Microsoft OneDrive is easy to use and cheap, and many customers have never had a problem with it not synchronizing their files. This does not, however, imply that it is faultless or that it will always operate properly. Underlying faults within the software will cause inconveniences for users if they are not dealt with properly. You need to address these issues in order to get a seamless experience with the software. The issue we will tackle today is OneDrive not syncing automatically with your desktop or devices. There are a number of documented issues that might prevent OneDrive from synchronizing, leaving you without access to essential files and disrupting your productivity. However, there are a few simple techniques that might help you fix OneDrive sync difficulties. In this blog, we will be looking at solutions to help users resolve OneDrive not syncing automatically and find possible solutions to help prevent the error from occurring again. We will also address some of the issues that can cause OneDrive not syncing automatically so users are more aware of what they are dealing with and what approaches they need to take to resolve OneDrive not syncing automatically. Follow the step-by-step process below to see how you can resolve OneDrive not syncing automatically.
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Step by step process – How to fix OneDrive not syncing automatically
- Firstly, click on the OneDrive icon on your desktop.
- Then click on “Help & Settings”.
- Now click on “Settings”.
- Now click on “Account”.
- In the “Location is Syncing” category find the OneDrive account.
- Now click on “Stop sync”.
- Now start the sync.
OneDrive data sync relies heavily on a seamless data connection to import and export information across servers you currently have. If one of those points fails it often fails to register successful sync and therefore won’t import or export your information between your devices. Stopping and starting the sync will reset the sync path therefor allowing for a correct transfer once again. You can quit the application and restart it, if the steps above don’t work, however, if you quiet there may be a chance that any content being transferred may get corrupted or may not completely transfer causing glitches to occur. So make sure all content is properly backed up before you attempt to quit and restart OneDrive.
Alternate solutions to OneDrive not syncing automatically
Restart your device after closing everything.
If OneDrive isn’t syncing on your Mac, PC, or mobile app, a thorough restart of both the application and your device may fix the issue. It can re-establish your connection to the servers, clear the program’s cache, and even restore access to previously disabled background operations.
You most likely already know how to restart your device, but be sure you do so securely. Close any active apps in Windows 10, go to the “start” menu, click the power symbol, and select “restart.”
After that, restart your computer and attempt synchronizing your OneDrive documents again. Continue troubleshooting the issue if OneDrive is still not synchronizing.
Upgrade your computer’s operating system.
Windows 10 is known for allowing apps to operate on previous versions of the operating system. This isn’t always the case, though. If OneDrive isn’t syncing properly, you might need to upgrade to a newer operating system. This may happen on macOS and the mobile app as well, so make sure your devices are up to date.
To upgrade Windows 10, head to Settings > Update & Security > Update & Security. You may check to see if your system is up to date by going to “Windows update” from here. Optional upgrades are also worthwhile, since they may aid in the resolution of the problem.
OneDrive should be updated.
When you upgrade Windows, OneDrive will usually update to the latest version. If there was a problem with the upgrade, however, your software version may be out of date. OneDrive safeguards you from data loss by not syncing any files until you update them.
Right-click on the OneDrive symbol in the toolbar and select “settings” to manually update it. Find the “about” tab in this window and click on the version number. This will lead you to a page where you may download the most recent version of the software.
Updating Your Credentials is a good idea.
When you make a change to your Microsoft account, such as changing your password, OneDrive may cease synchronizing your files. These sync issues might be resolved by forcing OneDrive to forget your information and restarting the program.
To begin, go to the “start” menu and type “credentials.” Then go to the “credentials manager” tab and click on “Windows credentials.” Delete any items that contain the phrase “OneDrive cached credentials.” Restart the OneDrive app to complete the process.
Turn off your antivirus software.
Antivirus software works by keeping track of where data comes from and how it behaves. Normally, this just stops harmful applications, but it can occasionally hinder legitimate software from operating properly. Even the greatest antivirus companies, such as F-Secure Antivirus, are susceptible to false positives.
Each antivirus product is different, but it should allow you to add an exemption or deactivate the program temporarily. Restart OneDrive once you’ve paused your antivirus and try to sync the file again. After you’ve finished syncing everything, make sure you restart your antivirus to protect yourself from viruses and ransomware.
Step by step process – How to fix OneDrive not syncing automatically
- Firstly, click on the OneDrive icon on your desktop.
Normally the OneDrive Icon will be located in the taskbar on both Mac and windows. Here on this example for Mac the OneDrive Icon was located in the top corner as opposed to the bottom for Windows computer.
- Then click on “Help & Settings”.
The help and settings panel will house all the essential tools to manage your OneDrive for PC application. This includes the sync panel which is what we require here.
- Now click on “Settings”.
Preferences are located within the OneDrive setting folder.
- Now click on “Account”.
Here you can manage your accounts including account settings and whether you want to sync with the current computer or not and here we need to see if the computer is actually being synced with the OneDrive account in question or not. It will also give you a breakdown of how much storage has been used for folders and files.
- In the “Location is Syncing” category find the OneDrive account.
If you see the above in the selection panel, your dive will be syncing with the associated OneDrive account.
- Now click on “Stop sync”.
- Finally, start the sync.
That’s it for this Blog thank you for taking time out to read our content, please feel free to email our team about how it went if you followed the steps or if you need more help with the questions we answered in this Blog.