pCloud has been around for a long time, and a lot of people still rely on it for saving photos, files, and work data. Even with many cloud services out there like Dropbox, Google Drive, MEGA, and Terabox in the market, users stick with pCloud for reasons like lifetime plans and access across devices. It fits easily into daily use, and for many people, it becomes part of their regular routine without much thought.
Lately, a growing number of users have noticed that pCloud does not behave the way it used to. Files may stop syncing, uploads may stay pending, and the desktop app may fail to open the drive at all. This is reported more often by Mac and Windows users compared to mobile devices. In some cases, the app shows everything is uploaded, while new files are still missing. In others, permission warnings or system messages block access completely.
After seeing these reports and facing similar trouble ourselves, we decided to put this guide together. Below you will find a set of fixes that we recommend trying on Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android.
How to Fix pCloud Not Working on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS
Restart the pCloud Desktop App
If pCloud looks fine, but files are not uploading, this is a quick check worth trying. The app can stay open for long hours, and the sync process may stop responding in the background.
- So, make sure you quit pCloud from the system tray or menu bar and not just close the window.
- After that, wait a few seconds so it fully shuts down, then open it again.
Reset pCloud Completely and Reinstall It
If you are using a Mac and pCloud has completely stopped working or is not syncing, this is one of the first fixes worth trying. When the drive will not mount, or the app keeps failing after reinstalling, it usually means old files or permission settings are still stuck in the system.
So, try the following steps:
- First of all, uninstall pCloud fully from your Mac and unlink your account. Do not leave any pCloud files behind on the system.
- Open the Terminal app and remove the hidden pCloud folder by running rm -r .pcloud
- In Terminal, reset user permissions by typing diskutil resetUserPermissions / \id -u“
- Now, install the latest version of macFUSE to allow drive mounting on macOS.
- After that, download the latest version of pCloud and install it on your Mac.
- Restart your Mac before logging into pCloud.
- After the restart, open pCloud and sign in normally.
While the above steps we mentioned are for Mac, you should try same on your Windows machine also by completely uninstalling and reinstalling.
Check for pCloud App Updates
pCloud apps are updated often, and older versions tend to fall behind fast across all devices. This applies to Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Linux.
So, open the pCloud app on your device and check the update section or the app store you downloaded it from. Install the latest version available.
Sign Out and Sign Back In
Another step that the pCloud team often points users to is signing out of the app and logging back in to clear the current session. Open the pCloud app > account settings > sign out, then log in again using your details.
Check Privacy and Security Settings on Mac
If you are on a Mac and the pCloud drive will not mount, this is an important thing to check. macOS may block the system extension that pCloud needs to show the drive.
- Open System Settings and go to Privacy and Security.
- Scroll down to the Security section and look for a message about allowing software from “PCLOUD LTD” or “Benjamin Fleischer.”
- If you see it, allow the extension and then restart your Mac.
- After the restart, open pCloud again and try mounting the drive.
Reinstall a Different pCloud Version
In many cases, the issue is tied to a specific app release. We have seen this happen, and many users have shared the same experience online. If the latest version does not fix the issue, try installing an older release.
Before doing this, make sure pCloud is fully removed from your device so no old files are left behind. After that, download an earlier version from a trusted source and install it. After signing in, check if syncing and drive access work as expected.
Try Enabling or Disabling VPN
Your internet route can play a role in how pCloud communicates with its servers. If you are using a VPN, try turning it off and then reopening the pCloud app. If you normally do not use a VPN, try enabling one and check again.
Contact pCloud Support
If none of the methods above made a difference, the last option is reaching out to pCloud support. You can email support@pcloud.com and explain the issue in detail. Most replies are automated at first and usually arrive within a few hours. A personal response about your case often comes within two days. Once they reply, try the fixes they suggest and see if that clears the issue.
That’s it, folks. The methods shared in this article solve most pCloud issues, including cases where syncing fails or the app stops working. Hope this helped. Feel free to share it and let us know which method worked for you or if you found another workaround.
