Error: "OneDrive needs your attention" or "Can't upload files" in OneDrive for Business on your Mac


Symptoms

You receive the following message in OneDrive on your Mac:

OneDrive needs your attention

Can't upload files
View sync problems

example screenshot

Cause

You may have files or folders inside the OneDrive folder on your Mac which contain characters not allowed in OneDrive for Business. As a result, these files or folders will not sync to OneDrive.

NOTE: If a folder name contains errors, it may prevent all of the sub-folders or files inside that folder from syncing, as well.

EXAMPLE: You cannot have a space at the beginning or at the end of a file name or folder name. Also, the following characters cannot be in any part of a file or folder name:

" * : < > ? / \ |

Resolution

Bring your file and folder names within the allowed parameters by renaming them to remove illegal characters.


OUTCOME

All of your files/folders in OneDrive for Business will sync as expected to your TTU Microsoft 365 account.