How to Fix “Error Code: 0x8007017B” on iCloud?

Many iCloud users on their Windows system started to face the error 0x8007017B when renaming, moving, or creating files/folders in the iCloud directory when using the Windows version of the iCloud app. This mainly happens when a user was running out of space on iCloud and tries to move essential contents through the iCloud app on his Windows PC to make space on iCloud.

In some cases, users could easily move files between the sub-directories of the iCloud drive but not to other Windows folders, whereas, some other users reported the issue even when creating, renaming, or moving files/folders between the sub-directories of the iCloud drive. Usually, the following type of message is shown:

The following can be categorized as the main reasons for the error 0x8007017B:

Update the PC’s Windows to the Latest Build

iCloud might show the error 0x8007017B when moving or renaming files if the system’s Windows is outdated as it can create incompatibility between the iCloud modules and OS components. Due to this incompatibility, iCloud modules could not execute properly and perform the designated action. Here, updating the PC’s Windows may solve the iCloud error at hand.

1. Click Windows and in the Windows Search, type Check for Updates.
2. Now open Check for Updates (System Settings) and in the Windows Update window, click on Check for Updates.

   

3. If updates for Windows are available, download and install the updates.
4. Once updates are installed, restart the system and again, open Windows Update System Settings.
5. Now, in the right pane, click on Advanced Options and open Optional Updates.

   

6. Then make sure to install Optional Updates as well and once done, restart the system.
7. Upon restart, check if iCloud is operating fine without showing error 0x8007017B.

Move the Problematic Folder and Files to the Root Directory of iCloud

iCloud is deeply rooted in the Apple ecosystem (iPhone, iPod, etc.) but that is not the case with the Windows version of iCloud. If the problematic files/folders are located in the sub-folders of the iCloud directory, then that may result in the error 0x8007017B as the sub-folders might have a permissions glitch and the system is failing to authenticate a user’s discretion to perform the required task. In this context, moving the problematic files or folders to the root directory of iCloud may solve the problem as these will inherit the iCloud Drive permissions.

1. Open the iCloud directory on the system and move the problematic files or folders to the root directory of iCloud (not in Desktop > Documents or in Downloads > sub-folders).

   

2. Once done and the changes are synced online, check if the problematic files or folders of iCloud can be successfully moved to other Windows folders or renamed.
3. If not, launch iCloud from the system tray and head to its Settings.
4. Now click on Sign Out and then confirm to Sign Out (do not close iCloud). 

   

5. Then open Windows Explorer by pressing the Windows + E keys and make sure to delete the iCloud directories.
6. Then switch to the iCloud window and sign in to iCloud.
7. Wait till the directories sync back and then check if iCloud is clear of the error 0x8007017B

Move iCloud Files and Folder to a USB Drive

If a user is not able to move files to the system’s internal disk due to a permission glitch as the iCloud Drive on a Windows PC is an emulated network drive, then moving the problematic iCloud files and folders to an external USB drive may solve the problem. This is because the permissions level of the USB drive may be the same as an emulated network drive (no Recycle Bin involved) and this may solve the problem.

1. Exit iCloud from the system tray and attach a USB device to the system.
2. Now open the USB drive in the Windows explorer and while keeping it open, launch iCloud.
3. Then drag/drop the problematic content from the iCloud directories to the USB drive and check if the move operation is successful without the error. If so, then move the required contents from the USB drive to the required location on the internal drive of the system. 

Move the Contents of the iCloud Directory to Documents

If there is an incompatibility between the iCloud app and Windows OS due to poor coding of the iCloud app, a user may face the error 0x8007017B as the system fails to confirm the user action on an emulated network drive i.e., iCloud Drive. Here, right-clicking the files/folders in the iCloud directory and moving to the Document may solve the problem.

1. Select the problematic files or folders in the iCloud and right-click on them.
2. Now, in the Context Menu, hover over Send To, and in the sub-menu select Documents.

   

3. Then open the Documents folder and check if the iCloud files/folders are present there. If so, you may move those to the required directory of Windows. If files/folders are not required in the iCloud directory, then a user may delete files/folders there.

Copy/Paste the contents of the iCloud Directory

The iCloud drive is an emulated network drive in the Windows OS. When an item on a network drive is deleted (moving is a type of deletion), the user is prompted that the item will be permanently deleted, not moved to Recycle Bin. Due to a design flaw in the iCloud app, the app does not give the user a warning and Windows cannot authorize the move command, resulting in error 0x8007017B. Here copying/pasting these files to the required folders and shift-deleting (no confirmation is required to perform the delete action) the files/folders from the iCloud directory may do the trick.

1. Open the iCloud directory and copy (Ctrl+C) the required files/folders.
2. Now press the Windows + E keys to open another Windows Explorer window and head to the location where a user wants to move the contents. In case of a Windows Store version of the iCloud app, make sure to enable Always Keep on This Device. In case of a large number of files, some users may prefer to create a ZIP or archive of the files in the iCloud directory and then copy it.
3. Then paste (Ctrl+V) the files there. In case of a ZIP or Archive, make sure to decompress it, once copied.

   

4. Once done, switch back to the iCloud window and select the problematic files/folders.
5. Then press the Shift + Delete keys (simple delete might not work) to check if the issue is resolved. If so, make sure to delete the files/folders from the Recycle Bin (if present).

If a user is interested in the time-stamps of the images (which may change during the copy/paste operation), he may use the date taken filter to sort the files/folders.

Uninstall the Microsoft Store Version of iCloud

You may face error 0x8007017B when moving or renaming files in iCloud directories if the Store version of the iCloud app is used as there is a reported bug in the app that causes this issue. In this scenario, uninstalling the Microsoft Store version of iCloud and installing the standalone version of iCloud may solve the problem.

1. Right-click Windows and select Apps & Features.

   

2. Now expand the iCloud options and select Uninstall.

   

3. Then follow the prompts on the screen to uninstall iCloud and once uninstalled, restart your system.
4. Upon restart, launch a web browser and head to the iCloud website.
5. Now click on Download Now and once the iCloud setup is downloaded, launch it as administrator.

   

6. Then follow the prompts on the screen to install iCloud. Make sure to install it to the system drive. 
7. Once installed, launch iCloud and sign in using your credentials.
8. Now, wait till the files/folders sync and then check if moving or renaming the file does not trigger the error 0x8007017B.

Download the Files from the iCloud Website and Delete Them Afterward

If none of the above worked, then a user may download the files directly from the iCloud website and afterward, delete the files from iCloud if not required.

1. Launch a web browser and head to the iCloud website.
2. Now log in using your credentials and head to the required category (like Photos).
3. Then select a photo by left-clicking it (a blue border will be shown around the phone) and scroll down.
4. Now hold the Shift key and left-click on the last photo required. Make sure to check the count on the top right of the page. It should be at max 1000 which is the maximum number of items that can be downloaded at once from the iCloud website.

   

5. Then click on the cloud symbol with the down arrow and wait till the photos are downloaded in the compressed photos. Make sure to decompress the downloaded ZIP. 
6. Repeat the same to download the required remaining items from the iCloud website and once downloaded, delete the items from the iCloud website.