Google Drive is among the most popular cloud storage platforms. It allows users to gain quick access to their files whenever they need it. Google Drive’s simple operation to create, edit and copy files is very convenient. Yet, there are some times when Google Drive experience unstable performance. Many users have reported an error while creating a copy in Google Drive.
In general terms, Google Drive not creating a copy might be due to the browser. Conflicts within the browser, accumulation, or corruption of cache can hinder its performance. Also, plugins and other browser extensions can also cause failure in copying files.
Due to Google Drive Server Status or no storage in the user’s drive might not allow copying of files. This article is for those users who are facing this issue while copying files within their Google Drive. These easy fixes can resolve your error allowing you to copy your favorite files.
Using Google Workspace as your new daily
Workspace features numerous apps to create, edit and share content with everyone around the globe. Some of the notable apps are:
- Docs: An online word processor by Google. It is used to create, edit and share text documents.
- Sheets: An online spreadsheet application by Google. It is used to create, edit and share spreadsheets.
- Slides: An online presentation application by Google. It is used to create, edit and share presentations.
- Forms: An online survey conducting application by Google. It is used to create, edit and conduct surveys.
- Drawings: An online creative suite by Google. It is used to create, edit and share flowcharts, website wireframes, etc.
- Sites: An online web page creation tool. It is used to create, edit and share websites.
How to Fix The Creating Copy Error
Before considering any of the following methods, check Google Drive’s daily upload limit. Google allows a limit of 750 GB daily. This is a global uploading capacity of Google Drive, just make sure that if you upload something it does not exceed this limit.
After that, try using these effective methods to solve your problem.
Method 1: Check the status of the Google Drive Server
Users can face issues such as file creation or copying files if the Google Drive server is unstable. Yet, server downtime happens rarely. Users can navigate to G Suite Status Dashboard to check the server status. If you see a green sign, kindly continue to methods to find a fix.
Method 2: Check your Google Drive Storage
For free accounts, Google Drive provides a storage space of 15GB. If you need more storage, consider upgrading your account. Other Google services such as Google Photos and Gmail will use the same storage. As the storage space becomes full, files cannot be further duplicated.
Want to check your Drive storage? Log in to your Google Drive account and check here to check. If your storage space is full, you have found your fix for the Google Drive error in creating a copy. The best course of action is either upgrading your account or delete some files to free up space.
Method 3: Use Incognito Window From Your Browser
A corrupted or infected cache file will affect the user’s ability to use the Google Drive web app. To get around your history, cache, or cookies, try using Incognito mode by the following steps:
Step 1: Open your browser and press Ctrl + Shift + N to open Incognito Mode.
Step 2: Log in to your Google Drive Account. Give it a try to see if the Google Drive Error in creating a copy is gone.
Method 4: Clearing Browsing and Cache Data
Give clearing your browsing data a try. If cookies or corrupt cache accumulate in your browser, it will create errors. There is no harm in clearing the browser cache to avoid getting Google Drive Copy errors.
Step 1: Open your browser and click on the three dots (more options) icon. Then move to the More Tools option and select Clear browsing data.
Step 2: Underneath the Advanced Tab, select All Time as the Time Range. After that check all options that you want to clear and click on the Clear Data button.
Note: Clearing data can clear your login information for the browser you are using. So, you will have to log in to your Google Drive account again to check the resolution of the error.
Method 5: Turn off Plugins or Browser Extensions.
Many users take the help of plug-ins or extensions to help with their work. If they stop optimized working, they can cause Google Drive Creating Copy error. Follow the steps below to disable plugins or extensions from your web browser.
Step 1: In your browser, navigate to the extensions tab to view all installed extensions.
Step 2: Click on the Manage Extensions tab located at the end of the menu.
Remove all extensions that you think are the root cause of the Google Drive Create Copy Error and then restart your browser.
Method 6: Turn Off Automatic Backup on Google Drive.
Some users have Google Drive Automated Backup enabled on their devices. This process runs in the background and takes periodic backups of the added devices. Over time, the storage quota for your Google Drive Storage gets full. This happens because Google Drive takes backup of unwanted or duplicate files. To stop this, users need to disable the automated feature of the Google Drive Backup service. Follow these options for your ease:
Step 1: Stop web-based syncing on Google Drive
- Head over to Google Drive and log in with your credentials.
- Click the Gear icon located on the top right corner and click on “Settings”.
- In the General section, scroll down to the “Offline” title and confirm that the box is unchecked.
This removes all local copies that are consuming storage on your Google Drive.
Step 2: Turn off Google Drive Backup.
- For those users who are using Google Drive on their Personal Computers, click on the “Backup and Sync” icon on your system tray.
- By clicking on the three dots located in the right-hand corner, a drop-down menu will appear. Here you can manually pause or resume your backup syncing process.
- Select the preferences option and then click on the Google Drive Tab.
- Uncheck the “Sync My Drive” option.
This option will remove folders synced with your desktop, saving storage on google drive.
Why can’t I make a copy of a folder in Google Drive?
There is no specific option to copy a folder with all content from Google Drive. Instead, you have to navigate to the folder and copy the contents. Then head over to the main directory, where you can create a new folder and paste everything there. After this process, everything should move into the new folder you created.
How do you force Google Drive to make a copy?
If you want to force Google Drive to make a copy of your desired file. Follow these steps:
- Right-click on the file.
- Navigate to the Make a Copy option.
- Click this option to generate a copy.
- Rename it or let it remain as it is.
Can’t make a copy of Google Slides?
To go to the Google Slides Creation Suite and then follow these steps:
- Open the file you want to create a copy of.
- In the tools pane, click on the File option.
- Select Make a Copy from the dropdown menu.
- This user interface lets you create a copy of the entire slide or select specific slides to copy.
Why do my Google Docs keep saying error?
Google Docs can give an error due to corrupt cache data. The best course of action is to clear the cache and cookies from your browser and retry. In most cases, offline access is disabled which means that a version of your document is not saved as a temporary file. If you are facing internet connectivity issues, there is a high probability that you will be unable to view your files. Verify that your internet is working and try again.
How long does Google Drive take to generate a copy?
The time required to generate a copy depends on the size of the selected file and the integrity of the internet connection. According to many users, a 2 GB file can take up to an hour to upload. Many users use smaller files that can be quickly downloaded or shared whenever needed. Save space on your Google drive by storing only important items.
Why is Google Drive taking so long to generate a copy?
Google Drive’s ability to generate a copy for your desired file depends on many variables. Internet speed, server bandwidth, browser speed, etc all contribute towards copying speed. If the user feels that the copying process is taking a long time, then make sure that there is ample space and the internet is running smoothly.
In case none of the above-mentioned methods works, try using a different browser. This way you can get easy access to your Google Drive without hiccups. As a last resort, there is a fallback option. Google Backup utility can fix this problem. If there are bugs in your browser, the Backup utility can check the source code and restore the browser. All configurations will return back to their standard-setting and resolve all bugs.
Conclusion
Usually, the above-mentioned methods can easily fix the Google Drive Copy Creating Error. If you have ample space in your drive and still facing this issue, maybe this is a problem at Google’s end. We recommend that you wait for some time so that Google resolves the server issue itself. Which method helped you resolve your issue? Let us know in the comments box below.
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