Onedrive pauses itself

This usually points to OneDrive either auto-pausing because of the PC/network state, or getting stuck while processing changes and then stopping again.

Try this in order:

1. Check whether OneDrive is auto-pausing
   • OneDrive automatically pauses when the PC enters battery saver mode or when connected to a metered network.
   • If that applies, turn off battery saver or change the network from metered, then test again after restart.
2. Check why it is stuck on Processing changes Common causes include:
   • a OneDrive file is still open
   • a lot of files were added
   • a very large file was added
   • OneDrive is not signed in
   • the PC was just updated or OneDrive was just signed in
3. If a file is open, close it
   • If OneDrive is processing changes because a file is open, close the file and wait for sync to continue.
4. Check for large or problematic files
   • Very large files can delay sync.
   • If Outlook data files such as PST or OST are inside the OneDrive folder, move them out of the OneDrive storage folder or stop syncing folders that contain them.
   • Any OneDrive log files named aria-debug can be safely deleted.
5. Confirm OneDrive is signed in
   • If the password was changed recently, OneDrive may need sign-in again.
6. Pause and resume once more
   • Right-click the OneDrive icon on the taskbar.
   • Select Pause syncing and choose 2, 8, or 24 hours.
   • Then select the paused OneDrive icon and use the resume control in the activity center.
   • This is specifically recommended when OneDrive shows Processing changes for a long time.
7. If it still keeps pausing, restart the app
   • Right-click the OneDrive icon.
   • Select Pause syncing and then Quit OneDrive.
   • Start OneDrive again from Start.
8. If the issue continues, reset the OneDrive connection
   • Try unlinking and re-linking OneDrive.
   • If the OneDrive icon is missing after this behavior starts, OneDrive may not be running and should be restarted from Start or Finder.

If OneDrive never stays running after Windows starts, one known cause is a Group Policy setting that prevents onedrive.exe from starting. In that case, the relevant registry value is:

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\OneDrive
• DisableFileSyncNGSC = DWORD:1

Changing the registry can cause serious problems if done incorrectly, and if the value is enforced by Group Policy it will be reapplied. The supported fix is for the organization administrator to remove or change that policy.

References:

• How to Pause and Resume OneDrive Sync | Microsoft Support
• Troubleshoot OneDrive Sync Issues: Stuck on "Processing Changes" | Microsoft Support
• How to cancel or stop sync in OneDrive | Microsoft Support
• Fix OneDrive sync problems | Microsoft Support
• OneDrive won't start | Microsoft Support