File Suddenly Disappeared from Folder? Fix Now! [7 Ways]

How do I find a file that has disappeared?

Files disappearing from a PC is no fun. Days, weeks, or even months of work can go down the drain. This can be caused by some reasons.

Sometimes, the files may have been moved or hidden, while at other times, they may have been deleted. Relax, vanished files can be recovered if you take timely action.

If you're confused by the file disappeared from folder, you can refer to the following content. Here, we describe 7 methods to easily recover lost files from folders on Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7.

What causes files to disappear in Windows 10?

Many reasons may cause "file disappeared from folder" on Windows 10. We list the common ones below. You can rule out the cause of the problem and try to solve it.

✦ Virus or malware attack - A virus or malware attack on the computer can result in the deletion of files or the modification of the storage location of your files.
✦ Files being hidden - Incorrect operation or other reasons may make your files invisible.
✦ Hardware Error - Hardware failure on the computer hard drive may cause loss of files.
✦ File system corruption - File system corruption resulting from power failure can make PC files miss.

How to recover files suddenly disappeared from folder

Files missing from folder unexpectedly? There are seven solutions available for files disappeared on Windows 10 and other operating systems. Pick the best approach based on your needs. Before you try the following recovery methods, it is better to run anti-virus software to completely disinfect the computer to prevent the files from being lost again after they are retrieved.

▶ Way 1. Try Error checking

If the "files suddenly disappeared from folder" problem is caused by the file system corruption or any bad sectors in the hard drive, you can use the built-in tool Disk Check to check the errors and recover corrupted hard drives.

Step 1. Locate the disk.

Navigate to the hard drive or partition where the disappeared files are located.

Step 2. Click the Check from Tools.

Right-click the hard drive and choose Properties. Then, click on the Check button under the Tool tab.

Step 3. Scan the drive for errors.

Tap on Scan Drive to start scanning for errors on hard drive.

▶ Way 2. Show hidden files

If the file property is configured to be "hidden" by a virus, you may encounter “files missing but folders still there”. In this case, you can solve it by trying to show hidden files. The following is how to find a lost file on computer by showing hidden items.

Step 1. Open File Explorer, click on View > Options to go to the Folder Options wizard.

Step 2. In the View tab, tick the checkbox next to Show hidden files, folders, and drives, and tap on Apply.

▶ Way 3. Search Your Computer

If your file disappears from folder and you haven't deleted the file, the storage location of the file may have been modified due to a virus intrusion or other reasons. And, it is possible that you have saved the file to another location after using it.

But don’t worry, you can search for the computer to find the lost items quickly. Open the Windows search box using the Win + E keyboard shortcut, and type the filename of your disappeared file. If you don’t remember the filename, you can also search for its extension type. Open it, and then save it to the desired location.

▶ Way 4. Check Recycle Bin

Accidental deletion of files is common. When you encounter the sudden disappearance of computer files, carefully checking the Recycle Bin and recovering missing files is a good choice.

Step 1. Double-click on the Recycle Bin icon on Desktop to open it.

Step 2. Browse these deleted items and find the files you want. Right-click on them and click Restore to recover the files suddenly disappeared from folder to the original path.

▶ Way 5. Turn off Fast Startup

According to some users' reports, Fast Startup sometimes can result in files suddenly disappeared in Windows 10 after restarting the device. Therefore, please turn off Fast Startup and check if missing files are back.

Step 1. Input “Power Options” in the Windows search box, and click on the search result.

Step 2. Tap Choose what the power buttons does from the column on the left.

Step 3. Under the Shutdown settings section, uncheck the box for Turn on fast startup (recommended), and press Save changes.

▶ Way 6. Change Index options

Windows 10 uses the index to make searching for your files faster. If your folder disappeared or file suddenly missing in Windows 10, you could access the Indexing Options to troubleshoot it.

Step 1. Type “indexing options” in the search box on the Windows taskbar and launch it.

Step 2. Click on the Advanced position and tap Rebuild on the Index Settings screen.

▶ Way 7. Recover suddenly disappeared files with recovery software

MyRecover is a professional yet easy to use tool for recovering lost and deleted files. When you accidentally delete important files, find file disappeared from computer suddenly, empty the Recycle Bin, format hard drive, etc., you can rely on this software to get back files without a hitch.

Get this recovery tool and operate with the following tutorial to retrieve files unexpectedly missing on Windows 10 and other systems.

Step 1. Launch MyRecover and hover the mouse over the partition including the lost files to click Scan.

Step 2. All deleted files and other missing files will be displayed on the recovery list. And, you can apply the Filter or Search feature to locate the data you want.

Step 3. Select your desired files and click Recover x files to find the file suddenly disappeared from folder. Then, store these recovered data in a new location.

Summary

On this page, we explained the normal causes of files suddenly disappearing, and we also collected 7 reliable solutions to help you effectively recover file suddenly disappeared from folder with ease.

It is wise to equip your computer with a powerful recovery tool like MyRecover, which will help you get back your lost data as soon as possible and minimize your loss.