How do I fix ‘upload blocked’ errors in SharePoint and OneDrive?

If you see an “upload blocked” error in SharePoint or OneDrive, it usually means your Microsoft 365 apps and OneDrive are signed in with different accounts. The quickest fix? Make sure you’re signed into both OneDrive and your Office apps with the same account. That step alone solves the problem most of the time.

Sometimes, outdated credentials, leftover cached data, or a weird OneDrive sync setup cause trouble. If you fix the sign-in issues, clear out old credentials, or unlink and relink OneDrive, you’ll usually get syncing back to normal and stop files from getting stuck.

Every business setup is a little different, so what works for one might not work for another. If you need help that fits your environment, our team at NetTech Consultants – IT Support and Managed IT Services in Jacksonville is always ready to help.

Understanding ‘Upload Blocked’ Errors in SharePoint and OneDrive

Upload blocked errors pop up when files can’t sync or save properly between your computer and the cloud. Usually, that’s about mismatched accounts, permission problems, or connectivity hiccups. These errors can really get in the way of collaboration in Microsoft 365. Figuring out what’s causing the issue is where you want to start if you want your files back and want to avoid losing data.

Common Causes of Upload Blocked Errors

The biggest culprit? Your Microsoft 365 app and OneDrive client are using different accounts. If, say, you’re logged into Word with one account and OneDrive with another, the permissions don’t line up and the file just won’t upload.

Storage limits can also trip you up. When your OneDrive or SharePoint library is full, you can’t upload new files or changes until you clear up space. And if your internet connection is spotty or weak, syncing can fail and uploads get blocked.

Naming and file path rules matter, too. Super long file paths or weird characters in file names can cause sync problems. Outdated Windows updates or cached credentials sometimes get in the way of authentication and block uploads as well.

Differences Between SharePoint and OneDrive Upload Issues

Even though OneDrive and SharePoint use the same sync engine, their errors show up a bit differently. OneDrive usually connects to just one user, so upload blocked errors often come down to personal permissions, storage space, or something off with your device.

SharePoint’s a shared environment. Upload problems here are often about library permissions, versioning headaches, or company policies that block certain file types. For example, if you don’t have editing rights to a SharePoint document library, your changes simply won’t upload.

SharePoint also handles bigger libraries and more users, so it’s more likely to run into sync conflicts, especially when multiple people edit the same file at once.

How Upload Blocked Errors Affect Office Files

Office files like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint really feel the pain of upload blocked errors because they rely on real-time saving and co-authoring. If syncing fails, you might see prompts like “Sign in to save this file” or “Save a copy instead.”

These errors can create version chaos. One person’s edits might only save locally and never make it to the cloud, while someone else keeps working on an old version. It’s confusing and can overwrite important work.

Sometimes, blocked uploads break autosave completely. You end up having to save copies by hand, which messes with the collaboration workflow. For teams that depend on shared Office files, fixing upload issues fast is key to staying productive.

Essential Troubleshooting Steps

When you hit an upload blocked error, it’s usually about mismatched accounts, storage being full, sync interruptions, or outdated software. Tackling these one by one usually gets uploads working again and keeps the problem from coming back.

Check OneDrive Account and Microsoft Account Credentials

A super common issue is signing into your Office apps with a different Microsoft account than what you use for OneDrive. If the accounts don’t match, syncing just won’t work.

Check which account you’re using in both places. In OneDrive, go to Help & Settings > Settings > Account and see which account is signed in. In Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, go to File > Account and look at the connected services.

Remove any accounts that don’t match your active OneDrive account. After you sign out, restart both the Office app and OneDrive. This way, both use the same credentials.

If you’re still stuck, clear out saved credentials. Open Windows Credential Manager and remove any OneDrive or MicrosoftOffice entries, then sign in again with the correct account.

Verify OneDrive Storage and Network Connection

If your OneDrive storage is full, uploads stop. Log into your OneDrive online and check your available space. If you’re maxed out, you’ll need to free up space or upgrade your storage before syncing works again.

Network issues can trip you up, too. A weak Wi-Fi signal or strict network settings can interrupt sync. Make sure you’re on a stable connection, and check that firewalls or proxies aren’t blocking OneDrive.

Try switching to a different network, like a mobile hotspot, to see if uploads work there. If they do, your original network is the problem.

For bigger organizations, it’s a good idea to check if Microsoft 365 services are having outages. The Microsoft 365 Service Health dashboard shows real-time updates.

Resume or Reset OneDrive Sync

Sometimes, OneDrive pauses syncing by itself or runs into a configuration hiccup. Look for the OneDrive icon in your Windows taskbar. If syncing is paused, click Resume syncing.

If that doesn’t fix it, try unlinking and relinking OneDrive. Go to OneDrive Settings > Account, choose Unlink this PC, and sign back in with the right account.

You can also reset OneDrive by running onedrive.exe /reset in the Windows Run dialog. This wipes the sync cache and restarts OneDrive. After the reset, check that your files start syncing again.

If you’re handling big libraries, consider syncing only the folders you need. That cuts down on conflicts and helps things run smoother.

