OneDrive for Mac: new-file uploads loop forever after a quiet period; editing any existing synced file clears it

Question

OneDrive for Mac: new-file uploads loop forever after a quiet period; editing any existing synced file clears it

Ulvi Yurtsever 0

Environment: OneDrive for Mac (App Store version), macOS 26.6.2, Apple Silicon MacBook Pro, personal account.

Symptom: After OneDrive has had no edits to existing files for a while (observed at about 14 and 21 minutes), the next new file added to OneDrive never finishes uploading. Sync Activity shows it retrying endlessly, and files added afterward queue behind it.

What clears it:

Appending one line to any already-synced file (echo x >> existing.txt). The stuck file uploads within a minute or two.
1. Quitting and restarting OneDrive, but the next new file gets stuck again.
Reproduction (2026-09-10):
1. Append a line to an already-synced file, then within 10 seconds create a new 5 KB file. It uploads normally.
2. 1. Leave OneDrive idle for 21 minutes (no activity in Sync Activity), then create a new 5 KB file. It gets stuck, retrying.
  2. 1. Append a line to an already-synced file. The stuck file uploads immediately.
  3. Ruled out: file type, content, and size (a PDF, an edited Excel file, and random 5 KB and 90 KB files were all affected); extended attributes (an attribute-free copy also got stuck); a single folder; invalid file names. The problem persisted through an OneDrive App Store update and a full OneDrive reset, over several days.

0 comments

2 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

Hi @Ulvi Yurtsever

This is a very useful reproduction, especially because editing an already-synced file immediately releases the queued new-file upload.

Based on the behavior you described, I would not focus on file type, filename, extended attributes, or the individual OneDrive folder anymore. You have already isolated most of those variables.

The pattern looks more like the OneDrive/File Provider sync pipeline is entering an idle state and failing to wake correctly when the next event is a newly created file. Modifying an existing synced file appears to generate a different change notification that wakes the sync engine and causes the pending upload queue to resume.

Since you are specifically using the Mac App Store version, I would run one additional A/B test:

Confirm your current OneDrive version.

Quit OneDrive.

Run the appropriate OneDrive reset command from the current app bundle.

Remove the App Store build.

Install the latest standalone OneDrive for Mac build directly from Microsoft.

Configure the same personal account.

Repeat your exact test:

modify an existing file

  create a small new file and confirm it uploads
  
     leave OneDrive idle for 20–25 minutes
     
        create another new file

Microsoft maintains separate App Store and standalone versions of OneDrive on macOS, and they should not be installed/configured for the same account at the same time.

If the standalone build does not reproduce the issue, that would strongly suggest something specific to the App Store build or its interaction with macOS File Provider.

If the same behavior occurs with both builds, I would consider this a strong candidate for a OneDrive/macOS File Provider bug rather than a local file problem.

I would also capture these details before opening a support case:

OneDrive version/build number

macOS version

exact idle interval before reproduction

timestamps for the new-file creation and existing-file modification

whether fileproviderd shows increased activity when the existing file is modified

whether the pending file appears immediately in OneDrive Sync Activity

Your reproduction is consistent enough that I would report it to Microsoft rather than continue resetting the client. Microsoft’s current macOS release notes include ongoing reliability fixes, but I could not find a documented known issue matching this exact idle/new-file pattern.

If this answer was helpful, please consider marking it as helpful or accepting it as the answer. It may also help other Mac users reproduce the same sync issue.Hi Ulvi,

This is a very useful reproduction, especially because editing an already-synced file immediately releases the queued new-file upload.

Based on the behavior you described, I would not focus on file type, filename, extended attributes, or the individual OneDrive folder anymore. You have already isolated most of those variables.

The pattern looks more like the OneDrive/File Provider sync pipeline is entering an idle state and failing to wake correctly when the next event is a newly created file. Modifying an existing synced file appears to generate a different change notification that wakes the sync engine and causes the pending upload queue to resume.

