Downloaded Files Disappear on Windows 10/11 [9 Quick Fixes]

⬆⬇ Quick Navigation: The Best Fixes in Different Scenarios

My files in Downloads folder disappeared in Windows 10!

If your downloaded files disappear in Windows 10/11, don't worry much and there are some useful methods you can try to fix it. We will include the possible reasons as well. 

Why do my downloaded files keep disappearing?

A variety of reasons may cause downloads disappeared on Windows 10. In this section, we outline the common ones below. You can figure out the cause of the problem and try out some fixes to solve it.

Please read further and find the corresponding solution according to the reason why your downloaded files disappeared.

How to fix "downloaded files folder disappear" in Windows 10/11

Downloaded files or the entire Downloads folder disappeared on Windows 10/11? Don't worry, here are 8 feasible solutions you can apply to get them back. Let's get more information together.

Solution 1: Recover disappeared files with software (Deleted or Lost)

If using the above solutions still doesn't work, professional data recovery software is available to help you get back your downloads folder missing on Windows 10. AOMEI FastRecoverycan quickly scans all the files in your computer and helps you locate the target file easily without complicated operation steps and other restrictions.

With this software, you no longer have to worry about not backing up in advance or accidentally permanently deleting files, which can solve all the problems so that you have no worries.

▶ Recover deleted or missing files from your Windows computer with three simple steps.
▶ Restore lost or deleted data with high efficiency and speed.
▶ Support deleted file recovery, formatted hard drive recovery, lost partition recovery, virus attack recovery, system crash recovery, and so on.
▶ Recover deleted Word document, Excel, PPT, Photos, Video, Audio, and Compressed files from HDD, USB, SD cards, and other storage devices.

Download it and follow the steps below.

Step 1. Launch it on your PC, and hover the mouse over the partition your downloads folder is stored. Then clickScan.

Step 2. The program runs a quick scan automatically to find deleted and other missing data.

Step 3. Select the files you need and click Recoverto recover the downloaded files you’ve selected.

Try it if your files are deleted or missing!

Solution 2: Search the downloaded files from your computer

If you're sure that you didn't delete the file but it's gone in the downloads folder, the file's storage location may have been modified due to virus attack or other reasons. Also, you may have unknowingly saved the file to another location.

Step 1. Open File Explorer using the Win + E keyboard shortcut.

Step 2. In the search box, type the file name or file extension (e.g., .jpg, .pdf).

Step 3. Browse through the results to locate your missing files. Once found, move them to a new location or restore them as needed.

Solution 3: Recover disappeared files from Recycle Bin

If you can't find the downloaded files you want, you can check and recover deleted files from Recycle Bin on your computer. Since there's a good chance you've accidentally deleted them. 

Step 1. Open the Recycle Bin to find the deleted files or folders. You can search the file names to get them quickly.

Step 2. Right-click the files or folders you want to recover and select the Restore option.

Solution 4: Show hidden files and folders in File Explorer

When the downloaded file contains some virus-carrying software or advertisements, the Windows system will hide the file attributes. This means you need to show hidden folders as the file or folder still exists on your computer. 

Step 1. Open File Explorer, and click on View

Step 2. In the Show/hide section, tick Hidden items. It will show you the hidden folders.

Step 3. If you need more file viewing options, click Options > View > tick Show hidden files, folders, and drives option > click on Apply > OK. 

Solution 5: Show hidden files in CMD 

If your file is hidden due to system flags or corruption, try the attrib command to remove hidden and system file attributes. You can also add chkdsk command beforehand if there is potential file system errors. 

Step 1. Type cmd in the search box and select Command Prompt > Run as administrator.

Step 2. Type chkdsk X: /f /r /x and press Enter. 

Step 3. After the process is complete, type attrib -h -r -s /s /d X:\*.* and press Enter. 

Solution 6: Recover missing files using File History (even entire folder)

Windows 10/11 provides users with built-in backup software File History to save copies of your user folder, such as the Downloads folder, Pictures folder, Desktop folder, etc. So you can try to restore missing files from it, even the entire folder. 

Step 1. Type File History in the Start menu and select Restore your files with File History.

Step 2. Browse for the downloaded file or the entire Downloads folder. Select files or folders and click Restore to send it back to the original location.

Solution 7: Restore disappeared files to previous version (even entire folder)

If you enable File History in Windows 10/11, you can also use the Previous Versions feature to restore previous version of files or or folder. 

Step 1. In File Explorer, go to the location where the downloaded files or the Downloads folder is located.

Step 2. Right-click the blank space and select Properties.

Step 3. Browse the file or folder version to find disappeared files or folders, and then select one and click Restore.

Solution 8: Find the files from the Quarantine Section (virus-infected)

All antivirus or security software will block the file or folder on Windows 10/11 if the downloaded file contains a virus or malware. You may have missed a hint about it. Downloaded files are usually stored in the Quarantine section, where you can restore files and mark them as restored.

Step 1. Type Windows Security in the search bar and open it. Select Virus & threat protection and then, under Current threats, select Protection history.

Step 2. Click the Quarantined items in the Filters options.

Step 3. Select the files downloaded and change their storage location. Or directly click the Restore button.

Solution 9: Change Indexing Options

Windows 10 use an indexing feature to speed up the search process. When downloaded files do not show up on Windows 10 or files are suddenly lost, you can change the Indexing Options to troubleshoot the problem.

Step 1. Tap Indexing Options in the search box on the Windows taskbar. Select the top result. 

Step 2. Click on the Advanced Options and then, under the Index Settings tab, tap Rebuild.

Wrapping up

In this guide, we demonstrate the common causes of downloaded files disappear on Windows 10/11, and also outline 9 reliable solutions to help you effectively recover them with ease. Hope you already have a clear understanding of how to fix similar issues on your computer now.

Most importantly, it is essential to equip your computer with a professional data recovery tool - AOMEI FastRecovery. This tool can quickly and deeply scan deleted or lost files with an advanced scanning algorithm and finish the retrieval process in a short time. Try it if your files are deleted or missing!