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Is Google Drive not Syncing? Try These Top 10 Solutions

Due to its default service status on Android devices, Google Drive is a prevalent choice for cloud-based data storage. Additionally, it offers effortless collaboration capabilities, enabling users to work together seamlessly. However, syncing problems are a common issue that users encounter while using Google Drive. Encountering such problems can be exceptionally frustrating, particularly when working on critical files that require consistent updates.

Nevertheless, there are numerous solutions available to resolve Google Drive not syncing problems. This article will delve into the top 10 solutions that can aid you in resolving any synchronization issues with Google Drive.

Tips

If you want to sync PDF files quickly when facing Google Drive not syncing, you can download UPDF here and use its UPDF Cloud which will sync PDF files across all devices.

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Part 1: Why is Google Drive Not Syncing?

There can be many reasons behind Google Drive Desktop not syncing. The reasons can range from internet connectivity issues to storage limit problems. Here are some of the reasons behind Google Drive stopped syncing:

  • If your internet connection is weak or unstable, it can interfere with the synchronization process and cause Google Drive to stop syncing.
  • Incorrect settings or configurations within the Google Drive app or website can cause synchronization issues.
  • Sometimes, antivirus or firewall software on your device can block Google Drive from syncing.
  • Occasionally, Google Drive may experience server issues or maintenance, which can cause synchronization issues.
  • When your device lacks sufficient space or you surpass your allocated storage limit on Google Drive, syncing new files may not be possible.
  • The conflicting file versions can also lead to Google Drive being unable to sync them properly.
  • In case you're utilizing an outdated version of the Google Drive application, it might not sync appropriately with the server.

Part 2: Top 10 Common Solutions to Fix Google Drive not Syncing on Windows and Mac

While there are many solutions to resolve the Google Drive stopped syncing issue, we have selected the 10 most common solutions. Using the solutions given below, you can resolve most of the reasons behind Google Drive not syncing:

Solution 1: Check the Internet Connection

The first thing you should check if your Google Drive for desktop is not syncing is your internet connection. Ensure that the internet is working properly. You should disconnect and reconnect the internet, and if it doesn’t work, try switching off/on the internet device. If reconnecting the internet has worked, great otherwise, use the next solution.

check the internet connection google drive not syncing

Solution 2: Pause and Resume Syncing

In case the issue behind Google Drive not syncing Mac is the stuck files, you can pause/resume them to resolve the issue. While it doesn’t always work, trying it is still worth a shot. Here is how to pause and resume syncing in Google Drive:

Step: Click the Google Drive icon from the Taskbar on Windows and tap the "Gear" icon. Here, select "Pause Syncing" to pause the syncing, and after a few moments, choose "Resume Syncing."

tap on pause syncing google drive desktop not syncing

Solution 3: Restart Google Drive

You may need to restart the Google Drive app on your system if Google Drive is not syncing Windows 10 issue is still unresolved. Restarting it will force Google Drive to look for un-synced files and synchronize them. Use these steps to restart Google Drive:

Step 1: Right-click on Windows Taskbar and select "Task Manager" from the ensuing menu. In the Task Manager, find and select the Google Drive tasks and click "End Task."

press the end task button google drive stopped syncing

Step 2: Now, use the "Start" menu to look for Google Drive and click on the app icon to launch it again. You can also use the desktop icon of Google Drive if it exists.

launch the google drive google drive not syncing mac

Solution 4: Run Google Drive as Administrator

Restarting Google Drive won’t resolve the problem. It could be that Google Drive doesn't have permission on your system to sync the files you want to sync. In this situation, running your Google Drive as Administrator can resolve the issue. You can use the following step to run Google Drive as an administrator:

Step: Search for Google Drive in the Windows search bar and once it appears, select "Run as administrator." It will launch Google Drive with administrator privileges.

run google drive as administrator google drive files not showing up

Solution 5: Reconnect Your Google Account

It is also possible that the problem behind Google Drive files not showing up issue lies with your Google Account. Thus, you should try disconnecting and reconnecting the Google Account from the Google Drive app. Follow these steps to disconnect and reconnect your Google Account:

Step 1: On your Windows Taskbar, click the Google Drive icon and tap the "Gear" icon. Here, press "Preferences," and on the next screen, click the "Gear" icon to open Settings.

tap on the settings icon google drive for desktop not syncing

Step 2: Here, tap "Disconnect Account" and confirm your action through "Disconnect." Now launch Google Drive through the Start menu and click "Sign in with browser" to reconnect your account.

disconnect account google drive not syncing windows 10

Solution 6: Change Google Drive Proxy Settings

Sometimes the issue behind Google Drive does not sync can relate to the proxy settings of Google Drive. Changing the proxy setting should resolve the problem if that is the case. Use the following steps to change Google Drive proxy settings:

Step 1: Access Google Drive "Preferences" through the Google Drive icon on Windows's Taskbar. Here tap the "Gear" icon to reveal settings.

