My files don't download to my computer

Files show in your Drime folder but won't open offline, or never appear on your computer? Online-only files, folder selection and sync errors explained.

Updated October 21, 2026Windows

Drime Desktop Preferences, Sync: default sync preference, Warn before deletions and Selective sync

Symptoms

Files show in the Drime folder but do not open without internet.
Some folders never appear on your computer.
Files stay in a waiting state and never finish downloading.

Possible causes

Files are online-only by default: they are listed, but only downloaded when you open them.
Some folders are unchecked in Drive folder selection.
A sync error, the network or a paused sync blocks the download.

How to fix it

#Keep files on your computer

In File Explorer, right-click the file or folder and choose “Always keep on this device”. Or, in Drime Desktop, open Preferences > Storage > Manage hard drive space and choose Make available offline. See Online-only and offline files.

To keep every new file on your computer, set Default sync preference to Available offline in Preferences > Sync.

#Couldn't make files available offline

The download failed. Check your connection and try again. If The sync engine isn't running. Wait a few seconds and try again appears, Drime is starting or restarting its sync: wait a moment, then try again.

#Bring back missing folders

In Preferences > Sync > Drive folder selection, click Choose folders and tick them. See Choose which folders sync to your computer.

#Unblock the sync

Check the Drime icon: is sync paused or offline? See Check your sync status.
Not enough disk space on your computer stops downloads: Not enough disk space. Make files online-only, or clear the files Drime kept aside on this computer: see Free up space from Drime Desktop.
Open the account menu > Issues for errors: see Fix desktop sync errors. A name that Windows does not allow (characters such as : or ?, a name ending with a dot) keeps a file off your computer: click Rename on Drime on the issue.

#Messages in Issues

Message	What to do
The file is locked by another program	Close the program that has the file open, then wait for sync to retry.
The file path is too long	Shorten the names of the file or its folders on Drime, or move it higher up.
A file with the same name (different case) already exists	Windows sees "Report.pdf" and "report.pdf" as the same name: rename one of them on Drime.
Access denied, check the file permissions	Check that your Windows account can write to that folder.
Drime storage quota exceeded	Your Drime storage is full. See My storage is full.
You are offline. Syncing resumes as soon as the network is back.	Check your internet connection: sync restarts on its own.

#Folder selection errors

If Unable to load the folder selection or Unable to apply the changes appears in Drive folder selection, check your connection, close the dialog and open it again.

Still stuck?

If files still do not download, send your desktop logs to support.

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