# Active File Directory Sync Issues

<p class="callout danger">**Google Drive For Desktop** can’t (consistently) be used as an “active” file system</p>

All kinds of files don’t sync or bug out regardless of any of the tested variables below. Sometimes they eventually sync. Sometimes they never sync unless I do a re-installation. Sometimes files don’t download. Sometimes files don’t upload. Sometimes the application reports up-to-date but is decidedly-not-up-to-date. This is a well documented problem even though the file types are officially supported.

For the layperson: it means they could be working in the drive and think they’ve backed up all their files, but Google Drive is lying to you and being verrrrry naughty.

A use case of this is: CAD (Vectorworks etc) - we can’t use Google Drive for active file sharing.

Sometimes files disappear from your very eyes instead of uploading!

<table border="1" id="bkmrk-despite-being-offici" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><colgroup><col style="width: 50%;"></col><col style="width: 50%;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr><td>Despite being officially supported →

Here are some file-types that Google Drive can’t consistently handle with reliability:

- Project File Types: vwx .psd .ae .ai .pr .id .c4d
- 3D File Types: .obj .mtl .3ds .fbx
- Media File Types: .mov .mp4 .wav

Here are some other variables that I've tested:

- **Operating Systems:** Mac OS 12/13/14 + Windows 10/11  
    Intel, AMD, and Apple Silicone
- **ISPS**: Via Comcast, Pilot, Fios, Optimum and AT&amp;T
- **Drives**: 5400/7200, 2.5” SSDs, M2 drives
- **RAID**: 0/1/5 Configurations
- **FileSystems**: HFS, APFS, ExFAT, NTFS
- **File Sizes**: all of them

</td><td>[![image.png](http://tech-almanac.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-04/scaled-1680-/qj0image.png)](http://tech-almanac.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-04/qj0image.png)

</td></tr></tbody></table>

Since otherwise, Google DFD is a fantastic product (sincerely), I tried over many months to get it addressed with Google's support team (I made this graphic like half-way through). I post this here as posterity for anyone else who dares take the challenge.

<p class="callout info">TLDR : I eventually gave up and now I just accept that when Google Drive borks, it's easier to delete the local version, re-install and start over once again (and waste the bandwidth).</p>

[![image.png](http://tech-almanac.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-04/scaled-1680-/Nohimage.png)](http://tech-almanac.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-04/Nohimage.png)