OneDrive not syncing newbietechie

[Solved] – To Solution

What is OneDrive?

OneDrive is a cloud document storage solution (SaaS) from Microsoft. It allows users to store, share, sync documents effectively and easily.
Check our OneDrive beginner tutorial here to learn all features of OneDrive and how to use them.

Sync Error Screenshots

OneDrive sync problems image 1
OneDrive sync problems image 2

Reason

There are many reasons why OneDrive does not sync and some of the most common reasons are the filesystem meta-data issue, file format issue, OneDrive app issue, proxy issue, and many more. In this post I have shared all the methods which you can use to resolve all OneDrive not syncing issues.
Below is a image reference from Microsoft website regarding various OneDrive sync errors with the icons. Check the Microsoft document about OneDrive not syncing using this link to learn more.

onedrive does not syncing all problems icon
OneDrive Not Syncing icon status
Pic Credit: Microsoft

Solution for all OneDrive Sync Issues

#1. Check OneDrive App Status

Before troubleshooting first verify if your OneDrive is running or not. If it is not running, search for the OneDrive App and start it. Also make sure that your OneDrive app is enabled to auto-start when your PC boots(this can be configured from task manager > startup). After you start OneDrive app, your OneDrive files should start syncing

why my onedrive is not syncing newbietechie
how to fix onedrive not syncing problem newbietechie

#2. File Format and Size

File format and File sizes can also be a reason why your OneDrive is not syncing or having sync problem. To verify whether you are using the correct and allowed file formats please check this Microsoft document and verify your file extension. If Microsoft does not allow the file type which you are trying to sync then, it is not possible to sync that particular document. One such example is .pst files. However as a work around, you can manually upload the .pst file through OneDrive web app.

Now regarding File size limitation, as per March 2021, Microsoft has increased the file size limit to 250GB for a single file. So for most of the users, file size should not be an issue while syncing. But still, verify your file size as well.
To know all restrictions of OneDrive check this Microsoft document.

#3. Verify the path for your OneDrive file

Syncing apps such such as OneDrive and SharePoint do not like long paths for files. As of Oct 2021, the limitation for OneDrive / SharePoint local file path is 255 characters (including file name). So verify if your file-path is too long. Try renaming it and make it shorter and check if it resolves the OneDrive not syncing problem(you may need to kick start the sync after renaming, more on the kick start process below).

OneDrive long filepath newbietechie sync issue

#4. Kick-start OneDrive to resolve sync problems

Some times even after doing some changes OneDrive status do not change. In such cases, you need to kick start you OneDrive by either by pausing and resuming syncing or Quit and restart OneDrive app. Doing so will kick start your OneDrive sync process and may help to resolve your OneDrive not syncing problem or any OneDrive sync related errors.

OneDrive not syncing issue resolved by pausing and resuming

#5. Move the affected file outside of OneDrive folder and then move it back

The most common / easiest method to troubleshoot OneDrive not syncing errors is by just moving the affected file out side of OneDrive and then moving it back to OneDrive.
Some time OneDrive has corrupt cache/configuration files which do not allow to sync a local file. In such scenarios

  1. First try to move the document from your OneDrive folder to a non-syncing folder
  2. Then wait for the move to complete
  3. Wait for few minutes
  4. Move the file back to OneDrive folder
  5. Kick-start OneDrive sync as mentioned in the above process(#4).

If you are unable to move your OneDrive file and receiving an error (0x80071129 – The tag present in the reparse point buffer is invalid) then, follow this document to fix the 0x80071129 error.

#6. Reset OneDrive

Resetting OneDrive can also help you to resolve your OneDrive sync related issues. A common misconception is that resetting OneDrive is going to remove / delete your OneDrive files but that is not true(as of Oct 2021). To reset your OneDrive for not syncing problems type the below command in your command prompt.
%localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset
If the above code is not working, check this Microsoft document to properly reset your OneDrive.

open-cmd-admin newbietechie 0x80071129 oneDrive not syncing problems
open cmd in admin mode

#7. Restart OneDrive syncing

Restarting OneDrive sync can also help to fix OneDrive not syncing related issues. Restarting OneDrive sync allows the app to rebuild its cache so sometimes this method helps to resolve sync related problems.
Follow the images below to understand how to stop OneDrive sync and restart it. If you want to understand the process in a detail then please check this document.

stop onedrive sync from system tray OneDrive not syncing
stop OneDrive sync or Unlink PC option error and problem
EnterPrise onedrive web app

#8. Reinstall OneDrive

Reinstalling an app helps to remove its cache files so most of the times app related issues are resolved. Similarly for OneDrive, if the app is having any issues then reinstalling the OneDrive app can help to resolve the problem. If possible, after uninstalling OneDrive, restart your PC and then download and reinstall the app from https://office.com > OneDrive.

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#9. Check Proxy / Antivirus settings

Till now your OneDrive not syncing issue should have been resolved but if it is still not resolved then there might be an issue with the internet proxy settings or the antivirus software. To verify this check if you are able to ping the OneDrive server from your machine, if you are unable to ping the the OneDrive not syncing error is related to any of the above. In such case, contact your company IT or check your settings.

You can ping OneDrive (personal) by using the below command, and if you are trying to ping your company OneDrive then replace the URL with appropriate one.
command: ping onedrive.live.com

why ping OneDrive newbietechie not syncing error problem onedrive needs your attention

That’s all I have for resolving OneDrive not syncing or any related errors. If you are still unable to resolve then please contact Microsoft support for further help. However, if you found this document helpful then please consider helping by buying something using the below Amazon links. Thank you for considering.

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