Update Windows and Microsoft Office Apps

Outdated software often causes sync problems. Keeping Windows and Office up to date brings in bug fixes and security improvements.

On Windows 10, head to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and install any updates. Restart your computer after the updates finish.

For Office, open any app, go to File > Account > Update Options, and hit Update Now. This keeps Office working properly with OneDrive.

Make updating part of your regular routine. It helps avoid sync errors and keeps upload blocked issues from coming back.

Resolving Office App and Credential Issues

A lot of blocked uploads in SharePoint and OneDrive come down to mismatched accounts, old credentials, or outdated Office apps. You’ll want to check account connections, clear out old sign-ins, and make sure your Office apps are set up to sync with OneDrive.

Reconnect or Unlink Your OneDrive Account

If accounts get out of sync, unlinking and reconnecting OneDrive usually does the trick. Start with the OneDrive client settings:

1. Right-click the OneDrive cloud icon in your taskbar.
2. Select Help & Settings > Settings.
3. On the Account tab, click Unlink this PC.
4. Sign back in with the correct Microsoft account.

This refreshes the connection and gets rid of outdated authentication tokens. It also makes sure your Office app and OneDrive client use the same account.

If you set up multiple profiles, double-check that you’ve linked the right business account. Accidentally using a personal account is a pretty common reason for upload blocked errors.

Remove Office Credentials from Credential Manager

Old or corrupted credentials in Windows Credential Manager can mess with authentication. This often happens if you’ve switched Microsoft accounts or changed your password.

Here’s how to clear them out:

• Open Control Panel and go to Credential Manager.
• Click Windows Credentials.
• Find anything related to MicrosoftOffice16, MicrosoftOffice15, or OneDrive.
• Click Remove for each of those.

After you’ve removed them, restart your Office app and sign in again with the right account. This forces Office to create a fresh authentication session and usually clears up blocked uploads.

Use Office Applications to Sync Office Files

Office apps let you sync files directly with OneDrive and SharePoint. If this setting is turned off, you might get blocked uploads or be asked to save copies instead of syncing.

To check this:

1. Open any Office app (like Word or Excel).
2. Go to File > Options > Save.
3. Make sure Save to Computer by default is unchecked.
4. Check that AutoSave is enabled in the toolbar.

Letting Office apps sync files directly means your documents save to the cloud instead of relying on manual uploads. That cuts down on sync conflicts and keeps files consistent across your devices.

Repair or Update Office Applications

If your Office install is outdated or corrupted, you might see upload blocked errors. Always check for updates first, since Microsoft releases fixes for these kinds of problems.

• Open any Office app.
• Go to File > Account.
• Under Product Information, pick Update Options > Update Now.

If updates don’t help, use the Repair tool in Windows. Go to Apps & Features, select Microsoft Office, and click Modify. Then pick either Quick Repair or Online Repair.

Keeping Office updated and repaired helps it work smoothly with OneDrive and SharePoint, making upload errors much less likely.

Advanced Fixes for Persistent Upload Blocked Errors

If you’ve tried the basic steps and uploads are still blocked, the problem might be with cached data, the Office Upload Center, or file conflicts. Digging into these areas can clear out hidden issues stopping your files from syncing with SharePoint or OneDrive.

Delete Office or OneDrive Cached Files

Corrupt or old cached files often break the link between your Microsoft 365 apps and OneDrive. Clearing these caches usually helps get syncing back on track.

To do this, first close all Office apps. Then go to:

• Windows: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\16.0\OfficeFileCache
• Mac: ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/

Delete everything inside these folders, but leave the folders themselves. When you restart Office and OneDrive, fresh cache files will appear automatically.

If you’re still having trouble, check Windows Credential Manager and remove any old credentials related to MicrosoftOffice16, MicrosoftOffice15, or OneDrive. This makes sure the right account gets used when you reconnect.

Clear Office Upload Center Cache

The Office Upload Center keeps track of pending uploads for Word, Excel, and other Microsoft 365 apps. If its cache gets corrupted, you’ll see upload blocked errors over and over.

To clear it out, open the Office Upload Center from your Start menu. Go to Settings and hit Delete cached files. You can also set it to delete files from the cache when they’re closed, so things don’t pile up again.

If you’re using a newer version of Office and the Upload Center is gone, you can do the same cleanup through Office Document Cache settings in your app’s account panel. Clearing this data makes Office try uploads again with a clean slate.

Resolve Sync Conflicts and File Restrictions

File conflicts pop up when two people save a document at nearly the same time, or if certain restrictions block a file from syncing. Take a look at the OneDrive sync client—it usually shows alerts about these conflicts.

Some common restrictions are:

• Invalid characters in file names (<, >, |, *, etc.)
• File paths that go over 400 characters
• Unsupported file types, like temporary or system files

If you run into a conflict, pick which version of the file you want to keep, or just rename the file so it doesn’t have any invalid characters. In shared spaces, double-check that everyone’s signed in with the right account and has the right permissions.

Tackling these issues head-on usually clears up a lot of the stubborn upload errors in OneDrive and SharePoint.