Help! Files are disappearing from my document folders

Help! My MacBook Air 2024, Apple M3 chip (with OS Tahoe 26.5.1) , plus my iMac has been disappearing files from my folders in Documents lately. This also happened about 6 months ago. I then updated the OS, called Apple support, but they didn't know why it happened. Now files are vanishing again., and I can't find them anywhere (maybe they are gone gone?)They are not in trash, iCloud, and I don't have any other profiles. I don't use stacks. I have rebooted my computers. I had Clean my Mac on my iMac, but not used it in over a year or two. My iMac and MacBook are now synced. I have plenty of storage left. I have tried command, shift and period to find hidden files, to no avail. I have saved my current files to EHD's so I don't lose more of them. I did First Aid repair in disc utility. I have not ran Malwarebytes yet. (never used it, just read about it) I called Apple support yesterday and they have no clue why my files are disappearing from my folders. I have changed my apple password, and set up two-factor authentication now. My apple account did not seem compromised though. No strange names on it etc, I feel like maybe there is malware on my laptop deleting items I don't want deleted? Not all files are disappearing, just a few here and there. And not all of the time either. Also, my desktop screenshots all disappeared. Newly taken screenshot are staying on my desktop, for now.

Posted on Oct 17, 2026 1:12 PM

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Help! Files are disappearing from my document folders

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