Onedrive Sync Pending in Windows 10/11 | Fix in 12 Ways

Quick Content Overview:

• OneDrive Sync Pending? Please Help
• Why OneDrive Sync Pending?
• How Long Does Sync Pending Take in OneDrive?
• How to Stop OneDrive Sync Pending Status? 12 Ways
• 2 Tips for OneDrive Sync Pending
• On the Bottom Line

OneDrive Sync Pending? Please Help

What Does "OneDrive Sync Pending" Mean? Sync Pending indicates that a file is not yet fully synced to your OneDrive; it might be syncing other files at the time and will eventually reach that file. You cannot move that file up the sync list; you must simply wait for it to sync. If you have seen this status long time, which might indicate that the OneDrive app is having trouble syncing your files or folders to the cloud or the folder on your computer.

If you are stuck in this situation, don’t worry, here you can find effective solutions to fix this OneDrive sync pending errors. In this article, we’ll dive deep into the reasons behind the “OneDrive sync pending” issue, how long it typically takes, ways to stop this annoying status, and even an alternative method for syncing files. Let’s get started!

Why OneDrive Sync Pending?

Sync issues can lead to significant headaches, especially if you’re depending on OneDrive for work or personal projects. So, why does this sync pending status happen? Let’s break it down.

Finding these typical offenders can help you start the process of fixing your sync problems.

How Long Does Sync Pending Take in OneDrive?

Having Talking in depth about the reasons of the “OneDrive sync pending” error, you might be tempted to ask for how long such issues usually last until the solution. Like in a number of problems, the answer here can range depending on factors such as what speeds you are to the Internet, how big the files are and how many they are, what pending actions, among others. Theoretically, if all items work just fine, synchronization will finish in a matter of minutes. If you come across the files that are not being synced, and it halts at the ‘sync pending’ stage, restraint for a while may help. But if it persists for several hours or one calendar day at most, then there is something to look into.

How to Stop OneDrive Sync Pending Status? 12 Ways

If you’re tired of staring at the “OneDrive sync pending” message, there are several solutions you can take to resolve the issue.

Way 1: Check Your Internet Connection

Open a web browser and try to access a website. If the website loads slowly or not at all, troubleshoot your Internet connection.

Way 2: Pause and Resume Syncing

Stop Onedrive syncing and resume the sync might fix the OneDrive sync pending problem, check the following steps:

1. Right-click the OneDrive icon in the system tray.

2. Click on “Pause syncing”.

3. Wait a moment and then select “Resume syncing”.

Way 3: Update the OneDrive App

Updating OneDrive to the latest version can enjoy the latest features and fix the unknown bugs, which might fix the sync pending issues. Try this to update:

1. Open the OneDrive app.

2. Click on the “Help & Settings” icon.

3. Select “Settings” and navigate to the “About” tab.

4. Click on “Check for updates” and follow the prompts.

Way 4: Review File Types and Sizes

Navigate to your OneDrive folder and identify any large or unsupported files. Some hidden files, or temp (TMP) files might be the cause. Consider removing or resizing these files if necessary. Here are the steps:

Navigate to the folder Options. Remove the "hide protected system files" checkmark. Remove the hidden temporary file that displays "sync pending" (name begins with "~"). The folder is now displayed as synchronized.

Way 5: Clear the OneDrive Cache

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog.

2. Type %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset and press Enter.

3. This will reset the OneDrive app, clearing the cache and potentially resolving sync issues.

Way 6: Restart Your Computer

Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve temporary glitches. After restarting, check if the sync status has updated.

Way 7: Check for Conflicting Files

1. Open the OneDrive folder and look for any files with a conflict.

2. Resolve the conflict by choosing which version to keep or by renaming the files.

Following these steps can help you fix the “OneDrive sync pending” status effectively.

Way 8. Ask for Sync Permissions

If you’re using OneDrive for Work or School account, you can check the auto-sync in Settings. If it’s greyed out, the sync might be disabled by the organization administrator. Get in touch with your organization admin to grant the sync permissions to you. Then check OneDrive sync pending if solved or not.

