Google Drive for desktop is usually quiet and reliable, which is why it’s so obvious when it stops doing its job. You save a file into your Drive folder, the little cloud icon spins for a moment, and then… nothing. Or worse: it claims everything is up to date while your phone shows yesterday’s version.
On Windows PCs, “not syncing” rarely means one single fault. It’s normally a chain: a paused client, a Windows sign-in token that’s expired, a file that can’t be uploaded because of a name or permission issue, or a network filter (VPN, proxy, antivirus) that breaks Google’s connection just enough to stall.
I see it most often after a Windows update or after people switch from “Mirror files” to “Stream files” without realising it changes where files live and how they appear in File Explorer.
What “not syncing” actually means on a PC
Before changing anything, pin down the failure mode. Google Drive for desktop has three common ways to fail, and each points to a different fix.
- Uploads/downloads are stuck: the client is running, but a queue never clears. You’ll often see “Syncing…” for hours, or “X items remaining”.
- Files are missing locally: Drive looks empty or incomplete in File Explorer, but the web version has the files (or vice versa).
- Sync is silently paused or blocked: the tray icon shows paused, signed out, “Action required”, or it looks normal but nothing changes.
Drive for desktop is also tightly bound to Windows components: the user profile, the Windows Credential Manager, background services, and the file system’s ability to create placeholder files. When any of those are slightly off, sync can appear “broken” even though the app itself is fine.
If you’re on a work or university account, add one more layer: admin policies can restrict what Drive can do (especially around streaming, offline access, and external sharing). I’ve watched perfectly good installs refuse to sync because a policy changed overnight.
Targeted fixes that usually restore sync
Work through these in order. The early steps are quick and reversible; the later ones are more disruptive (and sometimes force a full re-sync).
1) Check the Drive for desktop status properly (not just the folder)
File Explorer can lie to you because it caches icons and placeholder states. Use the Drive tray icon instead.
- Click the Google Drive icon in the Windows system tray (near the clock).
- Look for a clear status line: Paused, Not signed in, Action required, or Syncing.
- Open Settings (gear icon) and check whether Pause syncing is enabled.
In practice, “Paused” is the culprit more often than people admit—especially on laptops that were on battery saver for days.
2) Confirm you’re looking at the right Drive mode (Stream vs Mirror)
Drive for desktop can run in two modes:
- Stream files: files appear in File Explorer but aren’t fully stored on the PC unless marked offline. Uses less disk, relies on a stable connection.
- Mirror files: keeps a full local copy and syncs it. Uses more disk, but behaves more like “normal” folders.
If you recently changed modes, missing files can be “expected behaviour” rather than data loss. I’ve seen users panic because their mirrored folder moved to a new path and they kept editing an old local copy that was no longer connected to Drive.
- Tray icon → Settings → Preferences.
- Check whether you’re on Stream or Mirror.
- Confirm the local folder path shown matches where you’re saving files.
3) Fix “stuck on syncing” by identifying the blocking file
One bad file can stall the queue. The app doesn’t always tell you which one in an obvious way.
- Tray icon → click the activity / sync details view (the panel that lists recent files).
- Look for items with Failed, Can’t sync, or a retry loop.
- If nothing is listed, open Settings → View sync errors (wording varies by version).
Common blockers I see on Windows:
- Path too long (deep folder nesting). Windows still has edge cases here even on modern builds.
- Invalid characters in names (rare, but happens when files come from Linux/NAS exports).
- Locked files (Outlook PSTs, database files, Adobe project caches). Drive can’t upload a file that’s constantly open for writing.
- Permissions: the Windows account can read the file but can’t create temp files in the folder.
Quick test: copy the suspected file to your Desktop and rename it to something simple (e.g. test-upload.docx). If that syncs, the original path/name/lock state is the issue, not Drive itself.
4) Make sure Drive isn’t blocked by Windows Firewall, antivirus, or a VPN
Drive sync uses background connections that some security suites treat as “unknown cloud storage”. The failure pattern is usually: web browsing works, but Drive sits on “Connecting…” or “Syncing…” forever.
- If you use a VPN, disconnect it for 10 minutes and watch the Drive activity list.
- If you’re on a managed network (office, campus), try a phone hotspot briefly. This isolates DNS filtering and proxy issues.
- Check whether your antivirus has a “web shield” or “encrypted traffic scanning” feature. I’ve seen that break Drive’s authentication loop on a few UK consumer laptops.
If you suspect Windows firewall rules are involved, Microsoft’s own steps for allowing apps through the firewall are the safest reference: allow an app through Windows Firewall.
5) Check Windows time, region, and sign-in tokens
Drive authentication is time-sensitive. If your PC clock is off by even a few minutes, sign-in can fail in messy ways: repeated prompts, “Action required”, or sync that never starts.
