Guides / OneDrive not syncing or 'sync paused': how to fix it

Last reviewed 5 Oct 2026

OneDrive not syncing or 'sync paused': how to fix it

OneDrive stuck on 'Processing changes', paused, or showing red crosses? Work through file names, storage, the reset command, then admin sync settings.

OneDrive is quiet when it works and confusing when it does not. A small red cross on one file, a blue cloud that says "Sync paused", or "Processing changes" that never finishes. Before anyone touches the files, find out what the client is actually unhappy about.

Is it Microsoft?

Open office.com in a browser and browse to the same file in OneDrive or SharePoint. If it is there and opens, the cloud side is fine. If the browser fails too, check the SharePoint and OneDrive status page and Service health. Remember that the newest copy might be the one on the PC that is not syncing, so do not delete local files to "start fresh".

User-level fixes, in order

1. Read the client. Click the OneDrive cloud icon in the taskbar. It lists problems by file and often tells you exactly what is wrong.
2. Sync paused? OneDrive pauses itself on battery saver and metered connections, and users pause it by accident. Click the icon, then the settings cog, then Resume syncing.
3. File names. OneDrive and SharePoint do not allow these characters: " * : < > ? / |. Names such as CON, PRN, AUX, NUL, COM1 and LPT1 are blocked, as are names starting with ~$ and files called desktop.ini. Leading or trailing spaces also cause trouble. Rename and wait.
4. Path length. The full path, including the site and library, has a 400-character limit. Deep folder trees copied from an old file server hit this. Shorten folder names near the top.
5. Storage. Check both the OneDrive quota (at onedrive.com, bottom left) and free space on the PC's disk. Either one full stops sync.
6. Open files. Files open in another program, or locked by a crashed Office process, will not upload. Close them, or sign out and back in.
7. Reset OneDrive. On Windows, press Win+R and run %localappdata%MicrosoftOneDriveonedrive.exe /reset. If OneDrive does not restart by itself after a couple of minutes, start it from the Start menu. A reset rebuilds the sync database; it does not delete files. On a large library the first re-scan takes time.
8. Unlink and relink as a last resort: Settings → Account → Unlink this PC. Make sure everything important is in the cloud first.

Admin-level checks

• Sync settings in the SharePoint admin centre. Tenant settings can block sync on non-domain-joined PCs or block certain file types. If one user's personal laptop will not sync and their work PC will, this is the first place to look.
• Library permissions. A user with read-only access to a synced library sees errors when they try to save. Check permissions on the site, not just the folder.
• Too many files. Microsoft recommends not syncing more than about 300,000 files across all libraries on one PC. Beyond that, performance drops sharply. Use Files On-Demand and sync only what people need, or use "Add shortcut to My files" instead of syncing whole sites.
• Sync health reporting. The OneDrive sync health dashboard in the Microsoft 365 Apps admin centre shows errors across devices that have reporting enabled.
• Known Folder Move. If Desktop and Documents are redirected to OneDrive, a sync failure there looks like "my desktop files disappeared". They are usually still in the cloud or on disk; check before anyone restores from backup.
• Retention and holds. Libraries under retention policies can refuse certain deletes and moves. That is policy, not a bug.

When to escalate

Escalate to Microsoft when the browser also fails, Service health shows a SharePoint or OneDrive incident, or many users on different PCs hit the same error at the same time. Collect the error text from the OneDrive client and the time it started. For one PC with a long path or a bad file name, it is a desk fix. If you suspect data loss, check the OneDrive recycle bin and version history before anything else.

Related status pages

• SharePoint and OneDrive
• Microsoft 365

Related guides

• SharePoint 'access denied' after someone shared a link
• Outlook disconnected or not syncing: is it Microsoft or you?
• How to tell if a service is down or it's just you

FAQ

Why does OneDrive say sync paused?

OneDrive pauses automatically when the PC is in battery saver mode or on a metered connection, and it can be paused manually. Click the OneDrive icon, open settings, and choose Resume syncing.

Does resetting OneDrive delete my files?

No. Resetting rebuilds the sync connection and re-scans your files. Files already in the cloud stay there and local files stay on the PC. On large libraries the re-scan can take a while.

What file names can't OneDrive sync?

Names containing " * : < > ? / \ |, reserved names such as CON, PRN, AUX and NUL, names starting with ~$, and files called desktop.ini. Very long paths (over 400 characters in total) also fail.

How do I know if OneDrive is down for everyone?

Open the same file in a browser at office.com. If the browser works, the service is up. If it fails for many users at once, check the official Microsoft 365 status page and Service health.