Slow Uploads on Google Drive: How to Fix (2024)

Cloud storage makes sharing and accessing files so much easier than traditional , so its’ rising popularity should come as no surprise. As long as you have a stable internet connection, you can access your data anywhere in the world, and you don’t have to worry about which device you’re using. People and businesses alike use these services every day in both personal and professional contexts.

Google Drive is one of the most popular cloud storage options available today. This is partially due to the fact that it is free and easy to use. However, that doesn’t mean Google Drive is without its’ unique issues. Slow download and upload speeds are a common issue, but this can usually be fixed in just a few steps. This article will walk you through a handful of potential solutions.

Increase Your Google Drive Upload Speed

There are a number of solutions that can help you increase your upload speed. This article will cover common, simple solutions, as well as a more in-depth technical option. Keep in mind that these methods will also impact your Google Drive download speed.

Drive on Desktop

Google Drive for desktop is much more simple than it was a few years ago; it acts purely as a cloud storage folder, and is accessed the same way that you would access a physical storage folder on your hard drive. Unfortunately, Desktop Google Drive itself has very few options as far as settings and preferences go. Enter Back Up and Drive from Google.

Released in 2017, Back Up and Sync is an application and service provided by Google that allows you to automatically back up any desired files to Google Drive. While Google Drive itself many not have many options as far as preferences and settings are concerned, Back Up and Sync does have preferences that you can adjust that could be affecting your upload/download speed; upload and download speed limits. Take the following steps to adjust the upload and download speed limits through Back Up and Sync:

1. Click on the Backup and Sync icon (a small cloud) on your taskbar; this should open a small window showing your recent google drive uploads. Click on the gear (settings) icon and select preferences
   
2. At the bottom of the preferences page, select network settings.
   
3. Under Proxy Settings, ensure that you have “Auto-detect” selected.
   
4. Under Bandwith Settings, ensure that you have “Don’t limit” selected for both Download rate and Upload rate.
   

Drive on Web Browser

While using google drive on your web browser, the browser itself can become overloaded. In some cases, all you need to do in order to improve the download and upload speed is to free up some memory.

Clearing the Browser Cache

You make your browser more efficient by cleaning up the cache, which will free up a lot of memory. Follow these steps for a clear cache:

1. Open your browser (This tutorial will use Google Chrome, but the steps are simillar for most browsers.)
   

   

2. Use the following shortcut: CTRL + SHIFT + DELETE (Cmd + Y for Mac users). You need to press these keys simultaneously in order to make the shortcut work, and then you’ll be redirected to the Clear Browsing Data window.
   

   

3. Select the “All Time” option from the drop-down menu located on the top of the page.
   

   

4. Select all of the checkboxes that you wish to clear. It is recommended that you clear cookies and cached images/files at a bare minimum.
   

   

5. Press Clear Browsing Data.
   

   

If you’d like to save your stored passwords, auto-fill form data, etc. make sure to leave those boxes unchecked while clearing data from your web browser. Saving your passwords and auto-fill form data doesn’t require much memory, and therefore shouldn’t affect your upload/download speeds too much.

Use Hardware Acceleration on Google Chrome

This method is meant for those who are using the Google Drive cloud service specifically on Google Chrome. The steps are quite simple.

1. Open Google Chrome and then click on the three dots icon – this is the “Customize and Control Google Chrome” option.
   
2. From there, select Settings.
   
3. On the left side of the page, look for the drop-down menu that says “Advanced.” Click to expand, and select “System.”
   
4. In the System field, look for the “Use Hardware Acceleration When Available” box. Click the slider to turn this setting on.
   

General Drive Solutions

The following solutions can help on any device that you are using google drive on while connected to Wifi, including the desktop, browser, and mobile versions.

Determining the Source of Bandwidth Bottleneck

One of the best ways to speed up your Google Drive upload is to determine why it’s slow in the first place. Whether you’re using a mobile device or a computer, running a speed test is going to give you an idea of whether or not it’s the internet connection or your hardware that is causing slow upload/download speeds.

Speedtest® is an excellent tool that many users find helpful for determining their upload and download speeds.

Speedtest is Available for iOS and Android mobile download, as well as desktop versions. It allows you to get a fast and accurate measure of your upload and download speeds. If you notice that your upload and download speeds are significantly lower than what was advertised through your ISP (internet service provider,) it is a good idea to contact the ISP and inquire about why you are not getting the full up/down speed that you are paying for.

Configure your LAN Settings

If you are using the internet over a router, you can set up specific options that can help you with your Google Drive upload and download speed. All that you need to do is adjust the LAN Settings from the Control Panel.

1. Open the Control Panel and Select “Network and Internet.” Then select “Internet Options.”

   

2. Select the “Connections” Tab. Look for the “LAN Settings” button and select it. The button should be located in the Local Area Network (LAN) settings field.

   

3. A new window will appear, allowing you to adjust certain the LAN settings. Select the “Automatically detect settings” option, and your work here is done. Click on OK to exit the setup.

Getting Technical

If you’re really tech-savvy you can always use Rclone for faster Google Drive uploads. Available for desktops (Linux, macOS, Windows), this software is free and available on GitHub.

You will need to understand commands and scripts to pull this one off but it does increase the speeds of cloud-based services such as Google Drive, One Drive, and even DropBox. It will let you apply encryptions to your backups as well.

Start with a download from a web browser, follow the instructions for setting up the remotes, and set your backup settings. You can upload files in bulk meaning that Rclone will net your faster upload speeds.

Troubleshooting

It’s also helpful to analyze what you’re uploading. Smaller files should upload fairly quickly while larger ones may take a while. Interestingly, you may not notice the additional files that are uploading causing the speeds to slow. If there is a lot of unnecessary information uploading, you may want to adjust your backup settings in Google Drive

For a quick fix, simply uploading from a different wireless network in a different location (private networks will typically always be faster than public ones,) or turning off your Wifi on a data-enabled device may help your upload speed to Google Drive.

The source that you’re using is another factor. If you’re using the web browser and it’s running painfully slow, try switching to another one. For example: if you’re using Chrome, try Firefox or one of the many lighter web browsers available.

Enjoy Faster Google Drive Upload Speeds

Test out different methods and monitor how the changes impact your Google Drive download and upload speeds. Many users report that the upload speeds vary depending on their location, the size of the files, and which source they’re using (the web browser, app, mobile data, wifi, etc.).

If you’re having issues with slow upload speeds, try the solutions in this article; they should help to increase your speed, or at least narrow down the underlying issue.

Have any tips, tricks, or questions related to increasing your upload speed on Google Drive? Let us know in the comments below.