Fix OneDrive sync problems
If you’re experiencing issues within OneDrive then this article is for you.
Common issues and their fixes are listed below.
If you’re unsure if you’re experiencing an issue but are unfamiliar with the icon being shown, please see our handy What do OneDrive icons mean article.
I can't see any OneDrive icons
Windows
On a PC, you should see a white or blue OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area, at the far right of the taskbar.
You might need to click the Show hidden icons arrow 
next to the notification area to see the OneDrive icon.
If the icon doesn’t appear in the notification area, OneDrive might not be running. Select Start, type OneDrive in the search box, and then select OneDrive in the search results.
Mac
On a Mac, you’ll see the OneDrive cloud icons on the top Menu bar. If you don’t see the Menu bar, you may need to adjust your General preferences. For more information, go to Apple Support.
If the icon doesn’t appear in the Status menu area, OneDrive might not be running:
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Find OneDrive in your Applications folder.
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Right-click OneDrive and select Show Package Contents.
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Browse to the Contents > Resources folder.
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Double-click ResetOneDriveApp.command (or ResetOneDriveAppStandalone.command if you’re using the standalone app).
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Start OneDrive and finish the setup process.
OneDrive not signed in
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Select the Start button, search for “OneDrive”, and then open it:
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In Windows 10, select the OneDrive desktop app.
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In Windows 7, under Programs, select Microsoft OneDrive.
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In Windows 8.1, search for OneDrive, and then select the OneDrive app.
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When OneDrive Setup starts, enter your personal account, or your work or school account, and then select Sign in.
File locked padlock icon
OneDrive will show a padlock icon next to the sync status if the file or folder has settings which prevent it from syncing.
Learn more about restrictions and limitations when you sync files and folders.
Flashing OneDrive icon in Android
The OneDrive cloud icon may briefly appear in your Android notifications as part of the normal upload process.
OneDrive account nearly full
If you see this icon, it means your OneDrive storage is nearly full.
Caution: Your OneDrive account will be frozen if you exceed your OneDrive storage limit for more than three months.
To prevent going over your storage limit, you have three options:
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Choose to buy more storage.
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Delete some files and folders. View the largest files on your OneDrive.
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Free up OneDrive storage by reducing what your sync. You can do this with Files on Demand or by choosing which OneDrive folders to sync with your computer.
OneDrive account full, locked or frozen
If your OneDrive is full, locked or frozen you may be signed out of OneDrive on your computer.
Sign in to the OneDrive website and follow the on-screen instructions to unfreeze it.
Check that you can access OneDrive online
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Select the white or blue OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area, at the far right of the taskbar.
Note: You might need to click the Show hidden icons arrow
next to the notification area to see the OneDrive icon. If the icon doesn’t appear in the notification area, OneDrive might not be running. Select Start, type OneDrive in the search box, and then select OneDrive in the search results. -
Select
Help & Settings > Settings.
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Select View online.
Unlink OneDrive and run OneDrive setup again
You won’t lose files or data by disabling, uninstalling or unlinking OneDrive on your computer. You can always access your files by signing in to your OneDrive account online.
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Select the white or blue OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area, at the far right of the taskbar.
Note: You might need to click the Show hidden icons arrow
next to the notification area to see the OneDrive icon. If the icon doesn’t appear in the notification area, OneDrive might not be running. Select Start, type OneDrive in the search box, and then select OneDrive in the search results. -
Select
Help & Settings > Settings. -
Click Unlink this PC.
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Follow the steps in the Welcome to OneDrive wizard to set up OneDrive.
Move files out of a sync folder
If you are seeing the sync icon stuck for a long period of time, moving some files out of a sync folder can help clear any sync issues.
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Select the white or blue OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area, at the far right of the taskbar.
Note: You might need to click the Show hidden icons arrow
next to the notification area to see the OneDrive icon. If the icon doesn’t appear in the notification area, OneDrive might not be running. Select Start, type OneDrive in the search box, and then select OneDrive in the search results. -
Select
Help & Settings > Settings. -
Select Pause syncing… > 2 hours
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Select a file from one of your sync folders and move it to a folder that’s not part of OneDrive, e.g. C:\users\
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Select
Help & Settings again and select Resume syncing… -
Once sync is complete, move the file back again.
Make sure the filenames and file types are supported
There are three types of constraint with OneDrive files and filenames:
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Make sure that none of the files you want to sync are larger than 20 GB.
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Make sure the entire file path, including the file name, contains fewer than 400 characters. An example of a file path is:
C:\Users\\Pictures\Saved\2017\December\Holiday\NewYears\Family… -
Make sure that your file doesn’t contain any illegal or characters (such as <, >, :, “, |, ?, *, /, \) or that the folder includes any unsupported file types.
Learn more about Restrictions and limitations when you sync files and folders.
Turn off Office Upload
If you see the error message “Upload Blocked” or are having trouble syncing Office files, the Office Upload cache system may be interfering with OneDrive sync. Try turning off the related setting in OneDrive settings.
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Select the white or blue OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area, at the far right of the taskbar.
Note: You might need to click the Show hidden icons arrow
next to the notification area to see the OneDrive icon. If the icon doesn’t appear in the notification area, OneDrive might not be running. Select Start, type OneDrive in the search box, and then select OneDrive in the search results. -
Select
Help & Settings > Settings. -
Select the Office tab and uncheck the Use Office 2016 to sync Office files that I open check box.
