Missing files in iPad's Files App

All my files that I had used my Apple Pencil on has vanished overnight. T_T After seeing these comments I have no more hopes left. I searched everywhere, even on my iCloud, but 3 months worth of notes are gone forever! I feel devastated. Why has apple not sorted this out yet? Does this happen in the books app as well? I am scared now, since I have notes in there too.

Even I had my files on my iPad folder but are missing after the recent update and is being only seen in recently opened files but can’t open it from there too. We’re really important documents that have all gone missing from a particular folder. #apple needs to fix this blunder ASAP

Having myself updated to iPadOS17, I've not seen or been able to replicate your issue. As such, you may have been unlucky and have suffered a glitch specific to your iPad.

Your next step is to remove and reinstall the Pages App. Assuming that you wish to keep your documents, don't delete the Pages App; instead, you'll need to offload the Pages App. Offloading deletes just the App - and preserves the associated App data/documents.

Before proceeding, as a precaution, ensure that you have a current iCloud or iTunes backup of your iPad:

How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

When you are confident that your backup has been created or refreshed, you can offload Pages:

Settings > General > iPad Storage -

Scroll down the list of installed Apps to find Pages - tap - then select Offload App.

Next, perform a restart of your iPad:

Force restart iPad (models with Face ID or with Touch ID in the top button)

If your iPad doesn’t have the Home button, do the following:

1. Press and quickly release the volume button nearest to the top button.
2. Press and quickly release the volume button farthest from the top button.
3. Press and hold the top button.
4. When the Apple logo appears, release the top button.

Force restart iPad (models with the Home button)

Press and hold the top button and the Home button at the same time. When the Apple logo appears, release both buttons.

After restarting your iPad, you can reinstall the Pages App from the App Store:

https://apps.apple.com/app/pages/id361309726

Can you say which third party app? Don’t want anyone to get in trouble if answering violates any rules.

Has anybody able to retrieve their PDFs? If yes, please guide.

like you all, some PDF Files are missing from Files folder after updating the iPad to ios17.1

Same problem! Almost half of my winter HW disappears!!!!!! And still nobody has a solution!!!!!!!

Same too me, what should I do!? I have exam after two days

STILL no reply from apple, nearly 5 months on? This is wild. There are more threads in other forums detailing the same problem.

It's only $9.95/mo if you need the VPN and PDF file conversion. It's free to manage and annotate PDF files.

Go to icloud.com ,sign in, scroll down and click recover files!

hey! try to contact the support they will help you recover the files. It worked for me.

My new files are randomly disappearing. I tried the icloud.com website but nothing is there for recovery. What now?

the bug has not yet been fixed, i experienced it a lot of times

Have you tried opening the associated documents from their original location/path - instead of from Recents?

Opening documents from the documents actual location may refresh the symbolic links that you see within the Recents folder

I will just add I encountered same error on my ipad (6th gen, probably on IOS17 but it could be also 16th). Today my friend lost her PDF files on AIR 2nd gen, ios 17, from one folder (they are not in deleted files, recent as well). We also see it tries to sync something but never completing.

There is one thing in common, we all used pdf with our own annotation. Never seen anything like this for not annotated pdf.