Cloud storage services have improved significantly over the past decade in terms of reliability. But they are still not perfect. And Google Drive is no exception, with sync issues being more or less the norm across all platforms. Even if you’re having a great day, the lack of syncing with Google Drive can put your offline files at risk.
A while ago we covered various Google Drive sync issues on Windows. And this time we’re shifting our focus to Google Drive on macOS.
If the Backup and Sync client on your Mac is giving you trouble syncing files and folders to or from Google Drive, here are the best fixes that can help you put things right.
1. Pause/Resume
You can fix most Google Drive sync problems by pausing and resuming the Backup & Sync client.
Click the Backup and Sync icon in the menu bar, then click the More (three dots) icon. Click Pause in the context menu that appears.
Wait a minute, do what you just did again, but this time click Continue. Any stuck Google Drive uploads and downloads should most likely continue.
2. Restart Backup and Sync
Sometimes, beyond just pausing and resuming Google Drive, you need to take the extra step of exiting and reopening the Backup & Sync client.
Click the Backup and Sync icon in the menu bar, then click the More (three dots) icon. Click Exit Backup and Sync in the context menu that appears.
Next, open the Launchpad and then click Backup and Sync from Google to restart Google Drive.
3. Disable/Enable Wi-Fi
Disconnecting and reconnecting to Wi-Fi can also help resolve sync issues with Google Drive.
Click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar, and then click Turn off Wi-Fi. Wait a few seconds, click the Wi-Fi icon again, and then click Turn on Wi-Fi.
If your Mac isn’t doing this automatically, connect to your preferred Wi-Fi access point. Also, try switching between available Wi-Fi connections in case sync issues persist.
4. Restart Mac
If the fixes above didn’t work, try restarting your Mac. It seems like a simple thing to do, but a reboot can fix the most common anomalies, including stuck Google Drive uploads and downloads.
Open the Apple menu, then click Restart to restart your Mac.
5. Contact Owner
Shared Google Drive files and folders may have restrictions that may prevent you from syncing changes made to them.
In this case, you have no choice but to contact the owner of the shared file or folder for the required permissions.
6. Check Sync Settings
If a particular folder is not syncing from the cloud to your Mac or vice versa, you may not have specified Google Drive to sync it in the first place.
To verify, click the Backup & Sync icon in the menu bar, click More, then click Preferences.
You can then use the options in the My ‘Mac model name’ tab to select the folders on your Mac that should be synced to Google Drive.
Also, the Google Drive tab lets you choose the folders you want to sync from Google Drive to your Mac.
Note: If you don’t want to micromanage each time a new folder is added to Google Drive, select Sync Everything in My Drive. However, this can be costly in terms of local storage.
7. Allow Access to Folders
Google Drive is unable to sync a particular folder or folders despite being selected in Backup & Sync Preferences? In this case, you need to confirm whether the Backup and Sync client has sufficient permissions to access the folders on your Mac.
Start by accessing the Security & Privacy pane in System Preferences (Apple menu > System Preferences).
Select the Files and Folders option and then make sure it has access to the folders listed under Backup and Sync from Google.
If you need to make a change, exit and restart the Backup and Sync client.
8. Full Disk Access
You can also go a step beyond what you just did and provide Google Drive permissions for all local storage on your Mac.
Visit Security & Privacy in System Preferences and then select Full Disk Access. Next, add Backup & Sync from Google to the list of apps and then check the box next to it.
Then exit and restart the Google Drive Backup and Sync client.
9. Reset Configuration
An improper Google Drive configuration may prevent the Backup and Sync client from syncing files and folders.
Try deleting the current configuration to resolve. When you do this, Google Drive will ask you to set your preferences from scratch. This does not delete existing Google Drive files stored locally.
Open Terminal (Finder > Utilities > Terminal) and execute the following command:
mv ~/Library/Application\ Support/Google/Drive/ ~/.Trash/
Next, exit the Backup and Sync client and then restart it. Sign in with your Google Account credentials, and then specify your preferences.
When prompted to avoid syncing from scratch, choose to merge with your existing Google Drive files.
Most likely, Google Drive should continue to sync smoothly after that.
10. Disconnect and Relink Account
Disconnecting and reconnecting your Google Account with the Google Drive Backup & Sync client can also help resolve persistent sync issues. Don’t worry, previously synced files will stay on your Mac.
Click the Backup & Sync icon, click More, then click Preferences. Switch to the Settings tab and then click on Disconnect Account.
After disconnecting, click the Backup and Sync icon, click Sign In, and then sign in with your Google Drive credentials.
Define your preferences and then choose to merge with existing Google Drive files when prompted.
11. Forced Sync Files
If Google Drive detects recurring problems syncing certain files, it may prompt you to try again.
Click the Backup and Sync icon, then click #View Unsynced Files (if available). Click Retry All to try to forcefully sync them.
12. Find the Missing Folder
If you’ve renamed or moved the primary Google Drive folder on your Mac (or any other folder you’ve set to sync with Google Drive), the Backup & Sync client won’t be able to sync.
In such a case, click the Backup and Sync icon, and then click Find in the error message.
Manually specify the renamed or relocated folder and click Open to restart the sync.
13. Check Storage
Your Google Account provides 15GB of free storage. If you have already filled this quota, Google Drive will not be synced. The same is true when you hit a paid plan’s storage limit.
To check, open the Backup & Sync Preferences panel and then click on Settings. Then you can see the current storage status.
If you run out of space, you’ll need to purchase more storage to continue syncing with Google Drive. Alternatively, you can use this handy guide to free up Google Drive storage.
14. Bypass Proxy
Google Drive does not work well when connected via a proxy. In this case, try bypassing the proxy settings.
Open the Backup and Sync Preferences panel, click Settings, then Network Settings.
Change the Proxy Settings to Direct Connection and then click OK.
To start bypassing proxy settings, exit and restart the Backup and Sync client.
15. Reload Backup and Sync
If you’re still having problems with Google Drive, try reinstalling the Backup and Sync client. Locally synced Google Drive files will stay on your Mac and you can merge them with them after the reinstallation procedure.
Start by exiting Backup and Sync. Then download the latest Backup and Sync installer for Mac from Google.
Install the app and then click Change to overwrite the existing Backup & Sync from Google installation.
Next, sign in with your Google Account and define your preferences. Choose to merge with existing Google Drive files when prompted.
A reinstall should most likely fix any sync issues caused by a corrupt instance of the Backup and Sync client.
As a result
I hope the fixes above worked and Google Drive is back to syncing your files smoothly. Take note of some of the easier fixes like pause and resume so you know what to do next in Google Drive glitch.
Next: Want to know how the Google Drive Backup and Sync client works in more detail? Check out this guide.
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