- Windows Settings → Time & language.
- Enable Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically (or set them correctly).
- Restart Drive for desktop (see next step).
This sounds basic, but I’ve had it fix “Drive won’t sync” on a desktop that had a dying CMOS battery and kept drifting overnight.
6) Restart Drive properly (end task, don’t just close the window)
Closing the panel doesn’t always stop the sync engine.
- Right-click the Drive tray icon → Quit.
- Open Task Manager and confirm Google Drive (and related Google processes) are gone.
- Start Drive again from the Start menu.
If it immediately returns to the same stuck state, don’t keep rebooting. That usually just wastes time while the underlying queue problem remains.
7) Force a clean re-auth (sign out and back in)
When sync stops after a password change, 2-Step Verification change, or a Google account security prompt, the local token can become invalid while the app still “looks signed in”.
- Tray icon → Settings → Preferences.
- Find your account and choose Disconnect account / Sign out.
- Quit Drive, then reopen and sign in again.
Expect a short re-index. On large Drives, it can look idle while it rebuilds its local database.
8) Fix missing files by checking selective sync and folder inclusion
A classic trap: you think “Drive isn’t syncing”, but the folder simply isn’t selected to sync to this PC.
- Tray icon → Settings → Preferences.
- Under My Computer (or similar), check which local folders are set to back up to Drive.
- Under Google Drive, check which folders are available offline / mirrored (depending on mode).
If you’re using multiple Google accounts, confirm you’re editing the folder tied to the right account. I’ve seen people sync personal Drive perfectly while their work Drive sits signed out in the background.
9) Repair the local Drive database (the “it’s corrupt” fix)
When Drive for desktop gets into a loop—high CPU, constant “Preparing…” or “Scanning…”—the local database can be damaged. This is the most common issue I see on UK devices sold before 2024 that have been upgraded across several Windows builds.
Google doesn’t expose a big “repair” button, so the practical approach is a reset by removing local app data. The risk: it can trigger a full re-sync and re-download, so do this when you have time and bandwidth.
- Quit Google Drive from the tray icon.
- Make sure no Google Drive processes remain in Task Manager.
- Rename the local Drive app data folder (so you can roll back if needed). Typical locations include user AppData folders.
- Reopen Drive and sign in again.
If you want Google’s official wording for reinstall/reset behaviour, use: Google Drive for desktop troubleshooting.
10) Reinstall Drive for desktop (only after you’ve checked the queue)
Reinstalling is overused, but it does help if the app binary is broken or an update failed. It won’t fix a blocked file, a permission problem, or a network filter.
- Windows Settings → Apps → uninstall Google Drive.
- Reboot the PC (yes, this matters for shell extensions and file system hooks).
- Install the latest Drive for desktop and sign in.
If you’re on Stream mode, check that the Drive virtual drive letter reappears in File Explorer. If it doesn’t, you’re dealing with a deeper Windows integration issue (often security software or a damaged user profile).
Situations I see on real Windows PCs (and what fixes them)
Scenario: Drive says “Up to date” but another device never receives your edits. The usual cause is that you edited a file outside the synced location. This happens after switching Stream/Mirror, or after OneDrive “helpfully” redirected Desktop/Documents and you started saving into a different Documents folder. I normally confirm by right-clicking the file and checking its path, then watching whether it appears in Drive’s activity list at all.
Scenario: A folder syncs, but one subfolder never does. That’s often a permissions inheritance mess. I’ve seen it on shared family PCs where a folder was created under another Windows account, then copied. Drive can see the folder but can’t read some children. Fix by taking ownership or recreating the folder structure under your current user profile.
Scenario: Sync works on Ethernet but fails on Wi‑Fi. This points away from Drive and towards the network: DNS filtering, router security, or flaky Wi‑Fi. If your PC also drops other background connections, it’s worth checking broader network stability. A related deep-dive is fix Wi‑Fi and internet issues in UK homes.
Scenario: Drive hammers CPU and disk, then stops. Seen most often on HP, Dell and Lenovo laptops with smaller SSDs that are nearly full. Drive needs working space for its cache and for temporary files during upload. Freeing 10–20GB can change behaviour immediately, especially on Mirror mode.
Scenario: Shared Drives (Team Drives) won’t sync but My Drive does. That’s frequently account policy or permissions. If you can access the Shared Drive in the browser but not in the desktop client, sign out/in first. If it persists, it’s usually admin-side.
Easy mistakes that keep Drive broken
- Assuming the Drive folder is “just a folder”. In Stream mode it’s a virtualised view; copying huge folder trees into it can behave differently from a normal NTFS folder.
- Syncing active databases (PSTs, QuickBooks files, VM images). They change constantly and can stay locked. Drive isn’t a transactional backup system.
