- Phased diagnostics: connection, reboots, and system permissions; Space management: local disk, cloud quota, and file limits; Folders and paths: locate, rename, lost, and DriveFS permissions; Specific solutions for Windows, macOS, and Android, plus reporting to Google
When Google Drive isn't syncing files between your device and the cloud, the problem can range from something as simple as an unstable connection to corrupted system permissions. This article provides a single guide covering everything you need to diagnose and fix sync issues on Windows, macOS, and Android, as well as special cases like corrupted Google files or disappearing folders.
The idea is that you can start with basic checks and move on to more in-depth solutions if it still doesn't work. You'll also find specific settings for permissions, paths, size and bandwidth limits, as well as what to do with the "Lost and Found" folder, advanced steps for macOS, and practical recommendations for mobile use.
Common causes and symptoms
First, it's helpful to identify the problem: you'll often see error messages, warnings that "space is running low," files that won't upload, or changes that aren't reflected between your computer and "My Drive." Sometimes Drive for computers freezes, crashes, or simply won't start.
The most common causes include internet problems , insufficient system permissions, conflicts with antivirus or proxy, file size limits, moved/renamed paths, full local or cloud storage, and, on mobile devices, data restrictions or corrupted cache.
Essential basic steps
Start with the basics: many issues are resolved with quick actions that reactivate synchronization without touching anything complex.
- Check the connection: make sure your computer has stable internet. Reboot your router if necessary.
- Restart Drive for PC: On Windows (system tray) or macOS (menu bar), go to Settings → Logout and reopen the app.
- Restart your computer: A clean reboot can release blocks Temporary
- Disconnect and reconnect your account: In Preferences → Advanced Settings, tap Disconnect account and log in again.
- Reinstall Drive for computers: download the latest version from the official website and install it from scratch.
Important when disconnecting: Unsynchronized files may be moved to "Lost and Found" and deleted if you unlink the account; copy them to a safe place first.
Storage and space problems
Drive needs local disk space to operate, even in streaming mode. If you see a low disk space warning , free up space on the specified drive (e.g., C:) and restart the application.
If the issue originates from the cloud, your Google storage may be full, or the file owner (if it's not you) may not have enough space. Request that they free up space or transfer ownership to you if you need to continue editing.
Permissions and access in Windows and macOS
Without proper permissions, Drive cannot read, write, or sync. On Windows, open Properties → Security tab of the file or folder and verify that your user account has "Allow " set to "All" (and nothing is checked under "Deny").
On macOS, right-click → Get Info → Sharing & Permissions and confirm that your user account has Read and Write privileges . If necessary, grant additional access in System Preferences → Privacy & Security (for example, for specific Photos or folders).
File size and type limits
For Google Photos in Drive, there are restrictions: photos larger than 200 MB or 150 MP, videos larger than 10 GB, or images smaller than 256x256 are not backed up. If something isn't uploading, reduce its size, delete the file, or move it to a folder that isn't synced.
Be careful with thumbnails or other files that some apps automatically create below the threshold; they can cause silent synchronization errors.
Google Drive folder moved, renamed, or deleted
If you moved or changed the name of your Drive folder, the app may display an alert to "Locate and reconnect." Select the folder with the current name and confirm. The process will take some time to complete.
Did you delete the folder where you were mirroring "My Drive"? In the notification, choose Stop syncing this directory or adjust which folders you want to sync or exclude in Preferences.
Missing files in the cloud or on your computer
If a file was deleted from Drive or is no longer being shared with you, local changes won't be able to upload. Ask the owner to re-share the item, or remove it from the synced folder and upload it again.
If the file disappeared from your computer (or is in the local recycle bin), restore it to synchronize changes . Otherwise, delete the local file if you prefer to clear the error.
Bandwidth, upload and download limits
Drive for computers automatically retries when temporary quotas are exceeded . If it doesn't resume, wait 24 hours and restart the application to force a new attempt.
Corrupted Google files (.gdocs, etc.)
Google Docs aren't saved as "complete" files on your computer: if a third-party editor modifies those shortcuts, they can become corrupted . Create a copy of the original on Google Drive and delete the invalid file from your computer. You might need to share the new link again.
Startup and account load errors
If the account doesn't load, check: your internet connection, that there's a free drive letter (Windows), that your proxy settings aren't blocking the app, and that your organization allows Drive on that device.
You might also encounter issues with the chosen "streaming location": if it's a drive letter that's already in use, the app will choose the next available one . Disconnect the device using that drive letter if you want to keep it.
To ensure Drive starts with your system, in Preferences enable the option "Open Google Drive when the system starts" ; this will prevent you from forgetting to open it and ending up with outdated folders.
Lost and Found: What It Is and How to Act
In exceptional cases (permissions, network, or other issues), Drive cannot upload a file and copies it to "Lost and Found" on your hard drive. You'll see a notification with a shortcut. Default locations: macOS: /Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/Google/DriveFS/lost_and_found/<account_token> ; Windows: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Google\DriveFS\lost_and_found\<account_token>.
Note that the "Library" folder on macOS is hidden, and on Windows you can type %AppData% in the address bar to access AppData. Review those files, move them to "My Drive" to retry the upload, or place them in another local folder of your choice.
Warning: If you log out of your account , items saved in "Lost and Found" may be lost. Copy them back up first.
