I cant find my voice recordings from today

Hi there! My name is David. It’s a pleasure to help you today.

Did you use the Windows 11 Sound Recorder?

If you used the Windows 11 Sound Recorder, I can suggest the following steps to try to find your recordings:

Open File Explorer > go to “Documents” > look for the “Sound recordings” folder. Recordings are saved in this folder by default.

Open File Explorer > in the top-right corner, in the search bar, type the following:

.m4a

Then press the Enter key to search for audio files in the default format used by the Sound Recorder. Sort the files by date.

Let me know if the shared information has been helpful. Regards.

Dear Maryellen Carlucci, 

Thank you for your question and for sharing the details into Microsoft Q&A Forum. 

I understand how frustrating it can be to record something important and then not be able to find it afterward, especially when it was expected to be saved automatically. At this point, I recommend that you review and try the steps provided in the Independent Advisor’s answer on your thread. That reply typically include the most relevant checks for this scenario. To help narrow this down, could you please share a bit more context and try the steps below? 

• Which app did you use to record the audio? Windows Sound Recorder / Voice Recorder, or another app (e.g., Teams, third‑party recorder)? 
• Do you see the recordings listed inside the recording app, even if you can’t find the files in File Explorer? 
• Were you signed into OneDrive, and is your Desktop/Documents being backed up by OneDrive? 
• Did the PC/app restart, crash, or lose power while recording? 

In the meantime, here are a few basic steps you can try: 

1. Check inside the recording app first 

If you used Sound Recorder / Voice Recorder: 

• Open the app and look for your recordings list. 
• If you see the recordings there, try the option such as Open file location (or a similar menu option) to jump directly to the saved folder. 

2. Search the PC for common audio formats created “today” 

• Open File Explorer > click This PC. 
• In the search box (top right), search for: .m4a or.wav 
• When results appear, sort by “Date modified” and look for items from today (around the time you recorded). 
• If you remember a word in the filename (or a partial name), search that as well. 

3. Check likely save locations 

• Please check these folders in File Explorer: Documents, Music, Downloads, Desktop 
• Also check Home > Recent (if enabled) 

4. Check Recycle Bin  

• Open Recycle Bin. 
• Sort by Date deleted or search for .m4a / .wav. 
• If found, right‑click > Restore. 

5. Check storage and protection settings that can block saving 

• Confirm there is enough disk space: Settings > System > Storage. 

While my initial response may not fully resolve the issue, I truly appreciate your cooperation as we work together toward identifying the most effective solution. Thank you so much for your understanding. 

I hope these steps help you quickly find or restore today’s voice recordings and reduce the chance of this happening again. Wishing you a smooth and hassle‑free experience. 

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