MyRecover
Folder Disappeared in Windows 11? Recover It Now! (10 Ways)
Files or folder suddenly disappeared in Windows 11? Be calm and continue to read this article. We have collected the possible reasons & 10 effective methods to fix it quickly.
By Ivy / Updated on October 16, 2024
Help! How to find missing folder in Windows 11
“Today I opened my laptop that has Windows 11 and all files from the desktop were disappeared, and also an update happened just before that and I've tried every guide to recover but i could not, does anyone know how can i get my files back?” – Question from answers.microsoft.com
Folder suddenly disappeared in Windows 11 can be frustrating. However, there's no need to panic as we can find missing folder in Windows 11, whether deleted, hidden, or moved. let's dive into more about the possible reasons and corresponding methods below.
Why Has My Folder Disappeared in Windows 11?
Various reasons can cause Windows 11 folder to disapperared. Here we collect 5 common reasons below:
| Reasons | Explanations | Solutions |
| Accidental deletion | This is a major reason for a missing folder. It will be much more difficult if you empty the Recycle Bin folder. | Way 1; |
| Windows update issue | After upgrading, Windows may create a new default user account to store user files there. It may not be in the original location but moved to the Documents or App Data folder. In addition, your files are still in the old disabled administrator account or you may log in with a temporary user profile after a feature update. | Way 2; Way 3; Way 4; Way 5; Way 6 |
| Hidden files or folders | Sometimes your files are hidden and invisible unless you show hidden files or folders in File Explorer. | Way 7; |
| Corrupted disk indexing | If your disk index is corrupted, it will not be able to show files or folders. Thus, you may think your folder suddenly disappeared in Windows 11. | Way 8; Way 9 |
| Virus infection | Your folder may be infected by viruses and deleted by your anti-virus software. | Way 10 |
Solution 1: Recover Folder Disappeared in Windows 11 using Software
Restoring files from backup will be the most effective method If you accidentally deleted folders in Windows 11. However, most users are not in the habit of creating backups. Thus, if you don’t have a backup either, try professional but free Windows data recovery software like MyRecover.
❤❤❤ The unique advantages and shining points in MyRecover
- Two advanced scanning technologies locate deleted files or the folder in Windows 11, making the data recovery process easy and quick, with a high success rate.
- Recover more than 200 types of files, including images, documents (e.g. Recover Word documents), videos, emails, audio, etc., without losing quality.
- Locate the deleted folder and their files quickly and accurately, and preview them before recovering.
- Perform data recovery while scanning saving your precious time.
- Compatible with many file systems including NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, and ReFS.
- Deal with all-inclusive data loss scenarios, such as accidental deletion, virus infection, corrupted or formatted disk, etc.
Now, free download trustworthy data recovery software for Windows - MyRecover and get it installed on your Windows 11 computer. You can also use it to recover deleted files in Windows 10, 8, 7, etc as well as Windows Server.
1. Install and launch this Windows data recovery software - MyRecover. Click the drive containing missing files or folders and click Scan.
2. It will run two advanced scanning methods - Quick Scan & Deep Scan automatically. To locate the disappeared folder from desktop in Windows 11 quickly, type the folder name in the search box. Once found, it will list the folder and all the files inside it in the following window.
-
Click Filter and select a file type, such as Documents. Then, type the file name or file extension in the search box.
-
Expand the Deleted Files, Recycle Bin, or Other Missing Files tab and check the deleted or lost files on the unknown uninitialized disk.
3. Select the disappeared desktop folder and all the files inside it and click the Recover x files button. You will then be asked to select a location. Please select a new location instead of the original location.
-
The restore button will display the number of selected files and their full size. You can use it to determine the integrity of the recovered files.
-
You can recover missing desktop folder in Windows 11 for free, up to 500MB. Try advanced editions if you want to recover all files.
-
Saving the recovered files to their original location may cause data corruption or further data loss.
You can also use it to recover deleted files in these specific folders, such as Windows 11 documents folder missing, download folder disappeared in Windows 11, or the picture folder disappeared in Windows 11.
Solution 2: Switch to Old User Account
It is likely that Windows created a new user account and set it as the default after upgrading to Windows 11. Please check the old user account and get your files or folder back.