Since you are specifically using the Mac App Store version, I would run one additional A/B test:

Confirm your current OneDrive version.

Quit OneDrive.

Run the appropriate OneDrive reset command from the current app bundle.

Remove the App Store build.

Install the latest standalone OneDrive for Mac build directly from Microsoft.

Configure the same personal account.

Repeat your exact test:

modify an existing file

  create a small new file and confirm it uploads
  
     leave OneDrive idle for 20–25 minutes
     
        create another new file

Microsoft maintains separate App Store and standalone versions of OneDrive on macOS, and they should not be installed/configured for the same account at the same time.

If the standalone build does not reproduce the issue, that would strongly suggest something specific to the App Store build or its interaction with macOS File Provider.

If the same behavior occurs with both builds, I would consider this a strong candidate for a OneDrive/macOS File Provider bug rather than a local file problem.

I would also capture these details before opening a support case:

OneDrive version/build number

macOS version

exact idle interval before reproduction

timestamps for the new-file creation and existing-file modification

whether fileproviderd shows increased activity when the existing file is modified

whether the pending file appears immediately in OneDrive Sync Activity

Your reproduction is consistent enough that I would report it to Microsoft rather than continue resetting the client. Microsoft’s current macOS release notes include ongoing reliability fixes, but I could not find a documented known issue matching this exact idle/new-file pattern.

If this answer was helpful, please consider marking it as helpful or accepting it as the answer. It may also help other Mac users reproduce the same sync issue.

Answer 2

Ulvi Yurtsever 0

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll be staying on the App Store version of OneDrive, since that's the version Microsoft offers through the Mac App Store and it should work reliably, so I'd like this treated as a bug in that build.

Details for reproduction:

OneDrive (App Store): OneDrive Version: 26.158.0816.0002 (26.6.2)
macOS: 26.6.2
Idle interval before a new file gets stuck: observed at about 14 and 21 minutes

The reproduction above is consistent. Appending a line to any already-synced file releases the stuck upload every time, so that's my workaround for now. Hoping someone from the OneDrive team can pick this up.

Zahid Barrera Ramirez 25 Reputation points

2026-09-11T04:27:34.3633333+00:00
Thanks, @Ulvi Yurtsever

.With the additional build information and the consistent reproduction, I agree that this is reasonable to treat as a potential OneDrive for Mac bug rather than continue troubleshooting file-specific causes.

Your reproduction is particularly useful because it is deterministic:

OneDrive remains idle for approximately 14–21 minutes.

The next newly created file enters a retry loop and blocks subsequent uploads.

Modifying any already-synced file immediately wakes the sync pipeline and allows the queued new file to upload.

The behavior survives a OneDrive reset and an App Store update.

That strongly suggests an issue around the sync engine/File Provider wake-up path after an idle period rather than the file itself.

One other useful detail: your App Store build "26.158.0816.0002" is newer than the macOS production build currently listed in Microsoft's public OneDrive release notes. Microsoft notes that OneDrive updates roll out gradually, so devices can receive newer builds before the documentation is updated.

At this point I would recommend reporting this directly through OneDrive's feedback channel and including exactly the reproduction steps you posted here, along with:

OneDrive build: "26.158.0816.0002"

macOS: "26.6.2"

Apple Silicon

personal Microsoft account

observed idle intervals

exact timestamps for a stuck upload and the subsequent edit that releases it

If the OneDrive client offers Send feedback, I would submit it immediately after reproducing the stuck state so Microsoft has the best chance of correlating the report with client diagnostics.

I would also keep your current “edit an existing synced file” workaround for now, since it reliably clears the queue without resetting OneDrive.

I cannot escalate the issue directly to the OneDrive engineering team from Microsoft Q&A, but your reproduction is detailed enough to make a solid bug report.

If Microsoft publishes a fix or the issue disappears after a newer OneDrive build, please update this thread with the version number. That would be useful confirmation for anyone else reproducing the same behavior.

If this answer was helpful, please consider marking it as helpful or accepting it as the answer.