How to Fix Google Drive Waiting for Wi-Fi on Android?

The “Waiting for Wi-Fi” message appears when Google Drive thinks your Wi-Fi is not good enough for uploading. When this happens, Drive stops the upload and waits until it feels the connection is safe to use.

Before trying any fixes, check these simple things first:

• Your phone is really connected to Wi-Fi.
• Your internet is working on other apps.
• You are not on hotel or café Wi-Fi that needs you to sign in first.

If any of these are not working properly, Drive will keep showing the message.

Why Google Drive Gets Stuck?

This problem usually happens because your phone thinks your Wi-Fi is not safe, not strong, or has limits. Common reasons include:

• Upload over Wi-Fi only is turned on.
• Your Wi-Fi is marked as metered or treated like a hotspot.
• A VPN is changing your network.
• Data Saver or Battery Saver is blocking background uploads.
• Google Drive is not allowed to use background data.
• Old or broken app files (cache) are causing confusion.

1. Restart Your Phone

This simple restart fixes small network errors. It refreshes your phone and helps Drive check the Wi-Fi again.

1. Hold the Power button.
2. Tap Restart.
3. Try uploading again.

2. Disconnect Any VPN & Turn Off Mobile Data

A VPN or mobile data can confuse Drive and make it think your Wi-Fi is limited. Turning them off helps Drive understand your connection correctly.

1. Turn the VPN off.
2. Turn off Mobile Data.
3. Try uploading again.

3. Turn Off “Upload Via Wi-Fi Only”

If this option is on, Drive will upload only when your Wi-Fi looks perfect. If the Wi-Fi seems weak or limited, Drive will stop. Turning this off lets Drive upload even if Wi-Fi is not perfect.

1. Open Google Drive.
2. Tap the menu icon (three lines).
3. Go to Settings.
4. Find Upload files only over Wi-Fi.
5. Turn it off.

4. Turn Off Data Saver / Battery Saver

These modes stop apps from using the internet freely. When they are active, Google Drive may pause the upload.

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Network & internet → Data Saver and turn it off.
3. Go to Battery → Battery Saver and turn it off.
4. Try uploading again.

5. Allow Unrestricted Background Data for Drive

If Drive is not allowed to use background data, uploads may stay stuck. Turning this on lets Drive upload even when the app is not open.

1. Hold the Drive app → tap App info.
2. Tap Mobile data & Wi-Fi.
3. Turn on Unrestricted data usage.

6. Mark Your Wi-Fi as Unmetered

If your phone thinks your Wi-Fi has limits, Drive will block uploads to save data. Marking the connection as “unmetered” tells your phone it’s safe to use for uploading.

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Network settings → Wi-Fi.
3. Select your connected Wi-Fi network.
4. Tap Network usage.
5. Choose Treat as unmetered.

7. Clear Google Drive Cache

Sometimes old app files cause wrong network detection. Clearing the cache helps Drive refresh its settings. This does not delete your files.

1. Hold the Drive app → tap App info.
2. Go to Storage & cache.
3. Tap Clear cache.

8. Reinstall Google Drive

If nothing helps, the app may be damaged. Reinstalling gives you a fresh, clean version that checks the network correctly.

1. Open the Play Store or App Store.
2. Search for Google Drive.
3. Uninstall it → install again.

Once reinstalled, try uploading your files again.

Note for iPhone Users: iPhones do not have metered Wi-Fi settings. Just turn off Low Data Mode, turn off VPN, and update or reinstall Google Drive.