Low disk space warning in pCloud Drive

Understand why pCloud Drive shows a low disk space warning, how local caching works during file transfers, and how to adjust settings or use alternative upload methods.

You may see a warning that pCloud Drive may not behave properly due to low free space on your local hard disk. 

This happens when your computer does not have enough available space for pCloud Drive to temporarily store data during file transfers. 

Why this happens

When you copy large files to pCloud Drive, the application uses part of your local disk space as a temporary cache. This helps to:

  • Upload files more efficiently.
  • Prevent interruptions if your Internet connection is unstable. 

If your system has very limited free space, pCloud Drive cannot allocate the required cache. As a result:

  • File transfers may slow down.
  • Upload performance may be affected.

How to resolve the issue

You can adjust the disk space usage settings:

  1. Open pCloud Drive Preferences (on macOS: Settings)
  2. Go to Settings -> Disk Usage
  3. Reduce the value of Disk Space

This allows pCloud Drive to use less local space for caching. 

Alternative recommendation

For large uploads, we recommend using the Upload feature in pCloud Drive instead of copying and pasting files directly. 

Uploading files this way:

  • Does not rely on local disk caching. 
  • Provides a more stable transfer process. 
  • Reduces the risk of interruptions due to low disk space. 
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Files Not Recommended for Sync, Back up, or Upload

Learn which file types should be avoided when using Sync, Back up, or Upload in pCloud, why conflicted copies occur, and how to exclude problematic files to ensure smooth transfers.

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Troubleshooting Sync, Back up, and Upload issues

Learn how to resolve common issues with Sync, Back up, and Upload in pCloud Drive, including permission errors, read-only files, and missing folders.

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