My Documents folder is missing from Finder and iCloud

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Level 1

27 points

My Documents folder is missing from Finder and iCloud

So I was wanting to save a document...and save it in Documents...only to discover there is no Documents folder.

After googling this and heading to various similar apple support threads the majority say the folder is most likely found in iCloud Drive because I will have opted to store Desktop & Documents there....but I've not...I don't have anything in iCloud.

When I go to my hard drive -> Users -> my name -> here I can see something like a docuemts folder but it's an alias that can't be opened.

What is going on? Am I missing something totally obvious?

I'm on a MacBook Pro with OS Monterey 12.3

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.14

Posted on Apr 26, 2024 1:16 PM

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Answer 1

brbo

Level 7

34,912 points

Apr 29, 2024 8:55 PM in response to brbo

More suggestions from the Community:

If you haven't already: you could try a Safe Boot:

Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support

If you do find access to Documents in Safe mode: you can leave safe mode by restarting your Mac normally

If needed: More info: Use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support

______________________________

You may want to get Find Any File...

http://apps.tempel.org/FindAnyFile/index.php

Hold Option or alt key when selecting Find to Find All.

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Answer 2

brbo

Level 7

34,912 points

Apr 29, 2024 4:06 PM in response to gkmach1ne

Another possibility: As you have MacS Monterey installed ... updating may or (may not) help restore order: What's new in the updates for macOS Monterey - Apple Support. says: macOS Monterey 12.7.4 is the latest version: and "This update provides important security fixes and is recommended for all users".

Also: We don't know which MacBook Pro model you use,

(If needed: How to: Identify your MacBook Pro model - Apple Support)

If compatible: Upgrading to a later MacOS version may (or may not) restore order

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Answer 3

brbo

Level 7

34,912 points

Apr 28, 2024 8:08 PM in response to gkmach1ne

Hi gkmach1ne

welcome to the Apple (user-to-user) Community!

Re: "My Documents folder is missing from Finder and iCloud"

If you haven't already, you might want to check the folders in the Dock, usually located at the bottom of the screen. (If the dock is hidden, dragging the cursor to the bottom of the screen reveals it.)

Sometimes the Documents folder may look a little different from what you expect.

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Else: wondering if the documents folder could have been accidentally "dragged" or swiped inside another folder. If so, opening a new Finder window, (File > New Finder Window) and typing Documents in the search field (at top right) would likely locate it, although the search may locate many other folders labelled documents as well.

When you highlight a folder from the search, it will display its location in the status bar at the bottom of the Finder window. When I tried it, the first "Documents" folder (top left) showed it was the right one ... the others showed they were in the Library folder.

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Re: "When I go to my hard drive -> Users -> my name -> here I can see something like a documents folder

but it's an alias that can't be opened".

In that location, there may also be a folder with the name of your MacBook ... the Documents folder would normally be within that folder.

Hope something here may help towards finding the missing folder :-)

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Answer 4

brbo

Level 7

34,912 points

Apr 29, 2024 8:16 PM in response to brbo

Re: I don't have anything in iCloud.

We are wondering if it might be worth checking iCloud Drive, just in case it has been accidentally enabled

You could try logging in to icloud.com with your Apple ID to see what's there.

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Answer 5

gkmach1ne Author

Level 1

27 points

Apr 29, 2024 5:46 AM in response to brbo

Hi brbo,

Thanks so much for taking the time to give such a detailed, lengthy response. I do appreciate it.

And I wish I could tell you that it's been very helpful and that it solved my problem but, alas, no.

Firstly, it's definitely not in my dock.

Secondly, good shout with the accidental dragging of it....but, no, when I search for it, nothing comes up, even with the "" around it.

When I mentioned in my initial query about the alias folder, here's how it looks in a screenshot:

...and when I right click and go to Get Info, it tells me it's an alias.

However, interestingly, when I go to Finder, which brings up a menu in the top menu bar, when I click on 'Go' there i see something called Documents in the menu, in exactly the place where you expect it to be:

BUT! It's not a folder as such...and when I click on it it takes me to this view which has very odd folder icons for some softwares that I've used in the past:

and when I click on each of these they are empty. For example when I click on 'Get Info' for Pixelmator it brings up this info:

Anyway, the whole thing is a complete mystery to me.

I've been using Macs since 2004 and can't recall seeing anything like this before.

Hopefully someone can shed light on it.

Thanks for the help and have a good week.

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Answer 6

brbo

Level 7

34,912 points

Apr 29, 2024 3:40 PM in response to gkmach1ne

Thank you for your reply, and for explaining so clearly. Someone may shed more light for us

Mmmmm ... Have you tried a search for a file or folder that you know is stored in the Documents folder ...eg: find one, and you would likely find them all.

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