Can't Copy Files to OneDrive? Here's How to Fix It
OneDrive allows you to store your files remotely so that you can access them from anywhere in the world. However, at times you may encounter problems while uploading files to OneDrive. In this article, some of these common issues will be discussed with detailed solutions to help you deal with them.
Common Error Messages and Their Causes
Here are some common error messages you might encounter when trying to copy files to OneDrive:
- "Can't copy files to OneDrive. You may not have permission to perform this action." The reason for this problem usually comes from not having enough permissions to access the OneDrive folder or the files you are attempting to copy.
- "Can't copy files to OneDrive. The file is already in use." If the file you're attempting to copy is open or being utilized by another program, this error may appear.
- "Can't copy files to OneDrive. There's a problem with the network connection." This error suggests that there may be a problem with OneDrive's servers or your network connection.
Identifying the Root of the Problem
Follow these approaches to find out the unseen cause of OneDrive file copying issues:
- To verify whether OneDrive syncs accurately and there are no sync problems, check the OneDrive Sync Status.
- Test your internet to confirm that your connection is stable, because this possibility could be why the files are not copied.
- Have Enough Storage Space: Check if there is enough space on OneDrive for storing files you are trying to mirror or copy by observing your storage quota.
- Check File Permissions: Make sure that the referenced files in OneDrive folder are accessible with the necessary permissions before attempting to make copies from them.
5 Ways to Fix OneDrive File Copy Problems
Once you've identified the root cause of the issue, you can implement the following troubleshooting steps:
Way 1. Checking OneDrive Sync Status
- Open the OneDrive app: Click on the OneDrive cloud icon in your system tray or taskbar.
- Check for sync errors: Look for any error messages or notifications indicating sync problems.
- Pause and resume sync: If there are sync errors, try pausing OneDrive sync and then resuming it to see if that resolves the issue.
To pause and resume OneDrive sync: Click the OneDrive icon on the system tray, then click the gear icon > Pause syncing, when you get ready, hit the related button to resume syncing.
Way 2. Verifying Network Connectivity
- Test your internet connection: Try accessing other websites or online services to see if your internet connection is working properly.
- Check OneDrive server status: Visit the OneDrive status page to see if there are any known issues with OneDrive's servers.
Way 3. Ensuring Sufficient Storage Space
- Check your OneDrive storage quota: Go to your OneDrive settings and check your remaining storage space.
- Free up space: If you're running low on storage, delete unnecessary files from OneDrive or purchase additional storage.
To delete files from OneDrive, try this: Go to the OneDrive website and log in, find the files and folders you'd like to delete, and choose Delete from the top menu to delete unnecessary files from OneDrive easily.
Way 4. Examining File Permissions
- Verify the permissions of the file: To copy a file, right-click on it and choose "Properties." Make that you have the right permissions to read, write, and edit the file by going to the "Security" page.
- Modify permissions: To give yourself the proper access, modify permissions if you don't have the required ones.
Way 5. Resolving OneDrive Sync Conflicts
- Identify conflicting files: Look for any files with a yellow exclamation mark in the OneDrive folder. These indicate sync conflicts.
- Resolve conflicts: Manually review the conflicting files and choose the version you want to keep.
Specific Error Codes and Solutions
Below are some likely solutions if you are facing particular error codes:
Can’t Copy Files to OneDrive Error Code 0x80070005
- Check file permissions; ensure that you are allowed to access both the OneDrive folder and files you are trying to copy.
- Restart OneDrive; the possibility of restarting it may help in solving the issue.
Can’t Copy Files to OneDrive Error Code 0x8007003B
- Network Connectivity Check; ensure that your internet connection is stable enough.
- Test another network; test it with another network connection if changing connectivity might resolve it.
Can’t Copy Files to OneDrive Error Code 0x8007007B
- Confirm file size; ensure that file being copied is not too large as there is a limit on OneDrive’s maximum file size.
- Try uploading the file directly on OneDrive by using web interface rather than transferring it from desktop.
Copying Large Files to OneDrive
OneDrive can sometimes make it hard to copy large files. Here are some suggestions to allow for effective transfer of large files:
- Utilize OneDrive Sync: OneDrive Sync is meant for large files. Similarly, if you are having issues with copying big files, then you should try using OneDrive Sync.
- Upload large direct to OneDrive: This alternative involves uploading big files directly onto OneDrive using web interface only.
- Divide large into smaller chunks: If you are still experiencing challenges, consider dividing your oversized into smaller parts and sending them separately.
Additional Tips and Tricks
Another important point and price strategy for OneDrive file copy problems are:
- Clear the OneDrive cache: Clearing the OneDrive cache from time to time can solve synchronization problems.
- Look for upgrades for OneDrive: Check whether you are using the latest version of this application ‘OneDrive’.
- Talk to OneDrive support: If those tips do not work, contact OneDrive support for further assistance.
Conclusion
You should be able to fix the majority of frequent OneDrive file copy issues by following the instructions provided in this article. Do not forget to look for common causes such as file permissions conflicts, storage issues, and network issues. Do not hesitate to contact OneDrive support for more help if you are still having issues.
Bonus Tip: Sync Files Between OneDrive and Other Clouds
"Can't copy files to OneDrive" is a question that this article attempts to answer. MultCloud can be very helpful if you're thinking about moving files from your existing cloud service to OneDrive or the other way around. MultCloud is a multi-cloud management application that helps with file synchronization and transfer between different cloud providers. It has over 3 million trusted users.
For example, it eliminates the need to download and upload files again by enabling smooth file transfers from cloud storage services like Google Drive to OneDrive. You can use a single application to access and manage all of your cloud accounts thanks to MultCloud. At the moment, it works with over thirty distinct cloud services, such as Box, Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, iCloud Photos, and Google Photos.

- Cloud Transfer: Move one cloud data to another without download and re-upload.
- Cloud Sync: Sync data across clouds seamlessly in real time.
- Cloud Backup: Dynamically backup and restore files between clouds.
- Instagram Downloader: Download Instagram videos, photos, reels and stories to local device or remotely upload them to your clouds.
- Email Migration: You can directly back up and save Gmail emails as PDFs to your computer or cloud drive in bulk.
- Manage all cloud accounts in one place: Connect all your clouds to MultCloud and you'll find it so easy to access and manage multiple cloud storage files with a single login.
- Automatic: Set up a schedule to make task automatically run as preferred.
- Offline: Transfer, sync or backup cloud data online without going through local.
- Efficient: Access and manage all your clouds with a single login.
MultCloud Supports Clouds
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Google Drive
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Google Workspace
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OneDrive
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OneDrive for Business
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SharePoint
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Dropbox
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Dropbox Business
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MEGA
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Google Photos
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iCloud Photos
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FTP
-
box
-
box for Business
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pCloud
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Baidu
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Flickr
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HiDrive
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Yandex
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NAS
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WebDAV
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MediaFire
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iCloud Drive
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WEB.DE
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Evernote
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Amazon S3
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Wasabi
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ownCloud
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MySQL
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Egnyte
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Putio
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ADrive
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SugarSync
-
Backblaze
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CloudMe
-
MyDrive
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Cubby