- Using two cloud sync tools on the same folder. OneDrive + Drive on the same Documents folder is a recipe for conflicts and phantom duplicates.
- Ignoring “Storage full” warnings. If your Google account is out of storage, uploads stop. Locally it can look like a PC issue.
- Renaming top-level synced folders during a sync. You can do it, but it’s a good way to create a long reconciliation process that looks like a stall.
I’ve also seen people “fix” a stuck sync by repeatedly killing the process. That can leave partial state behind and make the next launch slower, not faster.
PC-specific factors that change the outcome
Disk space and SSD health. Drive needs cache space. On machines with 128GB SSDs, Windows updates plus a mirrored Drive can push the disk into constant pressure. When free space is low, Windows also becomes aggressive about background tasks, which makes sync feel intermittent.
Windows Controlled folder access. Windows Security can block apps from writing to protected folders (Documents, Desktop). When enabled, Drive may fail to create placeholders or update files. If you see permission-style errors, check Windows Security’s ransomware protection settings and allow Google Drive if appropriate.
File system quirks. Syncing to external drives formatted as exFAT can be unreliable for long-term mirroring because of permission and metadata differences. NTFS behaves better. If you’re mirroring to an external SSD, format and ownership matter more than people expect.
Sleep and power management. Laptops that sleep aggressively will pause background sync. If you close the lid mid-upload, don’t be surprised when it never completes. I’ve watched this happen repeatedly on ultrabooks set to “sleep after 3 minutes on battery”.
Windows profile corruption. Rare, but real. If Drive fails only on one Windows user account and works on another, the profile’s credential store or AppData permissions are often damaged. Creating a fresh Windows user is a blunt but effective diagnostic.
Closing notes
Google Drive not syncing on a PC is usually a local blockage: a paused client, a single file that can’t be uploaded, or Windows/security software interfering with background connections. Start by reading the tray icon status and the activity list, then isolate whether you’re dealing with a queue problem, a missing-folder selection, or a sign-in token issue.
If you end up resetting the app data or reinstalling, plan for a re-index and possible re-download. That’s normal behaviour, not a sign you’ve made it worse—just don’t do it five minutes before you need a large folder available offline.
FAQ
Why is Google Drive for desktop stuck on “Syncing” for hours on my Windows 11 PC after a Windows update?
After updates, Drive commonly gets stuck re-indexing or it hits a blocked file in the queue. Check the Drive tray icon activity list for a single file repeatedly failing, then test by renaming/moving that file out of the synced folder. If the app shows “Action required”, sign out and back in to refresh the token.
Why do my Google Drive files show in the browser but not in File Explorer when I’m using Stream files?
In Stream mode, File Explorer depends on the Drive virtual drive and placeholder system. If the virtual drive letter isn’t mounted or the app is paused/signed out, the folder view can look empty. Confirm Drive is running from the tray icon, then check Preferences to ensure you’re signed into the correct account and that streaming is enabled.
Why does Google Drive sync work on Ethernet but fail on Wi‑Fi in my UK home network?
This usually points to DNS filtering, router security features, or unstable Wi‑Fi rather than Drive itself. Test with a phone hotspot to confirm. If the hotspot works, look at your router’s parental controls, security filtering, or any VPN/proxy settings on the PC.
Why does Google Drive stop uploading large video files when my laptop lid is closed or when it’s on battery saver?
Windows power management can pause background networking and disk activity during sleep or aggressive battery saver modes. Keep the laptop awake during large uploads, disable sleep temporarily, and avoid closing the lid mid-transfer. For long uploads, Mirror mode can be more forgiving because the local copy is complete even if the upload resumes later.
Why does Google Drive for desktop say “Up to date” but my colleague still sees the old version in a Shared Drive?
Most often you edited a local file that isn’t actually inside the synced Shared Drive path, especially after switching Stream/Mirror or changing the local folder location. Confirm the file path and check Drive’s activity list to see whether it ever attempted an upload. If it did upload, verify you have edit permission in that Shared Drive and that you’re signed into the correct Google account.
Recommended gear on Amazon UK
- A wired connection removes Wi‑Fi instability and router filtering quirks, which is useful when Drive sync only stalls on wireless or during large uploads. See suitable options
- If your internal SSD is nearly full, moving large mirrored folders or project files to a fast NTFS-formatted external SSD gives Drive the cache space it needs to complete sync. Comparable items
- A drifting system clock from a weak CMOS battery can break Google sign-in tokens and cause repeated “Action required” or silent sync failures. Relevant examples
- When sync works on Ethernet but not on Wi‑Fi, a flaky or older wireless chipset can be the bottleneck; a modern Wi‑Fi 6 adapter often stabilises long background transfers. Relevant examples