Advanced macOS Fix: Repair Extension Permissions
On macOS High Sierra or Mojave, the permissions required for syncing may be corrupted. You must have administrator privileges and your password to perform the steps.
- Open Finder → Applications → Utilities → Bus Terminal.
- Run:
sudo kextcache -clearand press Enter. - Run:
sudo mv /private/var/db/KernelExtensionManagement /private/var/db/KernelExtensionManagementBackupand press Enter. - Run:
sudo kextutil -l /Library/Google/DriveFS/dfsfuse.kextand press Enter. - Start over Drive for computers.
These commands force the rebuilding of key components and usually resolve kernel extension issues related to DriveFS.
Permissions on the configuration folder and local cache
The settings folder stores critical data; if you don't have full ownership and permissions, Google Drive may not start or may crash.
- macOS: Grant permissions to /Users/ /Library/Application Support/Google and verify that it exists DriveFS after starting the app.
- Windows: Check C:\Users\ \AppData\Local\Google\ y C:\Users\ \AppData\Local\Google\DriveFS.
For the "local cached files" directory, go to the path indicated by the app and make sure that each account folder (long numeric names, e.g., 1245555729303 ) and its content_cache subfolder have read and write permissions.
20 additional practical solutions that often work
- pause and resume sync to have Drive rescan and recover stuck files.
- Exit the app and restart sync from the start or applications menu.
- Run Drive as administrator in Windows to overcome permission restrictions.
- Log out and return to log in the same account you use on the web.
- Restart your computer to clean temporary blocks.
- Uninstall and reinstall the app from the official website.
- Check firewall/antivirus and allow Drive if they block it.
- Correct permissions Windows in folders with access errors.
- In Preferences → Settings, change the proxy from “Auto Detection” to “Direct Connection”.
- Mark items as "seen" or "unread" to force the state soda.
- In "Google Drive", select "Sync everything» or explicitly indicate all the folders to replicate.
- In mass errors, open "view unsynced files" and press "retry everything".
- Use the Drive web viewer to locate and recover lost files.
- Refresh source folders if local index is missing out of phase.
- Rename the old Backup and Sync executable (e.g., googledrivesync.exe) if it coexists and causes conflicts.
- Show hidden and delete desktop.ini in the root of the synced folder if there are shell anomalies.
- Buy space or free up storage when the cloud quota is full.
- Shorten very long paths or file names to avoid the limit 255 characters in Windows.
- If you sync between two PCs, configure the settings correctly. home group or use the “Computers” section of Drive with the same folders.
- Manual drag: upload/download from the web to save emergencies if nothing else works.
If Drive isn't connecting properly in your browser, try logging out and back in, opening an incognito window , or clearing your cookies and cache. Trying a different browser ( Chrome , Firefox, Edge, Safari) can also help rule out conflicts.
Poor Wi-Fi coverage can cause intermittent outages. Whenever possible, try using an Ethernet cable or improve the signal with a repeater.
Android: Fix Sync from Mobile
On smartphones, the most common issues are an unstable Wi-Fi network or data restrictions. Check your connection quality and, if necessary, temporarily turn on mobile data to upload the file.
If your internal storage is almost full, Drive may stop to prevent problems. In Settings → Storage, free up space by deleting unnecessary apps and files or moving photos/videos to a microSD card.
Check in the Drive app → Settings → Data usage if "Transfer over Wi-Fi only" is enabled . If you need to sync while away from home, enable mobile data.
Clear the cache: Phone settings → Apps → See all → Google Drive → Storage and cache → Clear cache . If the problem persists, tap "Clear storage" (this does not delete your files in the cloud).
Check that Drive has background data enabled (Settings → Apps → Google Drive → Mobile data usage) and disable Battery Saver mode if it's interfering. Keep the app updated from the Play Store and, as a last resort, reinstall it.
How it actually syncs between computers
Drive for computers does not automatically clone the "Desktop" of PC1 to the "Desktop" of PC2. Each computer appears in the " Computers " section of Drive web, and the folders you choose are synchronized on each machine.
If you want to have the same folders on multiple computers, select identical paths in Preferences and, if applicable, use " Mirror Files " to save local and cloud copies. This way, changes are reflected in both environments, preventing confusion.
Send feedback and report bugs to Google
From the desktop app, go to Settings → Send feedback , describe the problem, and check "Include diagnostic logs." This provides details to the support team and speeds up the analysis.
If requested, capture the logs following Google's guide for Drive on computers and attach them to your report.
PDF-oriented alternative: management and synchronization with UPDF Cloud
If you're most interested in working with PDF documents and need reliable synchronization, you can consider UPDF Cloud (integrated into UPDF) as an alternative for centralizing and editing PDFs with military-grade encryption and real-time synchronization across devices.
- Edit PDF: Tools for text, fonts, colors, images, hyperlinks, watermarks, and backgrounds.
- Annotate PDF: comments, highlighting, shapes, lines, stickers, stamps and signatures.
- Organize PDF: reorder, rotate, extract, add pages, merge, and split; bookmarks, TOC, headers, and footers.
- OCR: Convert scans into editable, searchable PDFs, streamlining work with physical documents.
If you've gone through all the sections, you now have a complete plan: from the most basic (connection, restarts, closing and new session) to the advanced (permissions, paths, limits, "Lost and Found", repair on macOS, proxy, antivirus and mobile settings), with which to resolve Google Drive synchronization and prevent future blocks in your workflow.
