Forum Discussion
Lost all Onedrive files
I manage my Onedrive files primarily on my desktop and when I went into my computer today I couldn’t access any file because they all had the red X sync error. Then I went into the web to access them and they were all gone. I checked the recycle bin and restore and nothing was there. Any idea what happened and how I can get my files back? I have multiple accounts (two for work and one personal) and this was my personal account. My work is doing updates on my work laptop this week and my concern is somehow they deleted all my personal files.
7 Replies
I woke up this morning to the same problem. I unsynced my laptop so have my more recent local files only. Everything is gone online, no restore options. Have you found any resolution? This is unbelievably unacceptable.
Me too, I saw syncing issues with my Onedrive, so went to Onedrive website and all files in my "My files" folder are gone, but i see the recent files but when i click ont hem I see http 500 error. Man, this kind of quality for a product from multi billion dollar company is not at acceptable especially when you are an active Office 365 subscriber. Adding salt to the wound, they don't have a single way to reach any customer support even for paid members unlike google.
Exactly the same here. I posted my details in the answers forum: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/all-gone-cannot-access-any-files-or-restoration/b2dc67e5-6476-4f60-9a0e-95449ddbd804 no responses yet, even if it can be fixed there's no way to escalate to someone who could... I also cannot view or access shared files from my family, and there are even settings in browser that have errors. Like it's not just files missing, the account itself is broken.
Are a few things you can check to try and recover them. Here are some possible solution approaches:
1. Check if You're Signed Into the Correct Account
Since you have multiple accounts (two for work and one personal), ensure that you're signed into the correct personal OneDrive account:
- Web: Go to OneDrive online and check your email in the top-right corner.
- Windows: Click the OneDrive icon in the system tray > Help & Settings > Settings > Account and verify you're using your personal account.
2. Check Another Device or Web Login
- Try accessing OneDrive from another device (e.g., phone, tablet, different PC).
- Sometimes files appear missing due to sync errors, but they may still be on another device.
3. Look in OneDrive's Recycle Bin & Restore Options
- In OneDrive online, check the Recycle Bin (left sidebar).
- If files were deleted, you may be able to restore them from there.
- If nothing is in the Recycle Bin, go to Settings > Restore your OneDrive (if you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, this allows you to restore to an earlier version from the last 30 days).
4. Check the "Personal Vault" (if enabled)
- If you use Personal Vault, files may still be locked inside. Open the Vault to check.
5. Use Windows File History or Backups
If you had File History or Backup and Restore enabled on your PC:
- Open File Explorer > Right-click your OneDrive folder > Properties > Previous Versions.
- Check if you can restore an older version of the folder.
6. Search for Files in OneDrive Web
- Try searching for a specific file name in OneDrive Web.
- If the files were moved instead of deleted, they may be in a different folder.
7. Check If Work IT Deleted or Overwrote Your OneDrive
- Your work's IT updates shouldn’t affect your personal OneDrive, but if you were signed into your personal account on your work laptop:
- IT could have deleted or disconnected your OneDrive.
- If your personal files were stored on your work OneDrive instead of your personal one, they may have been removed. The text and steps were edited with the help of AI.
My answers are voluntary and without guarantee!
Hope this will help you.
If you read the original post, it says the files in website have disappeared as well and nowhere to be found. Tell me how doing anything on laptop or any other local devices help with this? The issue is on the web server of Microsoft and not on any of our local devices.
If the files are missing from OneDrive Web, then the issue is likely on Microsoft's servers rather than a local device. However, checking other devices or sync settings can still be useful to rule out possible causes.
Here’s what to do when files are missing from OneDrive Web itself:
Immediate Steps to Try
1. Check OneDrive's "Recycle Bin" and "Second-Stage Recycle Bin"
- On OneDrive Web, go to the Recycle Bin (left sidebar).
- If nothing is there, scroll down and look for a "Second-stage recycle bin" link (this is where files go before permanent deletion).
2. Try "Restore your OneDrive" (Only for Microsoft 365 Subscribers)
- Go to OneDrive Web > Settings (top-right corner) > Restore your OneDrive
- If your files were deleted or corrupted within the last 30 days, this feature allows you to roll back to an earlier version.
3. Check for Account Issues
- Ensure you’re logged into the correct Microsoft account (especially since you have multiple).
- If your subscription or storage limit expired, Microsoft may have deleted files.
4. Search for Your Files
- Use the search bar in OneDrive Web—sometimes files get moved unexpectedly.
- Check the Shared and Recent tabs to see if anything still exists.
If Nothing Works
5. Contact Microsoft Support ASAP
- Go to: Microsoft OneDrive Support
- Microsoft keeps deleted data for a limited time even if it’s not in the Recycle Bin, so the sooner you contact them, the better your chances of recovery.
Possible Causes for Data Loss
- Account Syncing Issues → If your work laptop was linked to the wrong OneDrive, IT might have accidentally affected your personal data.
- Storage Policy Changes → If you exceeded your storage limit, Microsoft may have deleted files.
- Rare Microsoft Server Errors → Microsoft has had cases where files disappeared due to sync glitches.
Since the issue is on OneDrive Web, the best course of action is to contact Microsoft Support immediately—they may still be able to recover your files, I am only a forum user like you.
