Google Drive Files Missing – 6 Ways to Solve the Error

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Working with Google Drive can be irritating sometimes. A random keypress and some of your files are deleted. Or you open Google Drive someday and you see there are some missing files. So if you are dealing with Google Drive files missing errors and looking for ways to get back your files. Then I am here to help you out.

I will be talking about how you can recover missing files on Google Drive. But before I do so, let’s just know what files go missing in Google Drive.

So here we go:

Why Google Drive Files Are Missing?

Google Drive is one of the leading cloud storages services available out there. This makes it extremely reliable, and issues like missing files is not something you should face.

However, there are lots of users who have reported that there are certain files that have gone missing from their Drive. And there could be a couple of reasons why this happens. Such as:

  • You may have unknowingly deleted your files.
  • You may not be logged into the right Google Drive Account.
  • Google may have deleted the files for privacy or security reasons.
  • Maybe, the file you are looking for is shared by someone, and the person has revoked your access.
  • Maybe you are using Disk scanning or backup software that locks out Google Drive.
  • Google Drive may be dealing with some technical issues.
  • Maybe your Antivirus application is not letting you see some files on Google Drive.

So these are a few reasons why you might not see your files on Google Drive. However, fixing the issue isn’t that complicated. And below are some of the quick hacks that you can try out:

Read How to Upload Large Files to Google Drive

Google Drive Files missing- Ways to solve the issue

1. Check Activity Panel

Activity panel is a useful feature of Google Drive that tracks all the changes you make on Drive. This will help you know whether you have mistakenly deleted the files or not.

To check the activity panel, follow the below steps:

  • At first, log in to your Google Drive account.
  • Then click on the info icon located under your profile picture.
  • Switch to the Activity tab.
Google Drive Files Missing- Acitivity Panel
  • Over here, you will get to see all the activities with their date.
  • Look for any file changes or if you have deleted any files.

2. Restore From Trash

In case if you have deleted the files mistakenly or unknowingly, then you can recover them from the trash folder. However, the only condition is that you can recover files within 30 days of deletion. So if you have deleted your files long back, there is no way to recover them.

If you have deleted your files recently, then follow the below steps to recover them:

  • Go to Google Drive and sign into your account.
  • Click on Trash from the sidebar.
  • Over here, look for the files you have deleted.
  • Then right-click on it and select restore.
Restore files from Trash

Read How To Password Protect Google Drive Folder

3. Try Incognito Mode 

Maybe your files are not deleted, instead, they are invisible to you because of a cache issue. And the best fix to this issue is to try out the incognito mode.

To launch an invisible tab on your browser by pressing CTRL+ SHIFT+N on Chrome. Or CTRL+SHIFT+P for Mozilla Firefox.

Then head over to drive.google.com and see if you can see your missing files. In case if you do see the missing files, do download them and make a copy.

4. Change a Browser or Computer

You can also try switching to another browser or a computer to look for the missing files on Google Drive. And below are the steps that you have to follow:

  • At first, check if the browser you are using is having some issues related to connection or cache.
  • Select another browser from your computer and access Google Drive from there.
  • If the problem is occurring because of your previous browser. Then all your missing files on Google Drive should appear on your new browser.
  • In case if your files are still missing, then try to change your computer and see if it solves the issue or not.

Read How to transfer ownership of Google Drive Files

5. Restore from Admin Console

You can also try restoring Google Drive missing files using the Admin Console. However, this method will only work for those who don’t have a personal account. Instead, the account is connected to a certain company or group.

So in case, if you meet the requirements, then do follow the below steps:

  • At first, sign in to your Google Admin console using your Administrator account.
  • Next, go to Apps and select the G Suite and then tap on Drive and Docs option.
  • Click on Manage Team Drives and then click on Filter to choose a Filter Option.
  • On the right side, you should find a Restore option.
  • Finally, select the data range for file restoration and click on Restore Data to get back your files.

6. Submit Request to Google Drive Support

If none of the above methods worked for you, then you have to contact Google Drive support for further help. To get help from Google Drive, do follow the below steps:

  • Go to Google and search and visit the Google Drive Help page.
  • Then click on the Contact Us option from the top right corner.
  • Select missing or deleted files and then select Email support.
  • After that, fill in all the information and click on submit to send your request to Google Drive support.

Once done, you have to wait for Google Drive support to revert you back with further instructions or information on the issue. 

You may like the following Google Drive articles:

Final Words

So that was all for how you can solve Google Drive Files missing error. I hope the above guide did help you with your problem. In case if there is anything else you wish to ask, then do feel free to drop a comment below.