To fix a stuck Google Drive upload, check your internet connection and account storage, then retry the original file through Drive’s upload picker. If it still stalls, check browser extensions, desktop sync errors or your phone’s data restrictions, depending on where you’re uploading.
The short version
- Check the connection: Retry on another working network and check whether a Drive outage is affecting uploads.
- Check storage: An account at its storage quota needs space before uploads can continue.
- Match the fix to your device: Check browser extensions, desktop sync status or mobile data restrictions.
- Try another upload client: Upload through a supported desktop browser when the desktop or mobile app keeps failing.
| Fix | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Try another working network | Your connection is interrupted or very slow |
| Check Drive service status | An outage may be affecting uploads |
| Retry the web upload picker | A browser or app upload fails |
| Drag files into Drive | You need another desktop browser upload method |
| Retry the Android upload picker | An Android upload needs another attempt |
| Retry the iPhone or iPad upload picker | An iPhone or iPad upload needs another attempt |
| Switch upload clients | One browser or app keeps failing |
| Review account storage | Your account has reached its storage quota |
| Empty reviewed Drive Trash | Unwanted trashed files still occupy storage |
| Try Chrome Incognito | A browser upload keeps failing |
| Disable suspected extensions | An extension may interfere with uploads |
| Enable cookies and JavaScript | Required browser capabilities are blocked |
| Clear Chrome cookies and cache | Browser problems persist |
| Update Chrome | Your browser needs an update |
| Inspect desktop Sync status | You need the affected file’s error |
| Resume or cycle desktop syncing | Syncing is paused or stalled |
| Quit and reopen desktop Drive | Resuming syncing does not help |
| Increase a low upload rate cap | Desktop uploads appear stalled under a restrictive cap |
| Restore or locate source files | A desktop source file or folder is missing |
| Recover stranded changes | Files are in Lost & Found |
| Grant macOS folder access | Drive cannot access required folders |
| Check Android Wi-Fi restrictions | Drive is waiting for Wi-Fi |
| Allow Pixel background data | Data Saver restricts Drive |
| Force-stop and reopen Pixel Drive | The app is unresponsive |
| Update Android Drive | An app update is available |
| Reset Pixel Drive’s local data | App problems persist after updating |
| Enable iPhone or iPad cellular access | Drive cannot upload over your mobile connection |
| Check Apple Low Data Mode | Background transfers are restricted |
| Close and reopen iPhone Drive | The app is unresponsive |
| Update iPhone or iPad Drive | An app update is available |
| Update Drive for desktop | Desktop failures persist |
| Send desktop feedback | You still have an unresolved file or sync error |
Check your connection and Drive service status
Check that your device has internet access, then retry using another working network. Google recommends checking connection stability when video uploads fail, so start here when a transfer is interrupted or moves very slowly.
Open the Google Workspace Status Dashboard and find Google Drive. Open any incident indicator to see the details. If the incident affects uploads, wait for recovery before retrying.
Retry the original file through the upload picker
On a computer, open drive.google.com and click New > File Upload or Folder Upload. Select the original file or folder to upload it again. You can also drag the original files into an open folder in Drive.
On Android, open Google Drive, tap New > Upload, then find and tap the original files. On iPhone or iPad, open Google Drive and tap Add > File upload. Select the files, tap Location to choose their destination, then tap Upload.
If the mobile or desktop app keeps failing, retry through a supported desktop browser. Google recommends switching upload clients for failed video uploads, and the web upload picker also provides an alternative to a malfunctioning app.
Make room in your Google Account
In Drive on the web, click Storage to identify large files. Your personal Google Account storage is shared across services, so content in Drive, Gmail or Photos can contribute to a full account. Address a storage quota problem before repeating the upload.
Moving a file to Trash removes it from its current location. To remove an unwanted file you own, right-click it and choose Move to Trash. Open Trash and review its contents before proceeding.
Emptying Trash permanently deletes the files it contains. Click Empty trash, then Delete forever. Files in Trash continue using storage until they are permanently deleted.
Allow time for the storage total to update before retrying a blocked upload. After bulk deletion, storage accounting can take 48 to 72 hours to reflect the change.
Check Chrome and its extensions
Try the upload in a private Chrome session, especially for a video that keeps failing. On Windows, Linux or ChromeOS, press Ctrl + Shift + N; on Mac, press Command + Shift + N. Sign into Drive in that window and retry the file.
Next, check extensions that might interfere with uploads. In desktop Chrome, open More > Extensions > Manage extensions, turn off suspected extensions and retry. Google identifies CORS extensions as a possible cause of upload interference.
Make sure cookies and JavaScript are enabled for Drive and Google Account sign-in. For JavaScript in Chrome, open More > Settings > Privacy and security > Site Settings > Javascript, then select Sites can use Javascript.
