How to Fix OneDrive Syncing Issues on Windows

Step by step

1. 1 min

   Restart the OneDrive client

   Locate the cloud icon in the taskbar system tray. Right-click the icon and select 'Quit OneDrive'. Once the process terminates, open the Start menu, type 'OneDrive', and press Enter to relaunch the service.

   Note: If the icon is hidden, click the arrow caret in the taskbar to expand the hidden icons menu.
2. 2 min

   Reset the OneDrive settings

   Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box. Copy and paste the command '%localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset' into the text field and click OK. This clears the application cache and forces a fresh synchronization scan.

   Note: The OneDrive icon may disappear briefly before reappearing once the reset process finishes.
3. 1 min

   Check for conflicting file names

   Open the OneDrive folder in File Explorer. Look for files marked with a red 'X' or yellow warning overlay. Remove special characters or excessive path lengths from these filenames to ensure they comply with Windows naming requirements.

   Note: OneDrive cannot sync files with names containing characters like * : ? |.
4. 1 min

   Disable proxy and VPN connections

   Navigate to Settings > Network & internet > Proxy. Ensure 'Use a proxy server' is toggled off. If you are connected to a VPN, disconnect it temporarily to see if the sync engine resumes activity.

   Note: Some VPN protocols interfere with the authentication tokens required by Microsoft 365 services.
5. 1 min

   Reinstall the OneDrive application

   Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps. Find Microsoft OneDrive in the list, click the three-dot menu, and select 'Uninstall'. Download the latest installer from the official Microsoft OneDrive website and run the setup file to reinstall the client.

   Note: Uninstalling the app does not delete your local files; it only removes the synchronization service.