6 Fixes for OneDrive App Not Syncing on Android and iPhone

Quick Tips

• Ensure OneDrive has the necessary permissions to access your files and work in the background.
• Updating the OneDriev app and clearing its cache data can also help fix sync issues.
• If the issue persists, try removing and re-adding your account in the OneDrive app.

Try Basic Fixes

• Check OneDrive storage status: The OneDrive app on your Android or iPhone may fail to upload files due to insufficient storage space. To rule out this possibility, open the OneDrive app and head to the Me tab. Then, check the storage status of your OneDrive account at the top.
• Update the app: The OneDrive app may fail to sync data if it is old or buggy. Head over to the Play Store (Android) or App Store (iPhone) to update the OneDrive app and see if that fixes the issue.

Fix 1: Review App Permissions

Next, you need to verify that the OneDrive app has all the necessary permissions to access your phone’s photos, videos, and files. Here’s how to check.

Android

Step 1: Long-press on the OneDrive app icon and tap the info icon from the resulting menu. Then, tap on Permissions.

Step 2: Go through each permission one by one and set them to Allow.

iPhone

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone and scroll down to tap on OneDrive.

Step 2: Tap on Photos and select Full Access in the following menu.

Fix 2: Enable Sync Over Mobile Data

Is OneDrive not syncing any changes to your offline files? That could happen if you have turned off sync over mobile data. Here’s how to change that.

Android

Step 1: Open the OneDrive app, navigate to the Me tab, and tap on Settings.

Step 2: Scroll down to tap on Sync offline files and select the Over Wi-Fi and mobile network option.

iPhone

Step 1: Open the OneDrive app, tap on your profile icon in the top left corner, and select Settings.

Step 2: Enable the toggle next to Use Mobile Data to Offline.

Fix 3: Allow the App to Use Data in the Background (Android)

Another reason why the OneDrive app may fail to sync your files is if you have prevented it from using data in the background. To change that, use these steps:

Step 1: Long-press on the OneDrive app icon and tap the info icon from the resulting menu.

Step 2: Tap on Mobile data and enable the toggle next to Allow background data usage.

Fix 4: Enable Background App Refresh (iPhone)

OneDrive on your iPhone might not sync files unless you open it if you have turned off the Background App Refresh feature for it. Here’s how to enable it.

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone and scroll down to tap on OneDrive.

Step 2: Enable the toggle next to Background App Refresh.

Fix 5: Sign Out and Sign Back In

Authentication issues with your account can also cause the OneDrive app to misbehave on Android or iPhone and stop syncing. You can try signing out of the OneDrive app and signing back in to see if that helps.

If you have an Android, simply head to the Me tab in OneDrive and select Sign out.

On iPhone, tap the profile icon at the top and select Settings. Then, tap on your account and select the Sign out option.

Sign back into your Microsoft account after this and wait for some time for the OneDrive app to sync everything.

Fix 6: Clear OneDrive Cache (Android)

Outdated or corrupted cache data associated with the OneDrive app is another common culprit for such issues. You can try purging the existing OneDrive app cache to see if that gets the app to sync data as before.

Step 1: Long-press on the OneDrive app icon and tap the info icon from the resulting menu.

Step 2: Go to Storage and tap the Clear cache option at the bottom.