Troubleshooting OneDrive for Business sync issues

  • Article
  • Applies to:
    OneDrive for Business

Original KB number:   10104

Summary

This article is for anyone who can't sync OneDrive for Business. You'll find detailed troubleshooting steps towards resolving the sync issues. The estimated time of completion is 5-10 minutes.

Note

To determine which OneDrive sync client you're using, see Which OneDrive sync client am I using?
If you are using OneDrive not OneDrive for Business, and you encountered sync issue, you can look for the solutions in Fix OneDrive sync problems.

Update OneDrive for Business to the current release

If you come from the article Fix OneDrive sync problems, see Is the library configured to be available offline? to begin at the next step.

OneDrive for Business is updated frequently. If you don't have the most current version of the groove.exe sync app, you might have problems syncing. Follow these steps to make sure you have the latest version.

Before we are starting to troubleshoot OneDrive for Business sync issue, we'd better to do some basic checking at first.

Review conflicts

Sometimes a conflict is detected between the local and server copies of files you're trying to sync.

When a conflict is detected, you may see a sync error notification briefly. After that, the OneDrive for Business icon will display an error indicator in your system tray.

To resolve the conflict, right-click or press and hold the OneDrive for Business icon, and then choose Resolve. You will see the options available for your conflict.

If a conflict occurred with an Office file type, you should see the following options:

  • Open to Resolve opens the file in a coauthor view. First select Save to refresh the open copy with the new content. That will appear highlighted, so you can easily reconcile changes.
  • Save a Copy lets you save a copy of your version outside the synced folder.
  • Discard discards your changes and fetches the new version from the server.

In most cases, you will you'll choose Open to Resolve.

If a conflict occurred with a non-Office file type, you should see the following options:

  • Choose displays information about both versions, and lets you choose whether to keep the server version, your version, or both. Only the server version is saved in the synced folder and library.
  • Save a Copy lets you save a copy of your version outside the synced folder.
  • Discard discards your changes and fetches the new version from the server.

In some cases, OneDrive for Business may not mark conflicts in a non-Office file as an error, but instead save both versions locally. This results from editing conflicts. Editing conflicts with Office files are reported as sync problems and you can fix them as described above. But editing conflicts with other types of files are not reported as sync problems. Instead, OneDrive for Business creates a new version of the file, and appends the device name to the file name. For example:

Screenshot of the new version of the example file.

When you see this happen, it's up to you to decide how to treat these file versions. You might consider one of these actions:

  • If possible, compare the file versions by opening them in an application, merge changes into one, consolidated version, and then delete the other versions.
  • Rename file versions to distinguish them.
  • Keep both versions of the file.

Note

OneDrive for Business will create up to 10 conflict versions for these types of files.

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Clear cached files

Sometimes, the Microsoft Office Upload Center may affect the OneDrive for Business syncing with SharePoint library, it also may stop the SharePoint sync from progressing.

Try clearing cached files from Upload Center. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. In the notification area of your task bar, find the Microsoft Office Upload Center icon , which is a white up-arrow in an orange circle. (If there are two of these, use the darker one.)
  2. Right-click the icon, and then choose Settings.
  3. Choose Delete cached files.
  4. Confirm by choosing Delete cached information.

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Stop and resync your libraries

If you're seeing a large number of errors, and you'd rather not try to resolve each one individually, you might consider starting over: Stop syncing the library, and then sync it again, getting fresh data.

When you stop syncing a folder, this simply disconnects the folder from the library. All files are retained in both the previously synced folder and in the library. Before you sync the library to a new folder, you may want to rename the old one, so that the expected name is available for the new folder. Otherwise, the new folder will be named as a copy, for example, OneDrive @ Contoso 1. Unless you specified a different location for your folder, the folder is located at C:\Users<username>\OneDrive @ <organization name>.

Important

Do not rename the synced folder after the sync is established. That will break the sync relationship.

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Restrictions and limitations

Sometimes the content you try to sync may not be supported. There are several restrictions on the number of items, size, and file names that might cause your sync to stop.

Read this article to understand limits to the number of items that can be synchronized, size limits, character limits for files and folders, invalid characters and invalid file types. Make sure the files you are trying to sync do not fall into the restrictions or limitations stated in the article. The article also has an automated method for you to rename files and folders so that it will conform with the current requirements of the service.

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Is the library configured to be available offline

A SharePoint administrator may prohibit syncing for a SharePoint site or library. In this case, you will see the following symptoms:

  • When you view the library in a browser, the Sync button is missing.

  • When you try to sync the library, you receive the following error:

    Options set for this library by your administrator prohibit users from syncing it to a local computer. For more information, see your SharePoint administrator.

If you're not a SharePoint administrator, work with your SharePoint administrator to enable syncing of the site.

If you are a site administrator, use the following steps to confirm the site is available for syncing.

  1. Browse to the SharePoint site.
  2. Choose the Settings gear, then choose Site Settings.
  3. In the Search section, choose Search and Offline Availability.
  4. In the Offline Client Availability section, choose Yes.
  5. Choose OK.

If you are an administrator of the library, use the following steps to confirm the library is available for syncing.

  1. Browse to the library.
  2. Choose the Library tab then choose Library Settings.

    Note

    If you don't have the Library tab, select the Gear icon for the Settings menu and then select Library settings.

  3. This is a section to insert various notes.
  4. In the General Settings section, choose Advanced Settings.
  5. In the Offline Client Availability section, choose Yes.
  6. Choose OK.

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Confirm or correct your credentials

If you are not signed in to the SharePoint Online site, you should log in and select the Keep me signed in option to make sure the OneDrive for Business synchronization process works well.

When you supply credentials, be sure to use the credentials associated with the library. In most cases, this will be your Microsoft 365 credentials.

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Repair OneDrive for Business or Office installation

Before you try uninstalling and reinstalling, try repairing OneDrive for Business or Office. Repairing your Office installation can often resolve issues without the need to uninstall and reinstall. Follow this article to learn how to repair Office programs.

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Reset Internet Explorer

If previous troubleshooting steps do not help, and other people can sync the library, you may have a custom Internet option that is interfering with the sync. You can try resetting Internet Explorer to its default state, or you can open a support case with Microsoft.

Note

Resetting Internet Explorer removes all previous customizations of Internet Options. This process cannot be undone.

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Your issue was not resolved

Sorry, but we cannot resolve this issue by using this guide. Here are some other ideas that might help you resolve the problem:

Repair a sync connection

You can fix sync errors you get while using the OneDrive for Business sync app by choosing View sync problems... in the OneDrive for Business menu. The error dialog recommends solutions for each sync error.

You can also clear all sync errors at once by repairing the sync connection for your OneDrive for Business libraries. Follow these steps to run the Repair command.

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Reset the OneDrive for Business cache

Sometimes the OneDrive for Business cache needs to be removed and rebuilt in order to sync.

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Uninstall and reinstall OneDrive for Business

The steps to uninstall and reinstall OneDrive for Business depend on whether you installed the application through a setup program (MSI), or through Office Click-to-run. Read this article to learn how to tell how Office or the OneDrive for Business sync app was installed.

If you installed the OneDrive for Business sync app through Office Click-to-run, do the following:

If you installed the OneDrive for Business sync app through a setup program (MSI), do the following:

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