How to tell a real sync failure from normal unlock behavior, and how to recover edits from the Desktop Assistant that didn't reach Canopy.
Required: The Canopy Desktop Assistant installed and signed in on your computer.
Why it Matters: An edit that doesn't sync leaves an out-of-date workpaper in the client's files. Recovering it from your computer saves redoing the work.
Table of Contents
Is It a Sync Failure?
A file that's still locked isn't always a failure. These are normal:
An edited file unlocks only after you save and close the app.
A file you opened but didn't change unlocks 30 seconds after you close the app, with a countdown.
A file opened in an app the Desktop Assistant can't detect, like a PDF in a browser, stays locked until you click Sync to Canopy.
👉 Learn more: How-to Video: Edit a File With the Desktop Assistant.
It's a sync failure when the Open edits tab shows an error for the file.
That happens when your computer loses its internet connection or crashes, a coworker unlocks the file while you're editing it, or the file was saved with Save As, renamed or moved. Your edited copy is kept in the Failed Uploads folder.
Recover Edits From the Failed Uploads Folder
Heads up: Reinstalling the Desktop Assistant or clearing its app state deletes this folder. Copy your files out first.
To find your edits on Windows:
Open File Explorer, click View, and turn on Hidden items.
Go to This PC > Local Disk (C:) > Users > [your user folder] > AppData > Roaming > Canopy Desktop Assistant > files.
Upload the file you need to the client's files in Canopy.
To find your edits on Mac:
In Finder, open Macintosh HD > Users.
Open the Canopy Desktop Assistant folder, then [your user folder] > files.
Installed for just you: it's in your user folder.
Installed for everyone on the Mac: it's in Shared.
Upload the file you need to the client's files in Canopy.
Note: If you closed the file without saving, your changes may not be in this folder.
Windows, step 2:
Mac, step 2:
Troubleshooting
I see a message when I click Edit file:
The Desktop Assistant isn't open or isn't signed in. Open it, sign in, and try again.
Adobe Reader always uses Save As instead of Save:
In Adobe Reader, go to Menu > Preferences > Security (Enhanced) and turn off Enable Protected Mode at startup.
The file opens in the wrong app:
Change your computer's default app for that file type: Windows instructions or Mac instructions.
I can't edit a file at all:
The Desktop Assistant edits .csv, .doc, .docx, .ods, .odt, .pdf, .xls and .xlsx files up to 100MB.
A file is locked in the Canopy Virtual Drive (odrive):
Contact odrive support. They manage that integration and can clear the lock.
Summary
A locked file is a sync failure only when the Open edits tab shows an error for it. Your edited copy waits in the Failed Uploads folder until you upload it to Canopy.
Need Help?
Need help? Contact Support or ask Penny, our AI Support Bot, for assistance.