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Google Drive is one of the most excellent cloud storage tools created by Google to enhance data security and accessibility for its users. It allows its users to sync and store data for free up to 15GB, after which they charge $1.84/month per 100GB to $9.19/ month per 2TB.
Though Google Drive (1) is known for its smooth syncing process across all devices, it might create some trouble making Google Drive not synced with a Windows 10 PC.
How to Fix: Google Drive not Syncing on Windows 10:
Here are the ways that can help you troubleshoot Google Drive's sync error:
- Pause & Resume the Syncing Process
- Restart Google Drive
- Disable Antivirus & Turn Off Windows Firewall
- Check Account Settings
- Check Proxy Settings
- Delete the Hidden Desktop.ini File
- Run Google Drive as an Administrator
- Uninstall & Reinstall Google Drive
1. Pause & Resume the Syncing Process
This the simplest thing you can do to try to fix your Google Drive syncing problem. To pause and restart the syncing process for your Google Drive, follow these steps,
- Click on the Google Drive's Backup & Sync icon on the taskbar
- Click on the three dots visible in the top right corner of the Google Drive pop up
- Select the Pause option
- Wait for the Resume option to appear
- Click on the Resume option to restart the syncing process
2. Restart Google Drive
If pausing and resuming the syncing process doesn't fix your syncing problem, try restarting your Google Drive application.
Follow these steps to restart your Google Drive,
- Click on the Google Drive's Backup & Sync icon on the taskbar
- Click on the three dots visible on the top right corner of the Google Drive pop up
- Select the Quit Backup and Sync option
- Wait for a few moments
- Restart the app installed on the PC
3. Disable Antivirus & Turn Off Windows Firewall
Many times antivirus softwares and Windows Firewall can block your syncing process on Google Drive. Try disabling and turning off these systems to fix the syncing problem.
To disable the Windows firewall,
- Type Windows Firewall on the search bar
- Click on the Windows Defender Firewall
- On the left side, select the Turn Windows Firewall on or off option
- Select Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended) under Private network settings and Public network settings
- Click OK
To turn off Antivirus,
- Launch your Antivirus software
- Go to settings
- Try turning off some features
- In case that doesn't work, delete the Antivirus completely
4. Check Account Settings
Crosscheck if the right account has been logged onto your Google Drive software on your Windows 10 PC. If the wrong ID has been logged in to your Google Drive, try adding the desired one by clicking on Google Drive> Add New Account and begin the setup process.
Additionally, check your sync settings on your Google Drive account by,
- Click on the Google Drive's Backup & Sync icon on the taskbar
- Click on the three dots visible in the top right corner of the Google Drive pop up
- Select Preferences option
- The Preferences window will pop-up
- In the Google Drive tab, ensure that Sync My Drive to this computer is selected
- Click OK
5. Check Proxy Settings
Sometimes Google Drive is not able to sync because of the unfavorable proxy settings that have been selected. Change your proxy setting to enable Google Drive syncing on your Windows 10 PC.
To check proxy settings,
- Click on the Google Drive's Backup & Sync icon on the taskbar
- Click on the three dots visible in the top right corner of the Google Drive pop up
- Select Preferences option
- Click on the Settings tab on the sidebar
- Select Network Settings
- Under the Proxy settings tab, click on Direct connection
- Click on OK
6. Delete the Hidden Desktop.ini File
Whenever Google Drive fails to sync files to your computer, it releases an error file called desktop.ini, hidden by default on the system. Sometimes these files can hinder your Google Drive syncing process.
To delete the hidden desktop.ini file,
- Go to Windows Explorer
- Find the folder where files aren't syncing
- To view the hidden file, click on options under the view tab
- Select the Change folder and search options
- The folder options tab will open
- Under the View section, select Show hidden files, folders, and drives
- Click on Save
- Find the desktop.ini file and delete it
7. Run Google Drive as an Administrator
Try running the Google Drive application as an administrator who might solve your Google Drive syncing trouble.
To run Google drive as an administrator,
- Locate the Google Drive .exe file on your PC
- Right-click the .exe file
- Select Run as administrator option
To permanently enable Google Drive to start with administrative priveledges,
- Locate the Google Drive .exe file on your PC
- Right-click the .exe file
- Select Properties option
- Under the Compatibility tab, select Run this program as an administrator option.
- Click
8. Uninstall & Reinstall Google Drive
Your Google Drive syncing problem will probably be resolved by this time. However, if that's not the case, you can finally try uninstalling and reinstalling the Google Drive app.
To uninstall Google Drive from Windows 10 PC,
- Go to the Start menu
- Go to Control Panel
- Click Programs and Features
- Select Google Drive
- Click Uninstall
- Additionally, you can also delete the Google Drive folder from the home directory
Visit the app store and reinstall the Google Drive app.
We hope the above methods have helped you solve your Google Drive not syncing problems on your Windows PC. Google Drive is one of the best and safest cloud storage platforms with the cheapest storage plans. If you have any further suggestions that could help enhance this article, mention them in the comments below.
