lost files after Big Sur upgrade

@arpita164 yes, that is where you can find it if you had iCloud Drive set up to back up everything. I lost files in areas or folders not selected for backup to iCloud. Never had this problem before and didn’t think twice about backing up files before updating. Hopefully, most people will back up their computers before updating.

This did not work for us. When I click on iCloud storage it shows close to 10 GB of data, but when I go into any of the folders.....nothing. Thanks Apple! Looks like we will be backing up to Drive from now on. Has anyone tried using Time Machine to restore data? I am uncertain if I can back out of the fiasco of an update and revert back to Catalina?

@_Lost_with_Big_Sur Yes. Luckily I had backed up the data in those folders. Previous updates never had this problem, but it was irresponsible to leave it as a loophole. Hope that other people are aware of this for future updates as well.

All of my folders/files on my internal hard drive went missing after upgrade to Big Sur. However, when I check the backups in Time Machine I see another volume called Hard Drive - Data which contains all my items previously held in my internal hard drive. Problem is I can't seem to move all those HD - Data folders over to my internal HD volume. Only 4 folders related to the Big Sur upgrade are in my current internal HD. HELP!

My desktop & Documents Folders is already checked (on), my files are still missing. Thanks Apple. Why do you insist every few months on either deleting all my music, my photos or my files??!

SO IT ALSO TURNS OUT PEOPLE THAT IF YOU BACK UP TO ICLOUD AND TO A TIME MACHINE EXTERNAL DRIVE, THE EXTERNAL DRIVE BACKS UP WAHT IS IN ON YOUR ICLOUD DRIVE NOT ON YOUR EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE. SO NEITHER TIME MACHINE NOR ICLOUD BACK UP WORKS!!! GREAT GREAT WORK APPLE

I selected the Rsetore Files options also in my online icloud account. Apple sent me a whirling wheel for hours and hours and claims to have only found 1 recoverable file, despite years of data having been deleted by Apple (and backed up to icloud and to a time machine external drive. They are still missing!!

I notice that Apple have not published my previous comments, as they tell the truth and do not show Apple in a good light (lite!). I have been on the phone and chat with Apple three times. Nothing they recommended worked, nothing. In fact they suggested I wipe my computer and restore from a time machine backup. Well as I reported earlier, my most recent Time Machine backups were backing my icloud drive (even though Apple say this is not possible). It is true because the breadcrumb trail of the files in my previous back ups in Time Machine have icloud in the file path! And the missing files were NOT in the time machine backups. So I dutifully reinstalled and now my computer purchased in April is completely useless: I cannot get of the restart/cannot find mouse/cannot find keyboard/cannot reinstall an older version of Macos becaase the computer has no internet connection. So now I have to schedule another call with them tomorrow. Covid ruined 2020. Apple ruined 2021. Thanks.

I have followed all of the steps and ALL of my work documents are gone.

I can only find photos and my downloads.

Apparently everything has been moved to the iCloud, which I ONLY use for music and photos.

How do I find my documents? I'm a teacher, and I am missing a LOT of my stuff.

How to I store them on my hard drive? I bought a huge hard drive for a reason, but apparently, I have no option to store my information anywhere but the iCloud?

I'm super frustrated.

same problem as all express here. Im 'copying' /pasting my MAC HD files from Time Machine backup and will then name that folder MAC HD and leave as a sub folder under 'Quicklook' from 'Library' which shows up when I click on Macintosh HD

The documents folder appeared, but all of the sub-folders have been erased :(

I tried that and it appears I have to subscribe to icloud which I no intention of doing so I am up the creek without a paddle, good old Apple always got fix something that does NOT need fixing.

As I said before if it aint broke don't fix it as Microsoft did with 10.

I have just earned the discover award it says but I have NOT!! discovered my old finder.

THIS WAS THE SOLUTION WORKED FOR ME. Straight heart attack before though.

This worked for me! Thank you so so much!!!