Step 2: In the settings, scroll down to find "Proxy Settings." Now change the "Proxy Settings" from "Auto-detect" to "Direct Connection" and check if the issue is resolved.

direct connection google drive does not sync

Solution 7: Ensure All Folder are Selected

Not selecting all folders when giving your computer access to Google Drive can also cause the Google Drive folder not syncing issue. To remedy this problem, you will need to change settings in the "Folders from Drive" part with these steps:

Step 1: Start by clicking the Google Drive icon on the Taskbar and tapping the "Gear" icon to access "Preferences." Here, select "Google Drive" from the left side.

Step 2: In the "Google Drive" tab, select "Mirror Files" to ensure all files and folders are stored on both the drive and the system.

mirror files google drive folder not syncing

Solution 8: Restart Your Computer

Temporary system bugs and glitches in your computer or Mac can also prevent the Google Drive sync process. In such situations, it is better to restart your device to flush out all temporary system bugs and reset all processes. Given below are the steps for rebooting your system:

PC: To restart your Windows computer, you can click the "Start" menu to access the "Power" menu and tap "Restart." It will reboot your PC.

restart google drive not syncing

Mac: On Mac, click the "Apple" logo from the top left corner and select "Restart" to reboot the device.

google drive desktop not syncing

Solution 9: Enlarge Google Drive Storage

If the reason your files are no longer syncing to Google Drive is full storage, you will need to buy more storage. Google offers multiple packages, and you can choose the one which suits your needs. To enlarge the Google Drive storage, you can use the following steps:

Step: Open Google Drive in a browser and click "Buy Storage" from the lower left corner. It will open a new tab where you can select the desired package to enlarge the storage.

google drive stopped syncing

Solution 10: Reinstall Google Drive

Finally, if no solution has worked so far, it is best to remove and reinstall Google Drive on your computer to resolve the Google Drive desktop not syncing issue. Reinstalling Google Drive will help remove all the system issues that were preventing the sync. Here is the guide to uninstall and reinstall Google Drive on your PC:

Step 1: Use the "Win + R" to launch the Run function and run the "appwiz.cpl" command. It will take you to the "Uninstall or change program" window, where you need to find Google Drive and click "Uninstall/Change."

uninstall google drive not syncing mac

Step 2: Now follow the on-screen instructions to uninstall Google Drive. Once it is uninstalled, reboot your computer. Afterward, download Google Drive from the official site and install it on your computer.


Part 3: A Better Choice to Sync Files Across Devices - UPDF Cloud

Are you tired of resolving the Google Drive not syncing issues day in and day out? If the primary reason you use Google Drive is to store and access your important documents, there are better solutions available. One of these solutions is UPDF Cloud which comes integrated with UPDF and is an excellent service for PDF documents. You can download UPDF here to use it.

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updf cloud

UPDF Cloud provides seamless integration with UPDF and allows you to access and modify your PDF files from any device with UPDF. It also supports real-time file synchronization, meaning if you edit a file on one device, it is edited for all devices in real-time. When it comes to document security, UPDF Cloud provides multi-layer military-grade encryption to ensure your files remain secure.

Efficient and Helpful Key Features of UPDF

When it comes to UPDF, it has a lot more to offer besides UPDF Cloud. It is a complete PDF solution with unique features ranging from editing PDFs to protecting PDF files. Below are a few of the key features of UPDF:

  • PDF Editing: It provides a complete package of tools for editing PDF files. You can add or delete text, change the font and size, and even adjust the color of the text. It also lets you resize and move images within the PDF document. Additionally, you can edit hyperlinks and add new ones, and even edit watermarks, and backgrounds.
updf edit pdf
  • PDF Annotation: UPDF provides a wide range of tools to annotate your PDF documents. Using it, you can annotate your documents by comments, highlighting text, drawing shapes and lines, and adding stickers. Moreover, you can also add stamps and signatures to PDFs.
updf annotate pdf
  • PDF Organize: Using this tool allows you to arrange PDF pages within a document, rotate pages, and extract pages from a PDF. You can also add new blank pages, merge PDFs, and divide a single PDF into many files. Furthermore, you can add bookmarks, create tables of contents, and add headers and footers.
updf organize pages
  • PDF OCR: One of the unique features of UPDF is its powerful Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology. It allows you to convert scanned documents into searchable and editable PDFs. This feature allows you to quickly convert printed or handwritten documents into digital text that you can edit, search, and copy.
updf ocr pdfs

Except for the features mentioned above, UPDF has many other features. You can learn about them in detail with this UPDF review article from Laptopmedia and the below YouTube video review of UPDF.

Conclusion

To sum up, there are various solutions that you can attempt when addressing Google Drive not syncing problems. From checking your internet connection to updating the Google Drive app, these tips can help ensure that your files are syncing correctly. For effectively handling your PDF documents, UPDF and UPDF Cloud are the top choices.

UPDF Cloud provides a secure and dependable cloud-based solution for storing and distributing your PDFs. At the same time, UPDF offers an extensive range of PDF editing features that make creating and modifying PDFs effortless. If you're seeking a robust PDF solution, be sure to download UPDF here and use UPDF Cloud.

Windows • macOS • iOS • Android 100% secure

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