Sharepoint files missing

Question

We run our shared folders through a Sharepoint group. When logging in through Teams or the website, the documents have all vanished.

I can still access them through the desktop where I have synched them. But some members of my team can't access them at all.

What can I do to find out what has happened and recover the folders if necessary?

Answer 1

Hello @Charlee Bennett, 

Good day! I hope you are doing well. 

Based on your description, I understand that your team’s SharePoint/Teams shared folders are no longer appearing online, even though you can still access the files through your synced desktop. Some members of your team cannot see the documents at all, which suggests the issue may be related to permissions, deleted or moved folders, or changes in the connected SharePoint site. 

Please let me know if I misunderstood any part of your issue or if there are additional details you’d like to share. 

To help us provide the most accurate and effective solution for your missing section, could you share a bit more about your setup: 

• Are the files missing in Teams, SharePoint Online, or both? 
• Can any other team members still see the files online, or are they missing for everyone except you? 
• Has anyone recently renamed the Team or any of the channels? 
• Are you and your team opening the same SharePoint site (e.g., via Teams > Files > Open in SharePoint)? 
• Have you checked the SharePoint Recycle Bin and Second‑stage Recycle Bin to see if the folders were deleted? 
• Do you notice any filters or custom views applied in the document library that might be hiding items? 
• Does your synced desktop folder show the same structure as the current SharePoint site? 
• Have there been any recent permission changes for the group or document library? 

This additional context will help us understand your environment and the steps already taken so we can tailor the guidance to resolve the issue effectively. 

In the meantime, here are some basic checks you can try: 

• Open the affected library in SharePoint and switch to the All Documents view to ensure nothing is being filtered. 
• Check the Recycle Bin for any recently deleted folders. 
• From Teams, select the affected Team > Files > Open in SharePoint to confirm you’re viewing the correct site. 
• Look at the Activity panel (the “i” icon) in the document library to see if any recent moves or deletions occurred. 

I apologize if I cannot jump straight to a solution. I want to avoid suggesting anything inaccurate or unhelpful. Once we have the details above, we’ll be able to assist you more effectively and guide you toward the right resolution. 

Looking forward to your response so we can get this sorted out together. 

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Answer 2

Follow these steps to investigate and recover the missing SharePoint files:

1. Check if items were deleted or moved (Recycle Bin and library)
   • Go to the SharePoint site that hosts the shared folders.
   • Open the document library where the folders should be.
   • If they are not visible, open the Recycle Bin for that site and look for the missing folders/files.
   • If found, select them and choose Restore.
   • If not in the first-stage Recycle Bin, check the second-stage Recycle Bin (Site Collection Recycle Bin) if available.
2. Check if files are only missing for some users
   • Since the synced desktop still shows the content, confirm that:
     • The synced folder path on the desktop matches the same SharePoint document library URL that others are using.
     • The team members are opening the correct SharePoint site / Teams channel and document library.
   • If the files appear in the synced folder but not online, the online library may have been changed (renamed/moved) or filtered. Check for:
     • Different views or filters hiding items.
     • Folder or library renames.
3. Use OneDrive/SharePoint sync copies as a fallback
   • On the desktop where the library is still synced and visible, verify that the files are actually present locally (not just placeholders).
   • If they are present, they can be copied or re-uploaded back into the correct SharePoint document library if needed.
4. Restore previous versions or the entire library if content is corrupted/overwritten
   • If the folders/files are present but show wrong or corrupted content:
     • In the document library, select an affected file, choose Version History, and restore an earlier version.
   • If many files were deleted, overwritten, or corrupted, use Restore this library / Files Restore:
     • For a document library (shared library), follow the guidance in Restore a shared library.
     • This rolls the library back to a previous point in time.
5. If items are not in Recycle Bin and not recoverable via Files Restore
   • SharePoint Online keeps backups for 14 additional days beyond deletion.
   • Ask a SharePoint/Microsoft 365 administrator to open a support request with Microsoft within that 14‑day window.
   • Provide:
     • Full URL of the affected site collection or library (for example: https://contoso.sharepoint.com/sites/<SiteCollectionName>/Shared%20Documents).
     • Names of several missing items (with file extensions).
     • Approximate date and time when the items were last known to be in a healthy state.
6. If users see 404 or cannot access the site/library
   • A 404 for the site, file, or group indicates it was renamed, moved, or deleted.
   • In that case, contact the SharePoint/Microsoft 365 administrator to verify whether the site or group was changed or deleted and to perform recovery as above.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, the administrator should contact Microsoft 365 support and request a restore of the affected site collection from backup (site-collection level only, within the 14‑day backup window).

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References:

• How to recover missing, deleted or corrupted items in SharePoint and OneDrive for work or school
• "Error: 404 File/Page not found" in OneDrive or SharePoint
• How do i retrieve lost data from the month before? - Microsoft Q&A
• Unable to restore deleted files from C:OneDrive - Microsoft Q&A