Missing files when syncing, then the files are gone from local folder and also one drive, there is no deleted logs

Question

Missing files when syncing, then the files are gone from local folder and also one drive, there is no deleted logs

Jesson Lim 0

Hi guys, a few folder and files inside 1 of my parent folder just went missing suddenly , and there is no trace of it being deleted both locally and on the one drive's deleted files . Please help, i can still see the files and folder's shadow using my iphone's one drive, but it cannot be opened or moved

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2 answers

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Answer 1

Kai-H 28,345 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi, Jesson Lim

This may be a sync/database issue rather than a normal deletion. The “shadow” entries on the iPhone are likely cached references, not complete copies, so avoid making further changes from that device.

Besides the solutions provided by the Q&A Assist, here are some suggestions you can try:

Immediately pause OneDrive syncing on the PC and disconnect the iPhone from Wi-Fi/mobile data. This helps prevent another device from syncing more changes.

Select the OneDrive cloud icon on the PC and review the recent sync activity for errors, renamed items, or a different folder location. Also enable View > Show > Hidden items in File Explorer, because hidden or temporary files can cause unusual sync behavior.

Check Windows Security or any third-party antivirus Protection history/Quarantine. A local security program can move or quarantine synchronized files, after which OneDrive may sync the removal.

Right-click the parent folder, select Properties > Previous Versions, and check whether Windows File History or a restore point contains an earlier copy. Also check any external-drive or backup-software history you may have.

If any missing file still appears by name on OneDrive.com, right-click it and check Version history. Older versions can be downloaded or restored for supported files.

If none of these finds the data, stop using that PC drive and consider a reputable local file-recovery service before deleted sectors are overwritten.

Thank you for your patience in reading, I hope this information has been helpful to you.

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Jesson Lim 0 Reputation points

2026-08-28T10:07:29.9533333+00:00
Hi, iv tried all the above, and i still cant seem to find the missing files, the weird part is that, on my iphone its currently already syncing with one drive, but its not updating the latest files, and the old files are still there, i will attach the iphone's one drive version as reference, you can see that there is 2 folder that is still there, one is 1. Files and another is the Jam Password folder. But on one drive's online , the files are missing, and i have already checked the recycle bin its not deleted

WhatsApp Image 2026-08-27 at 23.07.01.jpeg

Screenshot 2026-08-28 180616.png
Kai-H 28,345 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-30T06:33:17.6+00:00

Hi, Jesson Lim

Thanks for the screenshots. The iPhone app shows 1. Files with 16 items and Jam Passwords with 13 items, while neither appears on OneDrive.com. This strongly indicates that the iPhone is displaying an outdated cached folder list, not confirming that the actual file contents remain on the phone.

Do not reset, sign out, offload, or reinstall OneDrive yet, as this may remove the remaining cached information.

Put the iPhone in Airplane Mode, open OneDrive, then select the account picture and check Offline Files. Files previously marked Make Available Offline are stored for offline access.

If any file opens while offline, immediately use Share > Save to Files and save a separate copy under On My iPhone, iCloud Drive, or another location. Repeat this file by file.

If the folders remain visible but nothing opens offline, the phone probably has only folder names and item counts cached, not recoverable file contents.

Before changing the app, reconnect and gently shake the iPhone while OneDrive is open, then choose Report a problem/Get help. Include both screenshots, the folder names, the approximate disappearance date, and the OneDrive app version. OneDrive provides in-app mobile support through this option.

Please be advised that this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators and contributors, including external Microsoft employees, are not allowed to directly interfere with Microsoft product features or access back-end systems. Our role is limited solely to providing technical guidance on reported incidents, requests, or ideas.

Answer 2

For a OneDrive home scenario where files disappeared from both the local folder and OneDrive, but no delete log appears, the supported recovery path is:

Check OneDrive on the web first. Sign in to https://www.onedrive.com and use Search everything at the top. Search by exact filename, but also try descriptions, tags, dates, and places.
Check the Recycle bin on the left side of the OneDrive website. If the files appear there, select them and choose Restore.
Check Personal Vault. Files stored there do not appear in search results. In the recycle bin, select Show Personal Vault items to unlock it and verify whether the missing items are there.
Confirm the correct Microsoft account is signed in. Missing files may be in another OneDrive if a different account was used.
Check local storage on the PC with File Explorer and search outside the OneDrive folder as well. Also check the PC Recycle Bin.
If using OneDrive on iPhone and the app shows file placeholders or cannot find the file, reset the iOS app: Profile > Settings > Account > Reset. If that does not help, uninstall and reinstall the app.
If the missing change happened recently, and there is no usable recycle-bin recovery, a Microsoft 365 subscriber can try Restore your OneDrive and roll the entire OneDrive back to a previous point in time within the last 30 days.

Important caution: restoring OneDrive can move files or folders created after the restore point into the OneDrive Recycle Bin.

If the files are not found by web search, recycle bin, Personal Vault, other account check, or local device search, support agents cannot access the files or provide recovery beyond those steps.

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