1. Click on the "Start" button, then select the user icon and "Sign out".
2. On the sign-in window, type the required information about your old account. Once switched your accounts, your files or folder should appear in Windows 11.
Solution 3: Check the Users Folder
Except for user accounts, your files or folder may be moved to another location, such as Documents folder or Public folder. You can follow the steps below to check your users folder.
1. Open "This PC" from File Explorer. Then, go to the following path.
- C:\Users\UserName\Documents
- C:\Users\Public
2. Check if the files or folder disappeared in Windows 11 are there. You can copy and paste them to their original location.
Solution 4: Check the Temp folder
The temp folder is used to store launch configurations and cached data for installed applications. You can also check this folder for missing files or folders.
1. Navigate to "C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\Temp" and access the temp folder.
2. Most of the time, the missing files or folders are found here. It requires some manual steps to retrieve your data.
Solution 5: Enable the Old Administrator Account
If you created a new Microsoft account in Windows 11 when upgrading from a previous operating system, your files may be in the old administrator account. In this case, you need to enable this account and sign in again to access your files.
1. Type "computer management" in the search box and select the top result.
2. Click "Local Users and Groups" and select "Users".
3. Locate the Administrator user and double-click its icon to open the Properties window.
4. In the General tab, leave the "Account is disabled" unchecked and click "Apply" > “OK” to confirm this change.
5. Sign out the current user account and log in again with this Administrator user account.
Solution 6: Check Your User Profile
It's likely that your computer logged in with a temporary user profile. You can try the following steps to check if it is.
1. Go to "Start" > "Settings" > "Accounts" > "Sync your settings".
2. Check if there is a message like "You are logged on with a temporary profile. Roaming options are currently unavailable" displayed at the top.
3. Then, restart your computer and sign in again. It will remove the temporary account and get back your files.
Solution 7: Show Hidden Files and Folders
Showing hidden files and folder will be a great start if your folder suddenly disappeared in Windows 11. Sometimes they are actually hidden instead of missing.
1. Open "This PC"from File Explorer. Click on the "File" tab and select "Change folder and search options".
2. In the "View" tab, check "Show hidden files, folders, and drives". Click "Apply" > “OK” to make your files or folder visible.
Solution 8: Check the Disk
If your hard drive index is corrupted, it may prevent files from appearing in folders. To exclude this possibility, you need to check the disk index.
1. Open "This PC" in File Explore. Locate your hard drive, right-click it, and select "Properties".
2. In the "Tools" tab, go to the Error checking section and click on the "Check" button.
3. Click "Scan drive" to search for possible errors. It will fix any found errors and restore the hidden files and folders.
Solution 9: Modify the Indexing Options
If your files are still not showing in Windows 11, you can choose to modify the Indexing Options with the following steps.
1. Press the "Win + S" keys to open the search bar. Type "Indexing options" and select it.
2. In the Indexing options window, click on the "Advanced" option.
3. Navigate to the “Index Settings” tab, and click on the "Rebuild" button under Troubleshooting.
Solution 10: Set Antivirus Configuration
If the folder disappeared in Windows 11 issue still exists, it may be deleted by antivirus software. Here are two things you need to do: one is to recover deleted files in Windows 11 while the other is to add items to exclude from antivirus scan. Try data recovery software like MyRecover and then follow the steps below to set antivirus configuration.
1. Type “Windows Security” in the search box and select it. Then, click “Virus & threat protection”.
2. Click “Manage settings”.
3. Go to the Exclusions section, and click "Add or remove exclusions".
4. Click on the “Add an exclusion” button. You can select from files, folders, file types, or processes. A folder exclusion will apply to all subfolders within the folder as well.
Conclusion
In conclusion, with the aforementioned solutions, you can easily fix files or folder disappeared folders in Windows 11. They may be hidden, deleted, or moved to another location after upgrading the operating system.
If you haven't upgraded yet, it is advisable to back up all your data in case of missing any files or folders. AOMEI Backupper Standard, one of the best free backup software for Windows, will do you a big favor. Not only back up files, but also keep track of changes made in the future.
100%
Clean & Secure
