Google Pixel 7 photos, contacts, messages or account data will not sync

The checks in more detail

Check that the phone is online, either on Wi-Fi or mobile data, since sync cannot run offline, and that Data saver and Battery saver are not blocking background data in Settings, Network and internet, Data saver. Google's account help lists the same steps, and the reason is often that the background restrictions on the phone are stopping the services. If the account shows Needs attention, you probably have to sign in again, because a password change, a security check or a long gap invalidated the sign-in. Tap the message and enter the password, or remove the account and add it again, remembering that removing an account takes its local data and you should confirm the data is in the cloud first.

Check the date and time, set to automatic, as a wrong clock breaks the secure connection. For photos, open the Google Photos app and check that Backup is on and the right account is chosen, and that the backup is not waiting for Wi-Fi only. For contacts, open Contacts settings and check the default account for new contacts. Clear the cache of Google Play services in Settings, Apps, See all apps, Show system, Google Play services, Storage, Clear cache, and restart. Update the phone and the Google apps. Look at Google's status dashboard for an outage.

If one account fails on every device, check the account's own security page for a lock or a recovery request. If sync works on Wi-Fi but not on mobile data, check the account's sync settings and the carrier's restrictions, and check that Data usage for Google services is not limited in Settings, Network and internet, Data saver, Unrestricted data. If you recently changed your password on another device, the Pixel asks you to sign in again, which is a security feature and not a fault, and a short notification may be hiding in the shade.