OneDrive stuck on “Processing changes”: how to fix it

Symptom

The OneDrive icon shows “Processing changes” or a spinning arrow for hours, and new files never reach your other devices.

Cause

OneDrive is usually stuck on one file it cannot upload: a very long path, a name with characters that are not allowed, a file that is open in another app, or a damaged local cache.

Quick fix

1. Pause and resume. Select the OneDrive icon, choose the settings (gear) menu, pause syncing, wait a few seconds, then resume.
2. Close apps that use the files. Quit Office, photo editors and backup tools that may hold a file open.
3. Restart OneDrive. Quit OneDrive from the icon menu and start it again from the Start menu.
4. Look for the problem file. Open the OneDrive activity center and check for files with a red or yellow warning. Rename or move them.

Advanced fix

If the quick fix did not help, reset OneDrive. This does not delete your files, but the app will rebuild its index and re-check everything, which can take a while. Press Windows + R and run:

%localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset

Wait a couple of minutes. If the OneDrive icon does not come back, start OneDrive again from the Start menu.

Frequently asked questions