How to Fix OneDrive Sync Issues in Windows 11?

OneDrive is a cloud storage and file synchronization service from Microsoft primarily for Windows users. You can easily sync files across devices and access them when logged in with same Microsoft account. By default, OneDrive will automatically sync files when connected to internet making sure you have the latest updated content. However, sometimes you may face synchronization issues due to multiple reasons. If you are frequently facing problems, here are some of the options to fix OneDrive sync issues in Windows 11.  

OneDrive Sync Issues in Windows 11

There could be various reasons for OneDrive synchronization problem. First, make sure you have stable internet connection and restart your system. If that does not help, follow the below explained troubleshooting methods to fix the syncing issue.

1. Restart OneDrive

Restarting OneDrive app is the first option you should try. This can help to clear temporary glitches, establishes new connections, and solve any sync issues.

• Right-click on OneDrive icon showing in System Tray section of Taskbar.
• Click the gear icon showing at the top right corner and expand “Pause syncing” menu.
• Select “Quit OneDrive” option from the list of items that appear.

• Now head over to Windows Search, type “OneDrive” to find and open OneDrive app again.

Check the sync works fine now after quitting and restarting the app.

2. Pause the Sync and Resume

Instead of quitting the app, you can also simply pause the syncing for some time and then resume to check if that can resolve your issue.

• Open OneDrive from Taskbar and click on the gear icon.
• Expand “Pause syncing” option and select “2 hours”.

• After some time, go back to OneDrive app and click the gear icon. Now select the “Resume syncing” option.

This will start the paused syncing and hopefully fix your problem.

3. Reset OneDrive

If restarting or pausing doesn’t help to resolve the sync problem, you can try to reset OneDrive app. This will restore OneDrive app to its initial settings which can help to resolve sync related issues.

• Go to the Start menu and type “OneDrive” in search box.
• Right-click on OneDrive app from the results and select “Open file location” option.

• Now right-click on OneDrive and choose “Copy as path” option.

• Press “Windows + R” key to open Run prompt.
• Paste the copied file path followed by /reset in the text box and click on “OK” button. The command should look like below:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\OneDrive.exe /reset

After that open OneDrive and check if the sync issue is solved or not.

4. Check Storage Space

Insufficient storage space could be one of the reasons your OneDrive app is not syncing the files properly. You will get a free 5 GB space with OneDrive. The app will stop synchronizing files when this space is full. You can either cleanup the large files or upgrade to increase the storage space.

• Open OneDrive and click the gear icon.
• Select “Settings” from the dropdown menu.

• If you see the storage is running full, try deleting unnecessary files or move large files to some other location. You can disable save photos / videos / screenshots options for this purpose.

• And if you don’t want to delete any data, click on the “Upgrade” button to buy more space.

5. Disable Pause Syncing in Battery Saver Mode

In most cases, you will be using battery saver mode in Windows to extend the battery life. When battery saver is on, OneDrive will also stop file syncing to avoid battery consumption.

• Open OneDrive from the Taskbar, click the gear icon and then select “Settings” option.

• Make sure you are under “Sync and backup” section.
• Turn off “Pause syncing when this device is in battery saver mode” option showing under “Preferences” heading.

Note: OneDrive also disables syncing when you are on the metered network. If you want to sync files, make sure to disable that option also under “Preferences” heading.

6. Unlink and Relink Your Microsoft Account

If you are using multiple accounts in your PC, make sure to link correct Microsoft account in OneDrive app. Sometimes the app may not sync files properly if it can’t link to the appropriate Microsoft account. To make sure it is linked to your account, unlink your device and then relink to check if that solves the issue.

• Open OneDrive, click the gear icon and select “Settings” menu.

• Go to “Account” section from the left sidebar.
• Check which account is linked and click on “Unlink this PC” link.

• Click “Unlink account” button to confirm the action.

• Click “+ Add an account” button and link the correct account.

Note: As you can see in the warning, unlinking will delete all online files stored in your OneDrive account. If you have online only files, make sure to take a complete backup before unlinking the device.

7. Check Server Status

Sometimes Microsoft service maybe down causing issues with OneDrive accounts. You can anytime check the server status to make sure it is up and running.

• Go to official Microsoft Service health website.
• You will find all services are listed on the left side and click on “OneDrive”.
• Check the status shows “Everything is up and running”.

If there is any service issue, you can monitor this page and confirm when the issue is resolved.

8. Reinstall OneDrive

If none of the above methods works, you can try uninstalling and reinstalling the OneDrive app. Uninstalling the app will not have any effect on the saved data and upon reinstalling, all the data will be re-synced automatically.

• Open Windows Settings app by pressing the “Windows + I” keys.
• Navigate to “Apps” section from the left side menu and click on the “Installed apps” option.

• Scroll down and find “Microsoft OneDrive” app. Click on the three-dots icon and select “Uninstall” option.

• Click on the “Uninstall” button to delete the app from your computer.

• After uninstalling, go to the Microsoft Store and download OneDrive app afresh.

Login with your account and check all the files are synced properly.

Final Words

The above listed are some of the possible troubleshooting methods that can fix OneDrive sync issues in Windows 11. In most cases, pausing and restarting, or resetting will fix the issue. Otherwise, you can try to uninstall and reinstall the app as a last resort. We also recommend taking offline backup before trying to unlink the device or uninstall the app so that your files are safe. Note that, sometimes the latest Windows version may have conflict with the apps. In this case, Microsoft will publish a patch / fix in next Windows releases. Therefore, you can update the system to have the latest Windows version which can help to fix your issues.