Fix Windows 10 Sync Center Not Working

Sync Center in Windows 10 lets you keep offline copies of files from network folders and sync them when you reconnect. When it stops working, you typically see errors like “The specified network name is no longer available” or sync simply doesn’t start. The fix usually involves restarting the Sync Center service, checking your network folder permissions, and resetting the sync partnership.

What Sync Center Actually Does

Sync Center is a legacy Windows feature designed for offline files. It works with files stored on a network share (like a server or another PC) and creates a local cache so you can work when disconnected. When you reconnect, it syncs changes both ways. It is not the same as OneDrive, SharePoint sync, or File History—those are separate tools. Sync Center is most useful in business environments with domain-joined PCs and SMB network shares.

Why Sync Center Stops Working

The most common causes are:

Offline Files service disabled – The “Offline Files” service must be running.
Group Policy restrictions – Some policies disable offline files entirely.
Network share unavailable – The server or share name changed, or the PC can’t reach it.
Corrupted cache – The local offline files database can get corrupted after a crash or forced shutdown.
Disk space issues – Offline files need free space on the system drive.
Permission changes – If your user account no longer has access to the network folder, sync fails.

Step-by-Step Fixes to Try

Work through these in order. Most users find the fix in the first two steps.

Restart the Offline Files service – Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter. Find “Offline Files” in the list. If it’s not running, right-click it and select Start. If it is running, right-click and choose Restart. Set its startup type to Automatic if it isn’t already.
Check Sync Center settings – Open Sync Center (search “Sync Center” in the Start menu). Click “Manage offline files” on the left. Under the General tab, make sure Offline Files is enabled. If it says “Disabled,” click “Enable Offline Files” and restart your PC.
Verify network share access – Open File Explorer and navigate to the network folder you’re trying to sync. If you can’t access it, sync won’t work. Check that the server is online, the share name is correct, and you have read/write permissions.
Reset the sync partnership – In Sync Center, click “View sync partnerships.” Right-click the problematic partnership and choose “Delete.” Then re-create it by right-clicking the network folder in File Explorer and selecting “Always available offline.”
Clear the offline files cache – Open “Manage offline files,” go to the Disk Usage tab, and click “Delete temporary files.” This clears the cache without removing your offline copies. If that doesn’t help, you may need to reset the cache entirely: open an elevated Command Prompt and run REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\NetCache" /v FormatDatabase /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f, then restart. This forces Windows to rebuild the offline files database.
Check Group Policy – If you’re on a managed PC, a policy may be blocking offline files. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Network > Offline Files. Ensure “Allow or disallow use of the Offline Files feature” is set to Enabled or Not Configured.

How to Prevent Future Sync Issues

Once sync is working again, a few habits reduce the chance of it breaking:

Always use “Safely Remove Hardware” or disconnect network drives gracefully before shutting down.
Keep your system drive from filling up—offline files can use several gigabytes.
Regularly check that your network credentials haven’t expired (especially on domain accounts).
If you move to a different network (e.g., from office to home), wait for the sync to complete before disconnecting again.

Sync Center vs. OneDrive vs. Work Folders

Sync Center is often confused with OneDrive, but they serve different purposes. OneDrive syncs files to the cloud and across devices; Sync Center only works with on-premises network shares. Work Folders is another Microsoft feature that syncs files from a server to a PC, but it’s managed separately and doesn’t use Sync Center. If you’re trying to sync files from SharePoint or Teams, use the OneDrive sync client, not Sync Center.

When to Give Up on Sync Center

If you’ve tried all the steps above and sync still fails, consider whether you actually need this legacy feature. For most home users, cloud storage or a simple folder copy is easier. For businesses, moving to OneDrive for Business or Work Folders often provides a more reliable experience. Sync Center is still supported in Windows 10, but Microsoft has not added significant improvements in years.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Sync Center say “The specified network name is no longer available”?

This error usually means the network share is temporarily unreachable. Check your network connection, confirm the server is online, and try again. If the share is on a VPN, make sure the VPN is connected.

Can I sync files from a USB drive with Sync Center?

No, Sync Center only works with network folders (UNC paths or mapped drives). It does not support USB drives or external hard drives.

Will Sync Center sync my desktop and Documents folders?

Only if those folders are redirected to a network share via Group Policy. By default, Sync Center syncs only the specific network folders you mark as “Always available offline.”

Does Sync Center work in Windows 11?

Yes, Sync Center is still present in Windows 11, but it’s hidden and often disabled by default. The same troubleshooting steps apply.

How do I stop a sync that’s stuck?

Open Sync Center, click “View sync partnerships,” right-click the partnership, and choose “Stop.” If that doesn’t work, restart the Offline Files service or reboot your PC.

Is there a way to see what files failed to sync?

Yes, in Sync Center, click “View sync results” to see a list of sync attempts and errors. Double-click an error to see which files failed.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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