How to Locate Missing Google Drive Files and Folders: The Ultimate Guide

Quick and easy-to-follow guide for Google Workspace users and administrators

Some of my Google Drive files and folders are missing

Sometimes you may lose access to a file you own. You own a file if:

You created or uploaded it
Someone else made you the owner

When Google Drive files and folders you own may go missing

A file you own may go missing if:

You create a file in someone else’s shared folder. Then they delete the folder. Your file won’t be deleted, but you won’t see it where it used to be anymore.
You share a folder with someone, and they remove your file from the folder. Your file won’t be deleted, but you won’t see it where it used to be anymore.

In both cases, the file is most likely still in your Drive. It’s just not visible in any of your folders. To find it, follow these steps:

How to find missing Google Drive files and folders step-by-step

Step 1: Check for orphaned files

Go to your Google Drive account at https://drive.google.com and in the search bar on the top, type the following:

is:unorganized owner:me

If you couldn’t find the file or folder this way:

Step 2: Try searching

Search for the file or folder directly by name using the search bar in Google Drive.

Step 3: Check your Trash

It may have been deleted from Drive. Check your Trash.

Step 4: Check your browser history

See if there is a link to the file or folder in your browser history.

Step 5: Try the admin restore data feature

Ask an admin to restore all your deleted Drive data in a specific time range, going up to the past 25 days. They can follow the steps here to restore data.

Step 6: Google Drive audit log

If neither helps and you are on Business Standard and Plus; Enterprise; Education Fundamentals, Standard, Teaching and Learning Upgrade, and Plus; G Suite Business; Essentials – you have access to the Drive Audit Log – you can use it to find out what happened with your file.

Step 7: Contact Google Workspace support

If nothing helps, it’s likely that:

The file or folder is no longer shared with you.
You deleted it over 25 days ago, and you can not restore it.
It has been deleted by a third-party owner and no longer exists.

To be sure, it’s best to contact Google Workspace Support.

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