings out 15 Gb of free space, and upgrades to the business plan are not too expensive (up to 30 Tb ofstoragecan be obtained).
Therefore,Google Driveis a reasonable option for many users. But, as it’s the case with any existing software, issues may occur. We found reports of a syncing problem inWindows 10.
After reinstalling Windows, some users had issues with syncing their desktop files withGoogle Drive.
It is quite a mischief, but you don’t need to worry because we found a few solutions for you.
How can I fix sync problems with Google Drive in Windows 10?
Many users useGoogle Drive, but certain syncing issues can occur once in a while. Speaking ofGoogle Driveissues, here are some of the most common problems that users reported:
There are a few ways to resolve this issue. We enlisted them here so you can look them out and try to solve this malfunction.
Solution 1 – Reinstall Google Drive
The first thing we’re going to try is simply reinstallingGoogle Drive. That way, the service will completely reset, and occasional bugs may disappear.
In case you’re not sure how to reinstallGoogle Drive, follow these instructions:
There are several ways to uninstallGoogle Drive, but the best one is to useuninstaller software.
Many applications can leave certain registry entries or files behind after you remove them, and those files can still interfere with your system and cause issues to occur.
In order to ensure that these bugs don’t appear, we strongly recommend downloading and installing the latest version ofGoogle Drive.
Solution 2 – Turn off Windows Firewall and disable Antivirus
Sometimes Firewall andantivirus programscan slow down or even block your syncing. Try to disable them and it may work.
It’s worth mentioning that your antivirus can also interfere withGoogle Driveand cause syncing issues to occur.
To fix that, you need to open your antivirus settings and try turning off certain features. If that doesn’t work, your next step would be to turn off the antivirus completely.
In the worst-case scenario, you would have to remove your antivirus entirely.
If removing the antivirus solves the issue, you should consider switching to a different antivirus solution.
There are many great third-party antivirus tools, and most of them won’t interfere withGoogle Driveand other apps in any way.
Consider looking for otherantivirus softwarethat is more suited for your PC and will also assist you if you are unable to connect to Google Drive due to risk.
Solution 3 – Install the previous version of Google Drive
If your current version doesn’t work, you may want to try some of the past ones. To try that, do as follows:
If you are sure that some of the past versions worked fine and the problem occurred after the update, this is a good way to do it.
Solution 4 – Restart Google Drive
According to users, ifGoogle Drivewon’t sync, you might be able to solve the problem simply by restarting the application.
Keep in mind that this is just a workaround, but many users reported that their files started syncing once they restartedGoogle Drive.
It’s also worth mentioning that this isn’t a permanent solution, so you might have to repeat it if the issue reappears.
Solution 5 – Run Google Drive as administrator
Several users reported that they solved syncing issues withGoogle Drivesimply by running the application as an administrator.
This is a simple workaround, but it works according to users, so we encourage you to try it out. To startGoogle Driveas administrator, do the following:
If this workaround works, you can setGoogle Driveto always start with administrative privileges. To do that, follow these steps:
After doing that,Google Drivewill always start with administrative privileges and the issue should be resolved.
Solution 6 – Temporarily pause Google Drive
According to users, you might be able to fix syncing issues inGoogle Drivewith a simple workaround.
To fix the problem, you just have to temporarily pause syncing, wait a few seconds and then enable it once again.
This is rather simple and you can do it by right-clicking the sysbar icon. This isn’t a permanent solution, and if you encounter issues with syncing, you might have to repeat these steps.
Solution 7 – Use the web version
If you have problems withGoogle Driveclient and you can’t sync certain files, you might want to try using the web version as a workaround.
The web version has its flaws, and it won’t sync your files in real-time, which can be a problem for some users.
However, if you just need to sync a couple of files, the web version might be the right choice for you.
Simply open the web version ofGoogle Driveand drag and drop your files to the desired directory. If you prefer, you can also use the upload interface.
As we previously mentioned, this is just a workaround that might be useful if you’re planning to sync a couple of files.
If you want to sync files in real-time, then this workaround might not work for you.
Those were our possible solutions to your problem. We hope that you’ll manage to make it work. If you have other solutions, please tell us in the comments.
More about the topics:Google Drive,syncing issues
Ivan Jenic
Windows Hardware Expert
Passionate about all elements related to Windows and combined with his innate curiosity, Ivan has delved deep into understanding this operating system, with a specialization in drivers and driver troubleshooting.
When he’s not tackling diverse driver-related problems, Ivan enjoys watching good movies and spending time hiking with his family and friends.
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Ivan Jenic
Windows Hardware Expert
Ivan has delved deep into understanding the Windows OS, with a specialization in drivers and driver troubleshooting.
