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OneDrive not syncing, or stuck on “Processing changes”?

Last updated · By Oliver Lander, CEO and co-founder of KoalaFix

OneDrive usually stops syncing because it is paused, signed out, out of space or stuck on one file it cannot upload. Select the cloud icon in the taskbar and read its message first; it shows which of these it is.

01 · Try this first.

  1. Select the OneDrive cloud icon in the taskbar, bottom right. If you cannot see it, select Show hidden icons (the small arrow) first.
  2. Read the message at the top of the panel. A cloud with a pause symbol means sync is paused, so select Resume syncing. A red circle with a white cross means a file or folder cannot sync, and the panel says which one.
  3. Do what the message says. A grey cloud with a line through it means you are signed out, so open OneDrive from the Start menu and sign in.

Success looks like this: the cloud has no pause symbol, red cross or warning, and the panel shows no error. If the message says Processing changes, go to section 04.

“Computer syncing is paused”

If a file in your OneDrive folder will not open and Windows shows this message, OneDrive sync is paused:

We can’t get to this file right now because computer syncing is paused. Resume syncing and try again.

Select the cloud icon, select Resume syncing, then open the file again. A file that is stored online only has to download before it opens, and it cannot while sync is paused.

02 · Check sign-in, storage and pauses.

  1. Check the account. Select the cloud icon, then the gear (Help & Settings), then Settings → Account. Make sure the work or school account you expect is listed. A personal OneDrive does not sync your work files.
  2. Check storage. When OneDrive is full you cannot upload, edit or sync new files. Delete files you no longer need, then open Manage your OneDrive storage on the web and empty the recycle bin, because deleted files still count. On a work account, your IT person sets the limit.
  3. Stop automatic pauses. OneDrive pauses itself when your PC is in battery saver mode or on a metered connection. To change that, open Settings → Sync and backup and turn off the pause option for battery saver or metered networks.

After each change, select the cloud icon again. Syncing has restarted when the pause symbol is gone.

03 · Force OneDrive to sync now.

OneDrive has no Sync now button. To make it check every file again straight away, pause it and resume it.

  1. Right-click the OneDrive cloud icon in the taskbar, select Pause syncing, then 2 hours.
  2. Wait a few seconds, select the cloud icon, then select Resume syncing.

To make sure one file or folder is on this PC, right-click it in File Explorer and select Always keep on this device. OneDrive downloads it and keeps it there.

Success looks like this: the panel shows files uploading or downloading, then the cloud icon goes back to normal. If nothing moves, restart OneDrive (section 06).

04 · Unstick Processing changes.

OneDrive shows Processing changes while it works out what to upload or download. It normally clears by itself. If it stays, work through these in order.

  1. Look for the file. Select the cloud icon. The panel lists open files and what is waiting.
  2. Close open files. A file open in Word, Excel or another app can hold the queue. Save it and close it.
  3. Give it time after a big change. After you sign in, update Windows or add many files, OneDrive needs time to catch up. Leave the PC on and online.
  4. Move very large files out. ZIP files, videos and Outlook data files (PST or OST) can hold things up. Move them out of your OneDrive folder, or stop that folder syncing.

Success looks like this: Processing changes ends and the cloud icon goes back to normal. If it does not, check the file name, path and size next.

05 · Fix the file name, path or size.

One file that OneDrive cannot accept can hold up everything behind it. The red cross in the panel names it. Check it against these limits.

  • Name. These characters are not allowed: " * : < > ? / \ |. A name cannot start or end with a space, and it cannot be .lock, CON, PRN, AUX, NUL, COM0 to COM9, LPT0 to LPT9, _vti_ or desktop.ini. Names that start with ~$ are blocked as well. Rename the file.
  • Path. The full path, including the file name, can be at most 400 characters, and no single folder or file name can pass 255. On your PC, the OneDrive folder path plus the file path can be at most 520 characters. Shorten the folder names or move the file up a level.
  • Size. A single file can be up to 250 GB.

Success looks like this: the red cross clears and the file uploads.

06 · Restart OneDrive.

  1. Select the cloud icon, then the gear (Help & Settings), then Quit OneDrive.
  2. Press the Windows key, type OneDrive and open the app.

The cloud icon returns to the taskbar and OneDrive starts checking your files again.

07 · Reset OneDrive.

A reset rebuilds OneDrive’s local sync data from the cloud. It disconnects every account on this PC, personal and work or school, but it does not delete your files. If you chose to sync only some folders, choose them again once sync has caught up.

  1. Press Windows + R.
  2. Paste this for a per-user install, then press Enter: %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset
  3. If Windows says it cannot find the file, the install is per-machine. Paste this instead: C:\Program Files\Microsoft OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset
  4. If that is not found either, paste this one: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset

A command window flashes and the OneDrive icon disappears. Wait for it to come back. If it does not, open OneDrive from the Start menu and sign in if asked. A large library takes longer to catch up.

09 · Or let KoalaFix do it.

Watch KoalaFix fix it

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10 · Still stuck?

If all of this fails, the cause is probably not your PC. Look for a Microsoft 365 service problem, a blocked account (the panel shows a red circle with a line through it), or a licence, storage limit or sync policy set by your administrator. Only an administrator can change those.

Send this to whoever runs your IT

OneDrive on my Windows 11 PC has stopped syncing and I have already restarted and reset it. Can you check my OneDrive storage, my licence and the Microsoft 365 service health? The cloud icon says (add the message here).

The steps I followed: koalafix.com/onedrive-not-syncing

Email it

Look after IT for your team? KoalaFix walks each person through fixes like this and does the steps once they approve.

11 · FAQ.

How long does Pause syncing last?

You choose 2, 8 or 24 hours from the OneDrive cloud icon, and syncing resumes by itself when the time is up. Select Resume syncing to restart it sooner.

What if none of the reset commands work?

Microsoft says that means the OneDrive sync app is not installed on this PC. Install OneDrive and sign in, and syncing starts again.

What if OneDrive is stuck on “Looking for changes” or signing in?

Looking for changes means OneDrive is comparing your PC with the cloud, and it can take a while after a big change. If it never finishes, restart OneDrive (section 06), then reset it (section 07). If OneDrive is stuck signing in, unlink and relink this PC (section 08).

13 · What KoalaFix can handle.

See the full capability map for what KoalaFix fixes automatically, what asks for approval, and what still needs a person.

14 · Sources.

The steps in this guide follow these pages. Menus can move when Microsoft updates its apps, so check them if a step looks different.

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