Couldn’t Be Uploaded Try Uploading the File Again Later, Fix
Reading Time: 4 minutes Some users have said that they are unable to upload files to iCloud Drive. Users have said that they receive an error message saying “File name” couldn’t be uploaded. Try uploading the file again later”. You can upload files from your computer, iPad or iPhone, using a browser such as Safari, on iCloud.com. You can upload files and folders by simply dragging them to the iCloud Drive window and by clicking the Upload icon. Then these files will be available to you on all of your devices as long as iCloud Drive is enabled and you’re signed in with the same Apple ID on each device.
You can use this method to upload documents, photos or videos. In this article, I explain what you can do if iCloud fails to upload files and folders.
Check iCloud Drive system status
iCloud Drive may not work properly because there may be an iCloud Drive outage. The first step for you is to check to see if iCloud Drive status. If iCloud Drive is having system issues, this means that the problem is not on your end. This also means that the only thing you can do is to wait for Apple to fix it and then you can try uploading again. Here is how:
- Open your browser like Safari.
- Visit the Apple System Status site.
- This page lists out all of Apple services, find iCloud Drive. This page will let you know if there are any service disruptions or outages.
Check your Internet connection
Your upload may not work because the problem lies with your internet connection. If your Mac is not connected to the Internet, iCloud Drive upload will not work. Because this service requires an Internet connection. Ensure that your device, your iPhone, iPad, Mac or PC, has a Wi-Fi connection or a cellular-data connection. If you are having issues, you can try:
- Restart your device.
- Restart your router.
- If applicable, turn on Airplane Mode and then turn off.
Sign out of iCloud and then sign back in
Sometimes just signing out and then signing back in may fix this problem. Follow these steps:
- On iCloud.com, click your name and then click Sign Out.
- Restart your device.
- Open your browser again then sign in to iCloud.com with your Apple ID.
- Try to upload your files.
Check your Antivirus or Firewall software
Do you have a third-party antivirus, security, or firewall app? They may be blocking your iCloud connection. What you can do is to disable this app. After disabling, open iCloud.com and then try to upload a file? Does it work? If it works now, then this means that your iCloud traffic is blocked by this third-party app. If this is the case, you have these options:
- Remove this app. You may not need it anyway.
- Check your antivirus, security or firewall app settings and ensure that iCloud traffic is not blocked. You may want to contact the developer of the app for further help if you do not know how you can do this.
Rename your file
Sometimes, strange things may happen for no apparent reason. Some characters in filenames and folders may cause this problem. Change the file or folder name you want to upload to iCloud. Please ensure that:
- Do not use characters like these: #, @, %, &, $, >, {,],\,^,~ etc.
- Ensure that all letters are lowercase.
- Ensure that the name is not too long.
- Do not use spaces in names.
Clear your cache
Clear the browser cache to see if this fixes the problem. Here is how:
- Clear your browsing history in Safari on Mac (you can also see our article: How to Clear the Browser Cache in Safari on Mac)
- Clear the history and cookies from Safari on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
If you are using other browsers, check their support website if you do not know how to do this.
Try a different browser
If nothing above fixes the problem for you, try a different browser to access iCloud.com. The problem can be the browser you are using. For example, if you are using Safari, close Safari and try Chrome. If you are Chrome, try Firefox.
And please ensure that you are using the latest software version of the browser.
See also:
I have this problem with iCloud drive. I tried it from different divices, browser and in safe mode; from iOs and from macOs. The problem seems to be related to large files or multiple large files. One file close to but smaller then 10 Gb will not upload at all. Files around 4 to 6 Gb can be uploade one by one but sometimes can’t be uploaded. Few files uploaded together do not upload generally. Apple support don’t help much to resolve the problem or simply admit it comes from the iCloud service.