Troubleshoot Google Docs, Sheets, Slides & Forms error message: "Something went wrong"

If you get an error message such as "Something went wrong. Reload" or "Unable to load file" preventing you from making edits on your Docs, Slides, or Sheets, you can troubleshoot the issue. If you urgently need to access a file and resume your progress, you can use workarounds to resume your workflow.

Other common error messages:

  • "Encountered an error. Please try reloading this page, or coming back to it in a few minutes."
  • "A server error occurred. Please press 'Reload' in your browser."

Basic troubleshooting

Wait five minutes and reload

Sometimes you might see an error message and the error will resolve itself. Wait for five minutes and reload the page.

Improve your internet connection

If you have a poor internet connection, you can try moving to a location where the internet is more reliable. Alternatively, you can also try using a cable connection when possible.

Update your outdated software or device

If you use an older computer or browser, it might not meet the system requirements for Docs, Slides or Sheets. You can also try to open the same file in another device. If you can open the same document on a different computer, the issue may be specific to your device. You can update your browser to the latest version.

The browser saves your opened tabs and windows and reopens them automatically when it restarts. Your Incognito windows won't reopen when Chrome restarts.

Try a different browser

If you frequently see error messages when using your regular browser, try a different browser.

Share edit access with other accounts

You can share edit access of your file with another account and edit the file using a different account. You can share the file in Google Drive without opening the file.

Troubleshoot error message: "Sorry, the file you have requested does not exist"

Advanced troubleshooting

Clear your cache and cookies

Browsers sometimes "remember" certain pages to load them quickly. In the process, they might memorize an error page and keep showing it to you and trigger an error message. You can help reset this by clearing your cache and cookies.

Tip: If you're using other browsers, you can also clear cache & cookies on Safari, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge.

Turn off extensions

Turn on offline mode (Chrome browser only)

Clear hosted app data (Chrome browser only)

Hosted app data refers to data from the apps you've added to Chrome from the Chrome Web Store. You can clear hosted app data to help resolve the issue.

  1. On your computer, open Google Chrome.
  2. At the top, click Chrome and then Clear browsing data.
  3. Click Advanced.
  4. Select Hosted app data.
  5. Click Clear data.

Import your file's data from a new spreadsheet (Google Sheets only)

If the issue appears on Google Sheets and creating a copy of your file in Drive doesn't work, you can use IMPORTRANGE to import your data to a new spreadsheet to preserve your data. To use IMPORTRANGE(), you need to know your original file's URL and tab name.

Important: Any formulas from the original Sheet won't be imported to your new Sheets after using IMPORTRANGE().

Steps to resume your workflow

Create a copy of your file in Drive

You can create a copy of the file and access the new copy on Google Drive if the error message in Slides, Sheets or Docs blocks you from making edits on your file. You may continue editing on the newly copied file.

  1. On your computer, open Google Drive.
  2. Right-click the file.
  3. Click Make a copy.

Tip: You may need to wait a few seconds to see the copied file in the same location as your original file.

Download and then upload a file

If the error message is blocking you from making edits on your current file, you can also try to download your files to your computer from Google Drive and upload the file back to Google Drive. This process will create a new file that contains the same content.

Download a file

  1. On your computer, open Google Drive.
  2. Right-click the file.
  3. Click Download.

Upload a file

  1. On your computer, open Google Drive.
  2. Click New.
  3. Click File Upload.
  4. Upload the file .

Important: This process may lose some features in your downloaded file, like revision history, after you download your file.

Download your file in Drive and work locally

You can also download your files to your computer and save your progress using Google Drive. You can continue to work on your progress by opening the downloaded file from your computer if the supported software has been installed. When the error message is recovered, you can upload the downloaded file back to Google Drive or simply copy and paste the new progress to the original file.

Important: You might lose certain features, like revision history, if you download your file and work locally.

Help us improve & find help in the community

If you still see reload errors, you can ask for help or report the problem.

  • If you still have any questions, you can visit the Google Docs Editors Help Community to ask for help.
  • To report an issue, open your Docs, Sheets, Slides file and at the top, click Help and then Help us improve.

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