Mac Files Disappeared Suddenly [Top 5 Recovery Solutions]

Can't seem to locate that professional presentation you need to showcase after lunch on your Mac? Or are you unable to find that Word document you need while renaming a particular file on your Mac?

It's common for most laptop users to save files on the desktop for quick access. It can be frustrating not to find a file, especially when you haven't deleted or moved it anywhere else.

Recently, many users have reported that some of their files have vanished from their Mac devices. But why does this happen? What could be the possible reasons? And how can you recover missing files on your Mac? Keep reading to find out the causes and get answers to all your questions.

Fix 1: Recover Lost Mac Files with Data Recovery Software If you find that files have disappeared from your Mac, you can try using data recovery software to retrieve them. Here are some recommended tools: 1. **Stellar Data Recovery**: This powerful tool helps you recover various types of files, including photos, documents, and videos. It supports data recovery from Mac hard drives, external hard drives, USB drives, and more. 2. **tools Data Recovery Wizard**: Offering a user-friendly interface, this software quickly scans and retrieves lost files. It is also applicable to multiple storage devices. 3. **Disk Drill**: With its deep scanning feature, Disk Drill can locate deleted or lost files and supports various file systems. 4. **Recuva**: Although primarily designed for Windows users, Recuva also has a version for Mac, which can assist in recovering lost data. To use these utilities, first download and install the appropriate tool, then follow the software's instructions. Typically, this involves selecting the drive to scan, initiating the scanning process, previewing recoverable files, and finally choosing the files to restore. It's crucial to act promptly, as new data written to the drive can overwrite the lost files, reducing the chances of successful recovery.

Most of the time, you can't find a file on your Mac because you accidentally deleted it. You can always download software to recover lost files from your Mac. We have a great option: tools Data Recovery Wizard for Mac, a professional Mac data recovery tool that could be the most efficient and feasible solution. Feel free to download this file recovery utility as tools promises a free scan with no strings attached.

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Recover Lost Files on Mac Immediately

Restore missing files on your Mac without Time Machine, iCloud, or an external backup disk.

Whether your data is lost due to accidental deletion or any other reason, you can use this ultimate tool to quickly retrieve deleted files from Mac trash. With Mac data recovery software, you can reap several benefits, including:

This Mac data recovery software is professional and completely free to download. So don't hesitate. Download it for free and give it a try right now!

Step 1: Select the disk where the lost file was. If the file got lost from an external Mac hard drive, connect it to your Mac and choose “Find Lost Files”.

Step 2: If you know the type of file that's missing, select a specific file type from the left. For instance, if your photos have disappeared from Mac, choose “Images.”

Click the file type to filter files on the external hard drive.

Step 3: Double-click a file to preview it. After checking the details, you can click the "Recover" button to save these recoverable lost files.

After experiencing its powerful file scanning technology, you can recommend it to more Mac users!

Fix 2: Show Hidden Files in Mac Finder to Recover Missing Files

The macOS Finder is an essential tool for organizing files or data on your Mac device. If you can't find a file or encounter an issue where the Mac Finder is not showing files, you can follow these steps to display hidden files using the Finder:

Step 1: Click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of your screen, then click Force Quit Finder, and then click Relaunch. Alternatively, you can click the Finder in your bottom menu.

Step 2: Now open the “Macintosh HD” folder.

Click the “Macintosh HD” folder to open it.

Step 3. Next, press Command + Shift + . from your keyboard to unhide hidden files and unhide folders on Mac.

(Note: This step can be done in the Applications, Documents, and Desktop folders as well)

Fix 3: Use Terminal to Find Missing Files on Mac

The Terminal application can display hidden files on a Mac. To show concealed or missing data, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open Terminal by clicking on Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal, or by searching for it manually.

The first step to show hidden files in the Terminal is to open Terminal.

Step Two: Type com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles true and press Return.

Enter the command in the Terminal to show hidden files

Step Three: Click “Finder,” and select “Restart.”

Step 4. As the command runs, you'll see all the hidden files and temporary files saved on your desktop.

Solution 4: Recover Disappeared Mac Files with a Stack

Enabling Stacks on a Mac will organize all of your files into categories. When you click on a Stack, it expands to show everything that's on your desktop. To help you locate a file that's suddenly gone missing on your Mac, try these simple steps:

Step One: Click “View” at the top of the desktop, and choose “Use Stacks.”

Step 2: Use this option to tidy up all your files. Locate the missing folder and put it back into its appropriate folder.

These steps will only help you find your lost files if they've been hidden, not deleted by accident.

Fix 5: Adjust iCloud Settings to Display Missing Files

macOS allows users to save their files and data in its iCloud storage, thereby enabling them to access it from anywhere using their Apple devices at icloud.com.

If you can't find your files or any folders on your desktop, you might need to change your iCloud settings, turn off iCloud, and recover your lost documents. To retrieve documents from iCloud, do the following:

Step 1: Use the Spotlight shortcut to open the iCloud settings window.

Open iCloud by focusing on the search.

Step 2. Choose “iCloud Drive” to see more options for file syncing.

Click "iCloud Drive".

Step Three: In the iCloud preferences, uncheck “Desktop & Documents Folders,” and click “Done.”

Note: If you lost your files from iCloud, you can also use the Data Recovery Wizard to recover permanently deleted files from iCloud.

Why Have My Files Disappeared on My Mac?

When users lose files on their Mac, the first two questions on their minds are usually “How?” and “Why?” There can be many causes, including:

Virus Attack or Power Failure: A virus attack or power failure on your Mac can lead to data loss or permanent deletion. Hence, it's crucial to have a powerful Mac data recovery tool to retrieve lost files from your Mac device.

Accidental Deletion Goes Unnoticed: While cleaning up unwanted files from your desktop, you might have accidentally deleted an important file without noticing it. You can try checking the Trash because most of the deleted files usually end up in this folder.

Moved File Location: Many users tend to forget the new location of their files when they create a new folder or rename a specific folder on their Mac devices. In such cases, you should check your Trash or any other significant folders.

⚡Incorrect iCloud Drive Sync Settings: It's possible that you've set your defaults to save your desktop or documents in iCloud, which is why your files are moving to iCloud. In this case, you'll need to revisit your iCloud settings and customize them according to your preference.

Issue: The Finder is hiding my files in macOS: Several versions of macOS include a feature called Stacks. If you have this turned on, your files may be organized by category. In that case, turn off Stacks to put your files back where they belong.

If you want more people to know about these reasons, don't forget to share this page on your social media!

Conclusions

So, the next time you lose a file or document on your Mac, don't panic. Instead, take a deep breath and try these simple methods to recover a missing file on Mac before it's too late.

These are manual and alternative solutions that users can try when they can't find their lost files. And if you're lucky enough not to have lost any, you can rest easy knowing you're prepared!