It’s not uncommon to have upload issues with Word, especially when trying to upload files on cloud platforms. From checking the internet connectivity, changing file name, or updating Office, hopefully, one of our below solutions will help you troubleshoot the Microsoft Word upload pending error.
What Is Microsoft Word Upload Pending Error?
Microsoft Word allows you to upload documents directly to OneDrive, ensuring you can share and collaborate with others and access them from anywhere. But sometimes, the upload process gets stuck, making you lose unsaved changes.
The error mainly appears if you don’t have file ownership, or if it has an unsupported name. Extensions and add-ins can also interfere with the upload process and cause the problem at hand.
1. Try the Basic Repairs
One of the prime reasons behind the Microsoft Word upload pending error is a weak internet connection. As it turns out, you must be connected to a strong and stable connection to keep uploading files to OneDrive in real-time. If this isn’t the case, you’ll face various uploading issues.
Check your connection stability and speed by visiting an internet speed-checking website. If the results show comparatively lower speed and stability, check out our guide on how to diagnose a connection issue.
If OneDrive servers are currently facing downtime, you will not be able to upload files to the platform. In this case, visit the Microsoft Office service status website, and check the OneDrive status. If its service is down, you can’t do much other than wait until the problem is resolved.
OneDrive offers 5GB of free storage when you open a Microsoft account. This amount of storage will be insufficient, especially if you habitually upload large files on OneDrive.
So, if you run into an upload pending error, there’s a high possibility you might have run out of storage on OneDrive. To confirm this, open OneDrive on the web and check the storage status at the bottom-left corner.
If you’re out of space, you can either delete unnecessary items or purchase Microsoft 365 (rebranded from Office 365 in 2020), offering 1TB OneDrive storage and a license to all Office applications.
2. Save the File With a Different Name
The error can quickly be resolved by changing the file name when uploading it. This mainly applies in conditions where the file doesn’t belong to you or came from an external source.
You might still encounter the issue if you use Save. Instead, you will have to use the Save as feature to save the file with another name before uploading it to OneDrive.
Click on File at the top bar. Choose Save As from the left pane. Choose OneDrive as the storage location. This time, give a different file name and click on Save.
3. Take Ownership of the File
If you’re still facing the problem, even after saving the file with a different name, it indicates that you don’t have full access to it. This will often happen when the document comes from an external source.
As a solution, you will have to take full ownership of the file. Follow the below instructions to do it.
Right-click on the File you want to upload and choose Properties from the context menu. Click on the Security tab and select the Advanced option. Click on Change next to the Owner description. Choose the Advanced option from the prompt that appears. Click on Find now. Select the user to whom you want to grant full access to the selected file and click on OK. Close all the windows. Right-click on the File again and choose Properties, and then Security. Navigate to Advanced option > Add. Choose Select a principal next to the Principal description. Click on Advanced > Find now. Choose the account and click on OK. Checkmark Full control. Click on OK > Apply > OK.
4. Open Microsoft Word in Safe Mode
The next solution on the list is to use the try-out Safe Mode feature for Microsoft Office. In Safe Mode, Office apps load without any extensions and add-ins.
To open Microsoft Word in Safe Mode, open the Run dialog box, type winword / safe, and press Enter.
If you’re able to upload the file to OneDrive without an issue in Safe Mode, an installed extension or add-in is probably causing the problem. You can disable it by following the below steps.
Open Word > File > More > Options. Select Add-ins from the left pane. Click on the drop-down icon next to Manage and choose COM Add-ins. Click on Go. Uncheck all the Add-ins to disable them. To narrow down which add-in is exactly causing the problem, slowly re-enable each add-in, and upload files to OneDrive until the issue arises again. Once you nail which add-in is the culprit, select it and click on the Remove button.
5. Repair Microsoft Office
The upload pending error can result due to corruption in Microsoft Office. You’ll have to use the Office repair feature to get rid of these corrupt files. Here’s how.
Press Win + I to open the Settings menu. Head towards Apps > Apps & features. Click on the three dots next to Microsoft Office and choose Modify from the context menu. Select Online Repair. Click on Repair > Repair.
Microsoft Office will now detect and fix any corruption in the suite.
6. Download the Latest Microsoft Office Update
Using an outdated Windows Office is another primary reason behind the problem at hand. As a solution, consider downloading the latest Office update.
Launch Microsoft Word > File. Select Account from the left pane. Click Update Options, and select Update Now from the context menu.
After downloading the update, reboot the system, and you’ll see that you are no longer facing the problem.
Microsoft Word Upload Pending Error, Fixed
We hope the above solutions helped troubleshoot the problem. Like most uploading issues, Microsoft Word upload pending error mainly results from a weak internet connection. So, whenever you face this issue, check your connection first before diving into other solutions.
