OneDrive Is Not Running

(Credit: Lance Whitney/Microsoft)

You may be logged out if the OneDrive icon in the Windows System Tray looks grayed out. To fix this, click the OneDrive icon on the Taskbar to bring up the app window. Click Sign in, enter the email address you use for OneDrive, authenticate your account, confirm the folder used for OneDrive, and go through the remaining setup windows until OneDrive starts running again.

Reestablish the sync

This is the easiest way to fix OneDrive sync problems. You can exit the OneDrive desktop app from your system and sync it again to resolve an issue. To do this, right-click the OneDrive cloud icon on your notification area. If you can’t find its shortcut, then click on the option of “Show Hidden Icons”.

From here, choose to “Exit” the app and close its desktop program. Now, restart the system, letting OneDrive establish the connection again. This would be an easy fix if your OneDrive is not syncing.

Open

OneDrive Icon Is Missing

(Credit: Lance Whitney/Microsoft)

If you can't find the OneDrive icon in the Windows System Tray, there are a few steps you can take. Right-click on the Taskbar and choose Taskbar settings. In Windows 10, go to the Notification area section and click Select which icons appear on the taskbar. Windows 11 users should click Other system tray icons.

You can then enable or disable specific icons from showing up in the System Tray. If you see Microsoft OneDrive, turn on its switch and check to see if the icon appears in the Taskbar.

OneDrive Syncing Is Paused

(Credit: Lance Whitney/Microsoft)

Sometimes OneDrive says it is paused and your files are no longer syncing. It's possible you accidentally paused the program, or the pause could have kicked off because you are in battery saver mode or using cellular data on your laptop. To address this issue, click the OneDrive System Tray icon and hit the Pause button to resume syncing.

(Credit: Lance Whitney/Microsoft)

Click the OneDrive icon from your task bar, select the gear icon. and select Settings. In Windows 10, click the Settings tab and uncheck Automatically pause sync when this device is on a metered network. Windows 11 users can disable Pause syncing when this device is on a metered network option from Sync and Backup .

You can also prevent battery saver mode from pausing OneDrive from here if you disable Pause syncing when this device is in battery saver mode.

OneDrive Isn't Syncing Specific Files

(Credit: Lance Whitney/Microsoft)

OneDrive may not be syncing a file because it’s open and in use by another application. The fix for this is simple: Just close the file in question and give OneDrive a moment to process the update. Once the file is synced, you should then be able to open it again and resume your work.

Update Windows

If you are running OneDrive on an older version of Windows, then chances are that you might face plenty of setbacks while syncing it. It has been observed by plenty of users that after updating their Windows, they are able to resolve the OneDrive sync issue. You can resolve this issue by visiting Control Panel > System & Security > Windows Update and check for an update.

Check if the file path is too long

As per Microsoft guidelines, your file path should not exceed 255 characters. If you have created different sub-folders or have a long pathname, then it might cause the OneDrive sync problem. This is one of the most overlooked yet efficient tips to help you fix OneDrive sync problems. Visit your folders stored in the OneDrive directory and rename them to maintain a shorter file path.

Make Sure Your Folder Is Designated To Sync

1. Open OneDrive settings (select the OneDrive cloud icon in your notification area, and then select the OneDrive Help and Settings icon then Settings.)

2. Go to the Account tab.

3. Select Choose folders.

4. In the Choose Folders dialog box, uncheck any folders you don't want to sync to your computer and select OK.

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