Can't find a Google Drive file? A missing document isn't always deleted: changed folders, another account, and sharing permissions all affect where it appears. Start with Trash, then use the checks below to find misplaced files or recover deleted content.
Restore deleted files from Trash
This brings back deleted files and folders still within Drive's 30-day trash period. Open drive.google.com. Select Trash.
Right-click the missing file or folder. Choose Restore. This also works for cloud files deleted through Drive for desktop.
On Android, iPhone, or iPad, open the Drive app's Menu. Tap Trash. Some English locales display Bin.
Open the three-dot Menu beside the item. Tap Restore.
Just deleted it in Drive on the web? With Drive active, press Ctrl+Z on Windows or ChromeOS, or Command+Z on a Mac. This undoes the last undoable action in the active session; it cannot recover permanently deleted files.
Check your account and broaden the search
Start with the account, especially if you use both personal and work addresses. On a Google web page, select your profile image or initial and choose the account that owns or received the file. If it isn't listed, use Add account to sign in.
Reopen drive.google.com under that account. Search for words you remember from the filename or its contents. On the web, owner:me finds files you own, while from: followed immediately by the sharer's email address narrows results by who shared them.
Use Type, People, or Modified to narrow the results. If that search comes up empty, choose Clear filters to broaden it.
On a phone or tablet, enter remembered words in Search in Drive. The app also offers Type, People, and Modified filters. To remove a restriction, open its filter chip and tap Clear.
Find files whose original folder disappeared
When a containing folder disappears, a file you own can lose its folder association. Search Drive for is:unorganized owner:me. Move recovered results into an appropriate folder so they're easy to find again.
To trace a move, rename, deletion, or sharing change, open My Drive on the web. Select Info. Open Activity to inspect recent events. For a closer look at one folder, select that folder to inspect its activity.
Bring shared files back into view
Use these checks when someone else owns the missing file. A removed listing, a lost permission, and a spam flag each need a different fix.
Open Shared with me in Drive. For an item you previously removed, reopen its existing link. Opening it returns it to Shared with me, provided the original still exists and you still have access.
If you don't have the link, search for the file in Drive. When a file link displays You need access, click Request access. Click Send request. If the owner deleted the file, ask them to restore it.
Check Spam for shared items missing from normal search. Items there are removed from your Drive after 30 days. On the web, right-click the mistakenly flagged item. Choose Not spam.
In the mobile app, open the item's More menu in Spam. Tap Not spam.
Ask Google about permanently deleted files
Trash empty? Google's recovery assistance is the next option. Eligibility depends on the account and deletion, and recovery isn't guaranteed.
Open Google's recovery page at support.google.com/drive/answer/1716222. Select Sign into your Google Account. Sign in with the affected account. Reload the recovery page.
Continue through the account-specific recovery option presented after sign-in. Google recovers a permanently deleted file only when it meets certain conditions, so submit your request promptly.
For a work or school account, contact your administrator promptly. Workspace administrators can restore eligible My Drive data within 25 days after its removal from Trash. That window is separate from personal-account recovery. If recovery is unavailable or unsuccessful, check for a surviving desktop file, backup, or collaborator's copy using the options below.
Locate files missing only on your computer
Use these checks when Drive for desktop cannot find or sync a file. They address local search and synchronization problems.
Check drive.google.com to establish whether the cloud copy is still accessible. Search for the file using Drive for desktop's search bar. Its search includes streamed files that operating-system search does not always find.
Inspect Sync status in the redesigned desktop app. Review Sync activity or View all sync activity for errors. For paused synchronization, open Settings. Select Resume syncing.
If Drive reports a moved or renamed local folder, click Locate in the notification. Select the folder. Click Open.
For failed uploads, open the notification's Lost and Found link. Copy those files somewhere safe before disconnecting the account. Disconnecting removes Lost and Found contents and streamed offline copies.
After preserving unsynced files, choose Settings > Quit. Reopen Drive to retry synchronization. A client restart addresses sync faults; deleted cloud files still need a deletion-recovery method.
Recover missing contents from an earlier version
If the file still opens but its contents are missing or overwritten, follow the steps for its file type.
- 1.For a Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Vids file, open it in a computer browser. You need edit permission and a retained earlier version.
- 2.Click Last edit to open Version history.
- 3.Select an earlier version containing the content you need.
- 4.Choose Restore this version, then Restore. To preserve the current document instead, use the earlier version's More > Make a copy, choose its name and location, then click OK.
- 5.For an uploaded PDF, image, Office document, or other uploaded file, select it in Drive on the web and open More > Manage versions.
- 6.Beside the revision you need, choose More > Download. Unpinned revisions are subject to removal after 30 days or 100 newer versions.
Replace the lost file with a surviving copy
A downloaded original, collaborator's copy, or backup gives you another way to get the content back. You need the actual file: a streamed placeholder or a Google-native document pointer is not an independent backup.
On Windows, open Recycle Bin to look for a locally deleted copy. Right-click the file. Choose Restore.
On a Mac, open Trash to look for the local file. Right-click it. Choose Put back.
For an existing Windows File History backup, right-click the folder that previously contained the file in File Explorer. Choose Restore previous versions.
Select a saved version containing the actual file. Use Open > Open in File History to inspect it. Use Restore > Restore to... to recover it elsewhere before uploading it to Drive.
For an existing Time Machine backup on a Mac, open the former containing folder in Finder. Use Spotlight to open Time Machine. Browse the backup timeline to find the file.
Select the file. Click Restore.
If you have an earlier Google Takeout export, locate its downloaded archive or chosen cloud destination. Creating a new export does not recover deleted documents. Open archive_browser.html for navigation and format information. Extract the wanted file.
To upload a recovered copy, open Drive on the web. Choose New > File Upload. Select the recovered file. Re-uploading recreates the content without restoring the original file's complete history.
If a same-name file already exists, choose Keep both files when you want a separate copy. If no usable copy turns up, ask a collaborator for their downloaded copy or original. Without a surviving copy or successful recovery, these methods cannot recreate the missing content.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I restore a file deleted from a shared drive?
In Drive on the web, open Trash. Open the dropdown beside Deleted from and select the shared drive. Select the file, then choose Restore. You need Contributor access or higher, and the item must still be within the 30-day trash period.
Will reinstalling Drive or clearing the browser cache restore deleted files?
No. Reinstalling addresses synchronization problems, and clearing browser data addresses loading problems. Neither undeletes cloud files. Preserve unsynced desktop copies before reinstalling.
What if I cannot sign into the account containing my files?
Open Google's account-recovery article at support.google.com/accounts/answer/7682439?hl=en and follow its recovery link. Answer the identity questions and reset your password when prompted. For a forgotten username, use the username-recovery flow with your recovery phone number or email and full name. For a managed work or school account, contact your administrator.
Can I restore many overwritten files at once?
In Drive on the web, open Settings > Restore file versions. Review the change history, choose a rollback point, then select Restore. This bulk tool covers uploaded files within a 25-day revision window and does not allow individual file selection. It does not restore deleted files, and Google-native Docs and Slides files are excluded.