Why can't I add a folder to OneDrive right now?

You may fail to upload your files to OneDrive with the following notification, "Sorry, OneDrive can't add your folder right now", which makes you feel frustrated. The possible reasons may include insufficient storage space, unsteady internet connection, file name or size issues, etc. Below, let's explore some common ways to address the error for good.

How to fix sorry OneDrive can't add your folder right now

To resolve the OneDrive error "Sorry, OneDrive can't add your folder right now", you can try to restart your computer and OneDrive, and then follow the suggestions below.

Way 1. Change the Require Check Out option

When your OneDrive can't add any folder, you may turn on the Require Check Out option in OneDrive. To turn off the option, you need the appropriate permissions within the library. Here is the guide:

1. Go to SharePoint library you are working on, select the Settings icon on the top right near your name > click Library > click on Library Settings and then select Versioning Settings.

2. Change Require Check Out from Yes to No.

Way 2. Change any required columns

When you encounter the "Sorry, OneDrive can't add your folder right now" error in Windows 10/11, it sometimes can be related to required columns or settings within the library that are causing limitations or conflicts during the synchronization process. Deleting or modifying these settings may help resolve the issue. Here are steps to consider:

1. Go to Library Settings > check each column for a checkmark under the Required tab.

2. For any columns that have the checkmark, choose No for Require that this column contains information.

Way 3. Change the Draft Item Security option

The OneDrive error "can't add your folder right now" appears when the Draft Item Security option is set to only users who can edit items. So read the steps to change the Draft Item Security option to any user who can read items to make OneDrive work again.

1. In Library Settings, select Versioning Settings.

2. Set Draft Item Security to Any user who can read items.

Way 4. Use an internal OneDrive account

The "sorry OneDrive can't add your folder right now" issue may occur when you are not using an account within your team. So please ensure that you're using an account that's internal to your organization for syncing content. Using guest or external accounts is not supported for syncing.

Way 5. Check internet connection

OneDrive is an online storage service, so ensuring a stable internet connection is necessary for file synchronization.

By verifying your internet connection's reliability and testing on an alternative network, you can rule out connectivity issues as a potential cause of errors when adding folders to OneDrive. If the problem persists after confirming a stable internet connection, you can proceed with the following ways.

Way 6. Update OneDrive

Manually updating OneDrive can help ensure that you have the latest version with bug fixes and improvements, which may resolve the error. Here's how to manually update OneDrive:

1. Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run.

2. Copy and paste the following command into the Run:

%localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\update

3. Click OK to run the command. This will trigger an update of the OneDrive application.

4. After the update is finished, restart your computer and open OneDrive again.

Way 7. Reinstall OneDrive

Having a fresh installation of OneDrive may resolve the can't add folder to OneDrive error message. Here is the guide.

1. Open the Control Panel on your computer by inputting it in your search box.

2. Click on Uninstall a program under the Programs section.

3. In the list of installed programs, locate and select OneDrive.

4. Click Uninstall and follow the on-screen prompts to remove OneDrive from your computer.

5. Once OneDrive is uninstalled, visit the official OneDrive website to download the latest version of OneDrive and try to use OneDrive again.

Way 8. Check file and folder limitations and permissions

If you encounter Sorry OneDrive can't add your folder right now on Windows 11 when adding a specific folder, it may be due to certain characteristics of that folder, such as a long file name, special characters, or an unsupported file type. To resolve this issue, you can try renaming the file or folder, or check your user account has the necessary target folder's permissions and then attempt to add it to OneDrive again.

Here check the file limitations of OneDrive: Restrictions and limitations in OneDrive and SharePoint.

Here you can check the necessary permission, follow the listed steps:

1. Right-click on the target folder and then select Properties from the list.

2. Go to Security > check the necessary permissions and you can click Edit to assign the required permissions.

Way 9. Check OneDrive account storage

Sorry, we can't add your OneDrive folder right now - the OneDrive error can also be triggered by a lack of available storage space in your OneDrive account. To resolve this issue, you have a few options: delete unnecessary files, upgrade your OneDrive plan, or get unlimited OneDrive storage for free.

Better available way to sync files to OneDrive error-free

OneDrive is an excellent cloud storage service by Microsoft that provides seamless synchronization of data. However, it may bring errors when you use it, like the annoying message - OneDrive can't add your folder right now.

To avoid taking a lot of time to search for suitable solutions to fix the error, you can opt to use an error-free tool to sync your data to OneDrive. CBackup, a free backup service, can be suitable software that enables you to sync files to OneDrive with ease.

It not only supports you to sync files to OneDrive, but also can sync local folders to Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.   

You can sync multiple local files or folders, even the whole PC to OneDrive with one click. Also, you can sync one cloud to another cloud, like sync OneDrive to Google Drive.

In addition to syncing files to clouds, you can also use OneDrive for backup with its Backup function, manage unlimited file backup versions, and restore files as needed.   

Read the following guide to learn how to sync files on your PC to OneDrive.

1. Sign up for a CBackup account. Download and launch CBackup on your PC and then sign in with your account.

2. Add OneDrive as your storage space. Under Storage, click OneDrive, and tap Authorize Now. Then, sign in to your OneDrive account and wait to grant CBackup access to your OneDrive.

3. Create a new sync task. Under Sync, click Sync PC to Public Cloud.

4. Select files and the sync destination. Choose files you want to sync to OneDrive, click a OneDrive folder as your target, and then hit Start Sync.

▩ Tip: You can set an auto-sync task to OneDrive by clicking Settings > Scheduler > tick Set a Sync schedule for automated Sync and then set the time for your files.

Sum up

There are common solutions to the error "Sorry, OneDrive can't add your folder right now". If you are bothered by the error, follow the above methods to fix the problem. In order to avoid any annoying OneDrive sync errors, you can choose to use CBackup to sync all files to OneDrive. Besides that, you can create backup task from PC to OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.