Troubleshooting guide
How to fix the problem
Syncing a large folder can keep the drive and internet connection busy. A brief pause helps determine whether syncing contributes to the slowdown. A sync pause is not a backup: new local changes may not yet have reached the cloud.
Possible solutions
Choose the method that matches your situation. Start with the simplest suitable option and check the result. If the problem is fixed, you do not need to continue with the other methods.
Temporarily pause syncing
Pause only for comparison and resume afterward.
Steps to follow
- Click the OneDrive cloud icon near the clock. If it is hidden, open the hidden-icons arrow.
- Open its help or settings menu and choose Pause syncing. Select the shortest offered period that suits your task.
- Repeat the same action in your application and compare drive and network usage. Do not delete documents from the OneDrive folder.
- When finished, choose Resume syncing in OneDrive and check important files' sync status before shutting down.
Schedule large transfers
Make large changes when the extra workload will not interrupt your work.
Steps to follow
- Check which files are uploading in OneDrive's activity window. Note whether the same file repeats or a large queue is simply working through.
- Transfer large videos and archives after important work, leaving the computer powered and connected.
- If your OneDrive version offers an upload-rate limit, reduce it and check whether other internet applications run more smoothly.
- Remember that limiting the rate makes transfers take longer. Verify a file has finished syncing before treating it as saved in the cloud.
If the problem persists
If the same file uploads repeatedly, a conflict appears or sign-in fails, troubleshoot syncing. Do not unlink the account or delete folders until local and cloud copies have been checked.
Request a repair