Solved: How to Pause OneDrive Sync

Learn how to pause OneDrive sync with our detailed step-by-step guide. Keep your files safe and secure while taking control of your OneDrive sync settings.

Introduction

OneDrive is a cloud storage service that allows you to access your files from any device and share them with others. However, there may be times when you want to pause the sync process temporarily, for example, when you are using a metered or slow internet connection, or when you need to free up some disk space.

If you want to temporarily or permanently stop OneDrive backup without deleting files, you can either pause or disable OneDrive sync. Pausing OneDrive sync will suspend all file uploads and downloads for a certain period of time, while disabling OneDrive sync will turn off OneDrive completely and remove it from your computer. In this article, we will show you how to pause and resume OneDrive sync in Windows and Mac OS.

Method 1: Pause OneDrive Sync

Pause OneDrive sync in Windows via Taskbar

Step 1: Select the white or blue OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area on the right side of the taskbar.

Step 2: Right-click the OneDrive icon and select Pause syncing.

Step 3: Choose how long you want to pause syncing for: 2 hours, 8 hours, or 24 hours. You can also select Resume syncing to resume it immediately.

Step 4: Check that the OneDrive icon has a paused symbol on it. This means that OneDrive is not syncing your files until the time you specified.

Pause OneDrive sync in Windows via Settings

Step 1: Click on the OneDrive icon in the system tray on the bottom right of your screen.

Step 2: Click on the three-dot menu icon and select “Settings.”

Step 3: In the “Account” tab, click on the “Stop sync” button.

Step 4: Choose how long you want to pause syncing for by selecting an option from the drop-down menu. You can choose to pause for 2, 8, or 24 hours.

Step 5: Click on “OK” to confirm your selection.

Pause OneDrive Sync via Task Manager

Step 1: Press “Ctrl + Shift + Esc” to open Task Manager.

Step 2: Go to the “Processes” tab.

Step 3: Find “OneDrive.exe” in the list and click on it.

Step 4: Click on the “End Task” button.

Step 5: OneDrive sync will be paused until you restart it.

Resume OneDrive sync in Windows via Taskbar

Step 1: Select the white or blue OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area on the right side of the taskbar.

Step 2: Right-click the OneDrive icon and select Resume syncing. You can also select Pause syncing and choose a different time period if you want to extend the pause.

Step 3: Check that the OneDrive icon has a green check mark on it. This means that OneDrive is syncing your files normally.

Resume OneDrive sync in Windows via Settings

Step 1: Follow the steps above to open the OneDrive settings.

Step 2: In the “Account” tab, click on the “Resume syncing” button.

Step 3: OneDrive will resume syncing your files immediately.

Pause OneDrive sync in Mac OS via Menu Bar

Step 1: Select the white or blue OneDrive cloud icon in the menu bar at the top of the screen.

Step 2: Click (or CTRL-click) the OneDrive icon and select Pause Syncing.

Step 3: Choose how long you want to pause syncing for: 2 hours, 8 hours, or 24 hours. You can also select Resume Syncing to resume it immediately.

Step 4: Check that the OneDrive icon has a paused symbol on it. This means that OneDrive is not syncing your files until the time you specified.

Pause OneDrive sync in Mac OS via Preference

Step 1: Click on the OneDrive icon in the menu bar on the top right of your screen.

Step 2: Click on the three-dot menu icon and select “Preferences.”

Step 3: In the “Account” tab, click on the “Stop Sync” button.

Step 4: Choose how long you want to pause syncing for by selecting an option from the drop-down menu. You can choose to pause for 2, 8, or 24 hours.

Step 5: Click on “OK” to confirm your selection.

Pause OneDrive Sync in Mac OS via Terminal

Step 1: Open Terminal by pressing “Command + Space” and typing “Terminal” in the Spotlight search bar.

Step 2: Type “killall OneDrive” in the Terminal window and press “Enter.”

Step 3: OneDrive sync will be paused until you restart it.

Resume OneDrive sync in Mac OS

Step 1: Select the white or blue OneDrive cloud icon in the menu bar at the top of the screen.

Step 2: Click (or CTRL-click) the OneDrive icon and select Resume Syncing. You can also select Pause Syncing and choose a different time period if you want to extend the pause.

Step 3: Check that the OneDrive icon has a green check mark on it. This means that OneDrive is syncing your files normally.

Method 2: Disable OneDrive in the Registry

Disabling OneDrive in the Windows Registry is one of the easiest and most effective ways to turn it off. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.

Step 2: Type “regedit” and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.

Step 3: Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows.

Step 4: Right-click on the Windows folder and select New > Key.

Step 5: Name the new key “OneDrive” (without the quotes).

Step 6: Right-click on the OneDrive key and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.

Step 7: Name the new DWORD value “DisableFileSync” (without the quotes).

Step 8: Double-click on the DisableFileSync value and set its value data to 1.

Step 9: Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.

Method 3: Disable OneDrive Using Group Policy

If you’re using Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education, you can use Group Policy to disable OneDrive. Here’s how:

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.

Step 2: Type “gpedit.msc” and press Enter to open the Local Group Policy Editor.

Step 3: Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > OneDrive.

Step 4: Double-click on the “Prevent the usage of OneDrive for file storage” policy.

Step 5: Select the “Enabled” option.

Step 6: Click “Apply” and then “OK“.

Step 7: Close the Local Group Policy Editor and restart your computer.

Conclusion

We hope this article helped you learn how to pause and resume OneDrive sync on your device. If you have any questions or feedback, please let us know in the comments below. Thank you for using OneDrive!