Google Drive Failed to Upload – What You Can Do

The Cloud has quickly become central to our lives. It connects our devices, stores our data, and occasionally embarrasses hapless celebrities. A recent report from the International Data Corporation predicted that there will be around 86 zettabytes of data stored in the cloud by 2015. Considering a zettabyte is a trillion gigabytes, it’s easy to see why any issues with your service provider need to be fixed fast.

Google Drive is one of the biggest and most popular cloud services available. Since its release in 2012, it has grown to over a billion users, and over 2 trillion files have been uploaded to their nebulous databanks.

Clearly Google Drive is important to many of us, so when it doesn’t work properly it can be a big source of frustration and annoyance. So, what can you do to trying and fix your upload issues?

There are a number of solutions, and we’ve put them in order from the simplest to the most in-depth. If you follow this list from start to finish, you should be able to solve the problem with the minimum of fuss.

Check Google Drive’s Status

First and foremost, make sure that it’s actually YOU that has the issue. It’s been a while since their last major service disruption in 2017, but there’s a chance that the problem isn’t at your end.Head to Google’s G Suite Status Dashboard to make sure that the problem isn’t caused by technical issues at the other end of the chain. If there’s an orange or red dot by Google Drive, your best option is to wait until it’s fixed.

Make Sure Your Connection Is Working

Next, make sure that your internet connection is working properly. If you’re running Windows 10, try running the troubleshooter. Right click on the LAN/WiFi icon on the bottom right of the Taskbar, then click on ‘Troubleshoot problems’. Alternatively, hit the Windows key + I to open the Settings window, click on Network & Internet, then click on Network troubleshooter.

On a Mac, go to Applications, then Utilities, then open Network Utility. You should be able to see your network’s status and if there are any issues.

It’s also worth unplugging your router for fifteen seconds then plugging it in again. Resetting your router can often fix these sorts of issues.

Restart Backup and Sync

Switching it off and on again is a tech support mantra for a reason, as it fixes so many problems. In this case, start with restarting Google Drive’s Backup and Sync process. Right click on the Google Drive’s cloud-shaped icon in your system tray, then click on the three dots to get to the options, then click on Quit Backup and Sync. Then restart the program and try uploading again.

If that fails, try restarting your computer. Make sure you chose Restart rather than Shut Down if you’re on Windows 10, as this ensures your computer fully turns off (counterintuitively, Shut Down maintains certain system information, thanks to Windows 10’s Fast Startup feature).

If none of these tips work, try reinstalling Backup and Sync. Redownload the program, right click on the Start Menu, go to Apps and Features, find Backup and Sync from Google and click on it, then click on Uninstall. Double click on your download and follow the wizard.

Rename It

Make sure the filename doesn’t have any special characters in it, like <, >, /, , ? and *. It’s unlikely that your operating system has allowed it, but sometimes an error can occur, so get rid of them if they crop up. Next, try renaming the file from scratch and uploading again. If that doesn’t fix it, try saving the file in a different format.

Use a Private or Incognito Window

Private browser windows don’t store cookies or other data, and so if the file will upload from one, then you’re closer to finding the problem. Hit Ctrl + Shift + N or Ctrl + Shift + P depending on your browser, log into Google Drive and give the upload another go.

Clear Your Browser Data

While the data stored by your web browser can help speed up your internet experience and save on mobile data usage, it can also be the source of a number of problems. If the last tip worked for you, there’s a good chance that this one will completely fix the problem, and even if it didn’t it’s worth a try.

Open up Chrome, then hit Ctrl + Shift + Del. Select All time from the dropdown menu next to Time Range. You can uncheck the box next to Browsing history if you want to hang on to your visited websites. Then hit the Clear data button.

Try a Different Browser

It could be a bug or a corrupted installation, but the browser itself might be the issue. Try an alternative option and see if it works better. If it does, this might have to be your temporary solution until either Google Drive or your browser is updated to fix the issue. It’s also worth reinstalling your preferred browser if this works.

Separate the Upload into Smaller Parts

Uploading is much more demanding on your network than downloading, and sometimes trying to upload a massive folder all at once can cause issues. Try creating a new folder in Google Drive, then uploading the files individually rather than as a whole folder.

Alternatively, you could use a program like 7zip or WinRAR to create a multi-part archive, and try uploading that.

Hopefully, one of these suggestions will have solved your problem. If not, it might be worth contacting Google yourself to see if they can find a solution for you.