Clearing the selected browsing data deletes cookies, other site data and cached images and files, and you may need to sign into Drive again. Open More > Delete browsing data, choose All time, and select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. Select Delete data, sign into Drive and retry.
Check for a Chrome update through More > Help > About Google Chrome, then select Relaunch when offered. On ChromeOS, Chrome updates through operating system updates. If uploads still fail, try another up-to-date supported browser.
Resume Drive for desktop and inspect sync errors
Open Drive for desktop and inspect Sync status and notifications for the affected file. The current Sync status view replaces the older Activity view. Use the error to choose your next fix.
For paused syncing on Windows or Mac, click Drive’s system tray or menu bar icon and choose Settings > Resume syncing. To cycle an active sync session, choose Pause syncing first, then Resume syncing. If that fails, choose Settings > Quit and reopen Drive.
A low upload bandwidth cap can make a transfer appear stalled. Open Drive’s Settings > Preferences > Advanced Settings, select Upload rate and increase the configured value. The value is expressed in kilobytes per second.
If the error concerns a relocated source folder, click Locate, select the folder and click Open. Restore source files that were moved to Trash. For stranded changes, open Lost & Found, copy the files, then open My Drive and copy them there to retry syncing.
On a supported Mac, check folder access when Drive cannot access the folders it needs. Open Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy and Security > Files and Folders, enable Drive’s required folder access and restart Drive if necessary.
Remove Android upload restrictions
On an Android device with a mobile network connection, open Google Drive and choose Menu > Settings. Under Data usage, turn off Transfer files only over Wi-Fi, or connect to Wi-Fi instead. Devices without mobile network capability do not have this toggle.
On a Pixel using Data Saver, open Settings > Network & internet > Data Saver > Unrestricted data and enable Drive. This permits background data while Data Saver is active, but it does not guarantee that a stalled upload will resume. Other Android manufacturers may use different settings.
If the Pixel app remains unresponsive, open Settings > Apps > See all apps > Drive > Force stop, then tap OK. Reopen Drive and retry the upload.
Check for an app update on Android by opening Play Store, tapping your profile icon and choosing Manage apps & devices. Under Updates available, update Drive. If the updated app still fails on a Pixel, a local data reset is a later option.
Resetting Drive erases its local app data, so preserve the original upload files first. On a Pixel, open Settings > Apps > See all apps > Drive > Storage & cache, then select Clear storage or Clear data. Tap OK and reopen Drive; paths on other Android devices vary.
Check iPhone and iPad data access
On a cellular-capable iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Cellular, enable cellular data and enable Drive in the app list. Some iPads use Settings > Cellular Data instead. Check this when an upload stalls while you are using a mobile connection.
Apple’s Low Data Mode restricts background network activity, so check it when background transfers are affected. For Wi-Fi, open Settings > Wi-Fi, tap the connected network’s Info button and turn off Low Data Mode. For cellular data, open Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options. Turn off Low Data Mode there, or, if your device shows Data Mode, open it and choose a setting other than Low Data Mode.
For an unresponsive Drive app on iPhone, open the App Switcher, find Drive and swipe its preview upward. Reopen Drive from the Home Screen or App Library, then retry the upload.
On iPhone or iPad, open App Store, tap your profile icon and open App Updates to install an available Drive update. If no Drive update is available, check for an iOS or iPadOS update.
Update the desktop client or report the failure
If Drive for desktop continues failing, get the current installer from Google’s Drive product page. On a supported Windows computer, open GoogleDriveSetup.exe; on a supported Mac, open GoogleDrive.dmg. Complete the installation and retry the upload. If your device is managed, you may need IT to complete the installation.
For a persistent desktop failure, click Drive’s system tray or menu bar icon and open Settings > Send feedback. Describe the affected file, the error and the circumstances. You can also retry the original file through Drive on the web while troubleshooting the desktop client.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my video still say processing after the upload finishes?
Your video can finish uploading before it finishes processing for playback. Wait and try playback later. If the video is unplayable, retry with an intact file in a supported video format.
Can a file be too large to upload to Google Drive?
You can upload ordinary files up to 5 TB, while conversion to Google formats has separate limits. Text converted to Google Docs has a 50 MB limit, and presentations converted to Google Slides have a 100 MB limit. Split or reduce a file that exceeds the applicable limit in its original application before uploading again.
What should I do about a permission error in Drive for desktop?
For a cloud permission error, ask the file owner or shared-drive manager to restore editing access or reshare the item. For a local source folder, inspect Properties > Security on Windows or Get Info > Sharing & Permissions on Mac. Ensure you have read and write access.
Can the wrong proxy setting stop desktop syncing?
Check Drive’s proxy selection if your desktop connection is failing. Open Settings > Preferences > Advanced Settings, then choose Auto-detect for the operating system’s proxy or Direct connection when a proxy is unnecessary. On a managed network, ask your administrator which connection setting is required.