Fix problems syncing to your computer

If some or all your files are not syncing between your computer and My Drive, you can try to fix the problem.

Note: If you use a Google Account through work or school, you may need to use Drive File Stream instead of Backup and Sync. Learn how to install and use Drive File Stream.

If you have questions, ask your administrator.

Basic troubleshooting

Here are some general problems you might see:

Find the Backup and Sync icon .

You may see the following errors in Google Drive:

An unknown error has occurred: Restart Google Drive sync.
An unknown issue occurred and Google Drive needs to quit: Restart Google Drive sync.
Authorization failure: You no longer have permission to view the file. Contact the owner.
Connection failure: Check your Internet connection. Click Retry all or restart Backup and Sync.
Backup and Sync quits unexpectedly: Reinstall Backup and Sync.
This file is a link to an online Google document. It cannot be changed. You can only change Google documents when online. Make a copy of the original document online and select it for syncing.
The file on your computer is missing: Restart Backup and Sync.
This file points to an invalid online Google document: The original file is no longer in Google Drive. Remove from the folder on your computer and restart Backup and Sync.
Some files can't be synced: Manually sync files.
Syncing is stuck: Restart Backup and Sync.
Unable to complete sync: Disconnect and reconnect your account.
You do not have enough Google storage for this file. Please buy more storage: Purchase a larger storage plan.
You do not have permission to sync this file: Contact the owner of the file.
You only have permission to view this file, so your changes cannot be synced: Contact the owner of the file and request the ability to edit.
Your Google Drive folder is missing: Locate or replace your missing folder.