Way 9. Move Files Out of OneDrive folder, then Move Back

Some users report that moving out and moving back can fix that problem if you‘re trying to upload files to OneDrive server. Thus, try to move these syncing pending files out of the OneDrive folder, then move them back to the folder to check if the problem is fixed.

Way 10. Enable Files On-Demand and Download All Files

OneDrive provides Files On-Demand to help you manage your local disk space more efficiently, download them as you use them. If you want to sync files to local OneDrive folder completely, enable Files On-Demand, then download all. Here it is:

1. Please log in to your OneDrive account on the OneDrive desktop app.

2. tap the OneDrive icon from the taskbar, then click Help & Settings > Settings.

3. Choose Sync and backup from the left side, then scroll down to find the Advanced settings.

4. Expand Advanced settings, and hit Download All files under the Files On-Demand section.

Way 11. Free Up Space for OneDrive

If your OneDrive is full, the file will stop syncing to OneDrive server, so you have to free up space for OneDrive to sync these files. You can delete unnecessary files, duplicated files, or other files to spare some room.

Way 12. Upgrade OneDrive to Get More Storage Space

If your files cannot synced due to the OneDrive storage limit, you can upgrade OneDrive to get more OneDrive storage space to fix the OneDrive sync pending problem.

2 Tips for OneDrive Sync Pending

Now, you can get 2 tips for OneDrive sync pending, one is free up space for OneDrive, another is sync files to OneDrive in an alternative way.

Tip 1. Migrate OneDrive Files to Another Cloud to Free Up Space

If your OneDrive storage is full, you can migrate files from OneDrive to another cloud you’re using to free up space for OneDrive. Then you can sync files between OneDrive and your devices freely. Fortunately, if you’re going to do this, the comprehensive web-based multiple cloud storage manager - MultCloud would do you a big favor. Why?

MultCloud is designed for migrating files between clouds directly, there is no need to download and upload manually, it’s quite straightforward.

It supports 40+ clouds and services, including Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, SharePoint Online, Google Workspace, Amazon S3, pCloud, ownCloud, Wasabi, Backblaze, iCloud Drive, iCloud Photos, My SQL, NAS, FTP/SFTP, WebDAV, and many more. So, add all your clouds to MultCloud to enjoy.

It provides multiple ways to migrate files between clouds, like cloud to cloud backup, sync, transfer, team transfer, share, copy to, copy, and more.

You are able to enjoy flexible features, including filter, schedule, email, transfer methods settings, sync modes, and so on.

Thus, how to migrate OneDrive to Google Drive for example with MultCloud, here are the simple steps:

1. Log in to your MultCloud account after registering.

2. Hit Add Cloud > OneDrive, follow the on-screen instructions to add. Then add Google Drive accordingly.

3. Select Cloud Transfer, choose files in OneDrive as the source, while a directory in Google Drive as the target.

4. Press the Transfer Now button to move files from OneDrive to Google Drive directly and quickly.

• Smart Share: Share cloud files via public, private, or source mode.
• One-key Move: Quick data transfer, sync, and backup among clouds.
• Email Archive: Protect emails to other clouds or local disks.
• Remote upload: Effectively save web files to clouds via URL.
• Save Webpages as PDF/PNG: Keep them locally or online.
• Safe: Full-time 256-bit AES and OAuth authorization protections.
• Easy: Access and manage all clouds in one place with one login.
• Extensive: 30+ clouds and on-premise services are supported.

Get Started FreeView Premium Features

Tip 2. Upload Files to OneDrive via MultCloud

If you need to upload files to OneDrive, you can try this:

1. After adding OneDrive, click OneDrive on the left side.

2. Open a folder to save the uploaded files, hit Upload File from the top menu.

3. Choose the files you’d like to upload, then hit Open to upload files to OneDrive.

Wait for a while, all the files will be uploaded to OneDrive with a success.

On the Bottom Line

Dealing with the “OneDrive sync pending” status can be a hassle, but understanding the underlying issues and taking proactive steps can make a world of difference. From checking your internet connection to using tools like MultCloud, there are numerous ways to troubleshoot and resolve syncing problems.