by Chrome OS File Manager Google Drive Gateway sometimes doesn’t work properly. Many factors are ranging from insufficient local storage to temporary system problems, software bugs, interference from third-party applications, and more. This article will highlight 11 troubleshooting fixes to try if Google Drive Not Working on Chromebook.
Read: How to Restrict Sharing Options in Google Drive
Table of Contents
Google Drive Not Working on Chromebook?
1. Check Your Internet Connection
You can’t sync files to Google Drive on your Chromebook without an Internet connection. So the first step is to confirm that your Chromebook has access to the Internet. Go to any website on your device and check if the page loads. You can connect other devices to the same network as your Chromebook and check if the Internet is working for those devices as well.
If the problem persists, restart your Wi-Fi router, connect your Chromebook to the network, and go to Google Drive again. You should also consider moving your Chromebook closer to the router, boosting the router’s Wi-Fi signal, and updating your router’s firmware. Finally, contact your Internet service provider if you’re still having difficulty using the Internet on your Chromebook.
2. Close and Reopen the Files App
If your internet connection is good but Google Drive is not working, refreshing the Files app should solve the problem. This troubleshooting technique works for some Chromebook users who couldn’t find the Google Drive folder in the Files app.
To close the Files app, tap the x icon in the top right corner of the app window. You can also press Alt, select the Files app icon on the Chromebook shelf, and then select Close.
Launch the Files app again and check if the files synced with the Google Drive folder are accessible on other devices.
3. Check Your Device’s Storage
If your Chromebook doesn’t have enough storage space, uploading or importing files to Google Drive through the Files app may fail.
In the Files app, tap the menu icon in the upper-right corner to check your Chromebook’s free storage space. Otherwise, open Settings and go to Device > Storage Management.
If your device’s storage is low, check out this comprehensive tutorial on freeing up space and optimizing Google Drive storage on your Chromebook.
4. Check Google Drive Status
Server-side downtime can be the reason why Google Drive is not working. Use a real-time site monitoring tool like DownDetector to check the status of Google Drive servers.
If there is a problem with the Google Drive server, contact Google Drive support to report the service downtime.
5. Free up Google Storage
If you don’t have enough Google storage space, your Chromebook won’t sync files with Google Drive. Access your Google Account dashboard from a browser and check your Google storage space in the “Account storage” section.
If you’ve used up your Google storage, you can claim the free 100GB of Google One benefit available to new Chromebook users. If your device doesn’t qualify for this benefit, use Google’s “Storage Manager” to free up space on all Google services.
- Select Manage Storage from your Google Account Dashboard.
- Scroll down to the “Reclaim your space” section and select Free up account storage. This will launch Google Storage Manager, a tool that highlights files consuming your Google storage.
- To free up account space in a section, select “Review and then continue.”
- Select the files/items you no longer need and tap on the Trash icon in the top right corner to delete them permanently.
6. Update Your Chromebook
We found that Google Drive failure is prevalent on Chrome OS Build 81 to Build 84 when browsing this Chromebook community and Reddit thread. These versions of Chrome OS have bugs that impede integration with Google Drive’s Files app.
If your Chromebook is running these earlier versions of Chrome OS, install a stable update from the Settings menu.
Go to Settings > About Chrome OS and select Check for Updates.
If your device has already downloaded the update in the background, you may find a “Restart” button on this page. Tap Restart to install the Chrome OS update.
7. Reconnect Google Drive
This will remove Google Drive and re-add it to your Chromebook’s file manager. Close the Files app, launch the Settings app, expand the Advanced section, select Files, and enable Disconnect Google Drive Account.
Note that this does not disconnect or remove your Google Account from your Chromebook. Instead, turn off the Disconnect Google Drive account option, re-open the Files app, and check if you can sync files with Google Drive in the app.
8. Disable Your VPN
The following troubleshooting solution fixed the issue for some Chromebook users. If Google Drive doesn’t appear in your Chromebook’s file manager, close any active virtual private network (VPN) connections or apps, and check again.
9. Restart Your Chromebook
Performing a soft restart can speed up your Chromebook and fix other software problems. Close all active apps, power off your device, and turn it back on.
Tap the Time or Battery icon in Notification Center and select the Power button. Otherwise, press and hold the Power button on your Chromebook and select Shut Down.
Wait about a minute or two, then press the power button to restart your Chromebook, connect to the Internet, and launch the Files app.
10. Use the Google Drive App
If you can’t sync files from the Files app to the cloud, the standalone Google Drive app should work just fine. See it as a temporary solution to the problem.
Install Google Drive from the Play Store and see if you can sync files from your Chromebook to the cloud.
11. Powerwash Your Chromebook
If Google Drive still isn’t working in the Files app, consider resetting your Chromebook to factory default settings. However, before doing this, back up your files to an external storage device.
Open your Chromebook’s Settings, select Advanced, select Reset Settings, and select the Reset button.
At least one of these troubleshooting solutions should fix Google Drive not working on your Chromebook. If you’re still having problems, contact Google Drive Support or your Chromebook manufacturer.
