Dear readers! Let us discuss a frequent issue in the Google service – “Google Drive File Stream,” where users struggle with smooth file streaming. Read further to know the ways to resolve the problem and continue streaming.

Access Google Drive with a free Google account (for personal use) or Google Workspace account (for business use). From your Web browser, go to the Google Drive File Stream home page. On the Google Drive Help page, click on Download for Windows. In the following pop-up window, click Save File. If you’re prompted to enter a location in which to save the installer file, titled googledrivefilestream.exe, save the file. You should see Drive File Stream listed there, with a status of 'Enabled': Highlight the Google Drive File Stream entry and click the Disable button on the lower right to toggle the entry to 'Disabled': Close the Task Manager. And finally, if Drive File Stream is running on your desktop, close it now. People with regular accounts have to use the Backup and Sync app while business owners can download Drive File Stream. The Google Drive app for PC does not let you view the files in its interface. This video will show how to install Drive File Stream for Windows PCs. From Google Drive clicking the settings gear will get you to this Google Help Centr.

Know More About Google Drive File Stream

Google Drive File Stream is a desktop application provided by Google Drive, which stores data online, to allow synchronization with the file system to access the data offline. The data can be modified too as per the requirements of the users, and update to Google Drive when you are online.

Issues with Google Drive File Stream

Most users who benefit from the Google Drive File Stream application also encounter different issues at some point in time. Here are some of the common issues.

Poor or no synchronization (Sync) of files between Google Drive and System Drive
Sync process got stuck and displaying “Preparing for sync” message for a long time
Getting sync failure error message like “Authorization failure: No longer permitted to view the file.”
Failure in file modification due to a claim that it is a web-based Google document and cannot be modified
Sudden stoppage of file synchronization

These issues cannot be ignored; for the continuous use of the File Stream application, one must work to fix these problems.

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The Common Reasons for “Google Drive File Stream Not Working” Problem

The main reasons for this error are:

Outdated, corrupted cached folder/files
No storage space on the drive
Blocking of features by the Firewall/Antivirus
Poor Internet Connectivity
Outdated operating system/File Stream application
Interference of other Google Cloud Services

Methods to Fix “Google Drive File Stream Not Working” Problem

We have a few manual ways which can help you to resolve the problem related to “Google Drive File Stream Not Working.” You can try one after the other until your issue is fixed.

Try Disabling Firewall and Anti-virus Programs:
Firewall and Anti-virus applications may block the Google Drive File Stream functionalities.
To check if this was the problem, just disable the installed Firewall and Anti-virus applications for some time, and check if the Google Drive file streaming resumes or not. If it does, the problem is solved. Keep it disabled until the streaming is completed.
Try Checking and Modifying Network Connectivity to VPN
For proper file streaming, the network connection needs to be clear and strong.
So, try checking the current internet connection and its settings. As ISPs are suspected of blocking certain services of applications, it is suggested to shift the internet connection from ISPs to VPN permanently for Google Drive file streaming.
Try Renaming the Google Drive File Stream Folder
The outdated or corrupted cache is a reason for the issue in Google Drive file streaming. So, it must be either deleted or renamed.
Here are the simple steps to rename the Google Drive File Stream Cached Folder.
1. First, close the running Google Drive file stream application.
2. Run Command Prompt as an administrator.
3. Execute the following command.
4. Now, look out for the folder and rename it with any name.
5. Reboot the system once and start the Google Drive file stream application again.
6. This time the streaming may work fine.
Try Updating the File Stream Application
The updates from Google are meant to improve the security and fix any bugs in the previous versions. So, the user should update the Google Drive File Stream application to the latest version if not updated yet. Then try to perform the file streaming through the latest application version.
Note: Make sure the old version of the Google Drive File Stream application is uninstalled from the Control Panel and not available on the system anymore.
Try updating the Operating System
Old operating system versions do not include the latest updates required for running the newly installed applications and drivers smoothly.
Get your Windows operating system updated with the latest available version (Windows 10) and then see the difference in the functioning of the Google Drive File Stream.
Try disabling other Instances of Google Cloud Services
Try disabling Google Backup & Sync if it is running. To disable the running Google Backup & Sync application, users can run the Task Manager on their systems, select the program, and click on the End Process option to close the application securely. Then start Google Drive File Stream and check if the synchronization is going well or not.
Try Saving Google Drive File Stream files Offline
To access and download the Google Drive file folder offline, follow these steps.
1. Open the File Explorer window on your system.
2. Move to the left panel and click on the Google Drive File Stream (G) drive to open it.
3. Double-click on any Drive from the right panel to open it.
4. Next, the folders or files will get retrieved from the selected Drive. Select one or multiple files/folders, right-click, and follow Drive File Stream>Available Offline.
5. Proceed to download the selected files on your system.
Try Uninstalling Chrome Remote Desktop
If you are running Chrome Remote Desktop, then you should uninstall it as it does not function well with the Google Drive File Stream application, affecting its synchronization.
Go to the Control Panel on your system, click on Programs and Features, select the Chrome Remote Desktop, and click on Uninstall option.

So, we have discussed multiple methods to fix the “Google Drive File Stream Not Working” issue.

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More Information

Download google drive file stream windows 10

If others have shared files and folders with you, then you will see those files and folder in 'Shared with me'. These files and folders will not sync to Google Drive folder on your computer unless you add them to 'My Drive' or individual folder

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