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Level 1

18 points

lost files after Big Sur upgrade

I use Microsoft Word for school. Everything I work on I save to documents on my Mac. After the Big Sur update all of the documents in my document folder are now gone. When I open Word, I can see them all in my recents, but I am unable to open them - it says that the file is deleted or I don't have access to them. Underneath each file says:

Macintosh HD >> User >> haleysotiros >> Documents

Alas, they are nowhere to be found. I have tried:

Unticking the Finder thing in my iCloud
Checking my iCloud (empty)
Going through my OneDrive to see if it was there
Looking in the finder for .docx
Doing the command + shift to unhide documents
Looking in the finder with this guy "~" (not sure what it did, but someone recommended that)
Checking restrictions for Word - there are none
Right clicking on the document in recent - nothing

I did not have the time tracker or whatever the back up was called because I didn't know about it. Anyways, if there is a patron saint for finding mysteriously disappeared documents, please point me in the right direction.

MacBook Air

Posted on Nov 23, 2020 6:24 PM

Best reply

Patrick McConnell

Level 1

9 points

Posted on Dec 1, 2020 7:06 AM

I had this same issue. It appears that iCloud Drive had the Desktop/Documents folders setting toggled off during the update.

I resolved the problem by going to System Preferences -> Apple ID -> iCloud and selecting the options button next to iCloud Drive. Then turn on Desktop & Documents Folders.

In my case the files were immediately displayed after changing this setting.

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Similar questions

35 replies

Jan 4, 2021 3:01 PM in response to theoldabattoir

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.

Feb 4, 2021 5:03 AM in response to haleysotiros

So I almost had a heart attack this morning when I finally upgraded to Big Sur on my MacBook Pro. NONE of my many GB of critical work data was in the usual place. I couldn't find it on my hard drive either.

After upgrading, I had chosen the option to store everything in to iCloud... and it showed hundred of GB being uploaded, and yet I could not find my files.

So before I freaked out, I checked the "recents" list, found a document from yesterday, and chose "Show in Finder" --> and that's how I found EVERYTHING.

Maybe you can all check in this location:

iCloud Drive > Documents - (computer name)

Everything should be there.

Feb 10, 2021 6:09 AM in response to haleysotiros

I just upgraded to Big Sur. I didn't back anything up and couldn't find my files, resulting in near panic. After searching on the Macintosh HD for a folder name I knew (as mentioned in this thread), I found my files here: Macintosh HD/System/Volumes/Macintosh HD/Documents, Photos, etc.. I hope this helps someone. Lesson learned, back it up!

Mar 14, 2021 5:16 PM in response to haleysotiros

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.

Mar 14, 2021 6:37 PM in response to Manderlyh

This worked for me (see also above post). I just upgraded to Big Sur. I didn't back anything up and couldn't find my files, resulting in near panic. After searching on the Macintosh HD for a folder name I knew (as mentioned in this thread), I found my files here: Macintosh HD/System/Volumes/Macintosh HD/Documents, Photos, etc.. I hope this helps someone. Lesson learned, back it up!

lmarcg

Level 1

0 points

Apr 28, 2021 9:09 AM in response to barrygs

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

Dec 19, 2020 3:17 PM in response to haleysotiros

I found my Desktop and Documents folders to be in the "/Users/<username>/iCloud Drive (Archive)" folder and transferred them back.

Dec 9, 2020 1:32 AM in response to Patrick McConnell

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

Dec 23, 2020 8:50 AM in response to haleysotiros

You can open Finder, Shift+Command+G and enter the absolute path, in the event that you are relying on the the symbolic paths from the Finder sidebar. e.g. /Users/some_user/Documents

Dec 24, 2020 4:05 AM in response to Patrick McConnell

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.