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If Google Backup and Sync is not working, the key fix is to switch to Google Drive for desktop. Google replaced Backup and Sync with its unified desktop client. For sync problems in the current app, check your connection, restart Drive for desktop and your computer, then use the specific error to choose the next step. Before disconnecting your account, copy the local Lost and found folder somewhere safe: Google says disconnecting deletes it.
First, check whether you’re using the retired app
Google announced Drive for desktop as the unified client replacing Backup and Sync and Drive File Stream. If the app on your computer is still called Backup and Sync, install the current client from Google’s official Drive download page rather than looking for an old installer on a third-party site. Google’s transition announcement explains the change: Drive for desktop replaces Backup and Sync and Drive File Stream.
Try the low-risk checks first
- Confirm the connection. Make sure the computer has a stable internet connection. A firewall, proxy, or other network setting can prevent Drive for desktop from syncing.
- Restart Drive for desktop. Quit the app, open it again, and check whether syncing resumes.
- Restart the computer. If reopening the app does not help, restart the computer and check the app’s notifications or error list for a more specific cause.
Google’s basic troubleshooting guidance starts with connection and restart checks, then includes account reconnection and reinstalling if needed. See Google’s Drive for desktop troubleshooting steps.
Match the message to the likely cause
Fix the issue named by the app before resetting the account or reinstalling. Google’s troubleshooting guide describes these common cases:
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Google storage is full
Free up space in the Google account or consider getting additional storage through Google One. If you’re syncing a file owned by someone else and the owner’s storage is full, ask the owner to manage their storage or transfer ownership. Google explains how storage limits affect Drive.
You don’t have permission to read, write, or edit
For a local folder, check that the signed-in computer user has permission to read and write to it. For a Google Drive file, request edit access from its owner. For a shared-drive item, contact the shared-drive administrator or manager.
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The file is missing from the computer
Check the computer’s recycle bin or trash. If the file was moved there, restore it and let Drive for desktop try again.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsDrive reports a transfer or bandwidth limit
Google says Drive for desktop retries after upload or download limits are reached. If syncing does not recover, wait a day and restart the app.
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A local Google file appears corrupted
Google’s suggested recovery is to make a copy of the original file in Drive on the web, then delete the invalid local Google file. The item may need to be shared again afterward.
Antivirus scanning repeatedly stops the app
If Drive for desktop repeatedly stops while antivirus software scans it, Google suggests excluding the app from that scan. Keep the exclusion limited to Drive for desktop and only use it when the symptoms fit; do not turn off security protection generally.
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- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
A system cleaner may have changed Drive settings
Google warns that system-cleaner apps can edit Drive configuration data and cause errors or data loss. If the problem began after using one, stop running it while troubleshooting. Google names CCleaner and Advanced SystemCare as examples in its Drive for desktop configuration guidance.
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Reconnect your account carefully
Disconnecting and reconnecting the account is a later step, not the first thing to try. Before you disconnect, copy the local Lost and found folder to a safe location: Google warns that disconnecting deletes it. If the app offers to move unsynced files to your desktop, preserve those files too. When signing in again, choose the Drive folder location carefully. Follow Google’s instructions for disconnecting and reconnecting an account in Drive for desktop.
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Reinstall Drive for desktop if the earlier steps fail
If connection checks, restarts, and the error-specific fix do not restore syncing, download and install the latest available Drive for desktop release from Google’s official download page. Reinstalling is a later troubleshooting step; an old Backup and Sync installer is not the supported replacement.
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