The problem can arise whether you use the desktop app (Google Drive for Desktop) or the mobile app. In this article, we have compiled a list of solutions to cure your synchronization issues regardless of which platform (app) you are using.
How to Fix Google Drive Not Syncing?
If you are connected to a slow network, the Google Drive app can fail to upload your files online and thus have sync issues. So, make sure you are connected to a strong network connection. On the other hand, if you upload many files at once to Google Drive, it can take some time to sync on different devices. So, wait for it to finish. Also, see if you still have remaining space on your drive storage; otherwise, the Drive app can stop syncing until you free up some space. But if it isn’t the case and you still face issues, you can move on to the fixes below for further troubleshooting.
Restart the Google Drive App
After using the app for a long time, a minor glitch could prevent Google Drive from working as expected. To solve this, you can try a simple but effective solution: restarting the app. On Windows On Mac Additionally, if the sync is paused, click Resume Syncing to start syncing again.
Disconnect the Account
Sometimes the google account you are using for syncing files across devices might be experiencing issues. So, you can disconnect it for a while and reconnect to resolve the problem. Here’s how to do it. On Windows On Mac
Disable Firewall/Antivirus
While firewalls and antivirus help protect your system from malicious content from external sources, they might also have some false positives. As a result, it may sometimes find the Google Drive app suspicious and prevent it from syncing. If you are using a Windows system, you disable the firewall for the Google Drive app as follows. Furthermore, if you have installed a third-party antivirus on your system, configure its firewall settings to allow the Drive app to sync correctly.
Grant the Necessary Permissions
On the Mac system, you manually have to provide the necessary permissions for the Google Drive app. Otherwise, it can fail to sync the files across all your devices and can even return an error message like “Drive File Stream requires your approval.” To grant permission to the Drive app, On Mac Likewise, if you are using the mobile app, it also requires certain permissions, such as Files and media, to store files on your device. You can configure it as follows. On Android
Reinstall the App
As a last resort, you can reinstall the Google Drive desktop app to resolve unknown issues. But before doing so, disconnect your account from Google Drive and quit the app. On Windows On Mac Furthermore, you can clean up the residual files to remove the Google Drive app completely as follows. On Android However, if you are using an outdated version of the mobile app, it might have unresolved bugs and issues. So, try updating it and see if it works. Otherwise, re-install the app as follows.
