How to Recover Missing Folder in Windows 10/11 Computer

Files can be created by users in a variety of formats, including photos, videos, documents, page files, compressed files, and other formats. They need to create folders to organize and save the numerous files that are stored on their devices because they have a large number of files.

Users will be able to readily access the data in batches, and the files will be organized thanks to the folders. On occasion, however, you might experience the problem of a folder being removed or disappearing, and this is not an uncommon occurrence.

Why was folder missing from Windows 10/11 PC?

Use data recovery software to recover lost folder in any situations

Many users are bewildered and uncertain about how to retrieve their valuable data when they experience data loss as a result of deletion, disk formatting, Recycle Bin emptying, system boot failures, viruses, and other causes. Some users who are prudent and have established a routine of storing up their data will experience a sense of tranquility and relaxation, as they can easily restore their systems from the backups.

Nevertheless, file and folder loss disasters occur without any indication. For those who lack backups, how can they retrieve deleted and absent folders in Windows 10? With the assistance of cutting-edge technology, AOMEI FastRecovery enables you to retrieve deleted and lost folders in just simple steps.

Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI FastRecovery. Choose the exact partition or disk where your data lost and click Scan.

Step 2. Then, the recovery tool start to scan and search. lt will execute the “Quickly Scan" first for finding your deleted data fast, and then execute the “Deep Scan" for searching other lost data.

Step 3. Once the scan is completed, all deleted files, recycle bins and other missing files will be displayed. Please select the file you would like to recover and then click "Recover".

Step 4. Then, select a folder path to save your recovered files.

Step 5. Wait patiently for this process of recovering ends.

Tip: This application applies to a wide range of scenarios, including inadvertent or intentional deletion, disk formatting, system crashes, and other data loss scenarios. For example, it can also be employed to recover formatted files from a USB drive.

Recover missing folder in Windows for different situations

In this part, you’ll learn how to recover lost folders under different cases.

Way 1. Show hidden folders and files

There are situations when the folders that appear to be missing or not present are actually concealed somewhere. Furthermore, the File Explorer is not set up to display files that are set to be hidden. To reveal files and folders that are hidden, perform the actions that are listed below.

On Windows 10:

Step 1. Press “Windows + E” to open “Windows File Explorer”.

Step 2. Click “View” > “Options”.

Step 3. At the View tab, tick the “Show hidden files, folders, and drives” option. Then click “Apply” > “OK”.

On Windows 11:

Step 1. Open File Explorer from the taskbar. Click the View option and select Show and Hidden items.

Step 2. The folder that was previously unavailable will now be visible in File Explorer. You may verify whether there are any available.

Tip: To modify the file attribute of the folder, execute the following command in the CMD window and press "Enter": "attrib -h -r -s /s /d G:\*.*" if you are familiar with the attrib command. Nevertheless, if the attrib command is unable to function for you, it suggests that the absent folder may have been deleted.

Way 2. Recover deleted folder via Backup and Restore

Backup and Restore, a backup utility, has been released by Microsoft. This Windows feature was initially introduced in Windows 7 and subsequently incorporated into Windows 10 or 11.

Step 1. Press “Windows” to start, then click “Control Panel” > “System and Security” “Backup and Restore (Windows 7).”

Step 2. Click “Restore my files”.

Step 3. Select the “Browse for folders” option to locate your missing folder.

Step 4. You can store your retrieved folders in your destination path or keep them in the original location.

Way 3. Check user account

Proceed to verify whether the user's account has been modified. Occasionally, when upgrading to Windows 10, a new user account is established and designated as the primary account for your computer. Follow these steps to convert the account to your previous user account, which includes the folder you are seeking.

>> Click the Start menu > click the Profile icon > Sign out or directly choose the correct account listed below > sign in using your password.

Way 4. Check Temp Folder to Find the Vanished Folder

The Temp folder is utilized to store cached data and specific launch configurations for all applications that are installed on the computer.

The initial step in recovering the deleted folders and files for Windows 10 users is to navigate to the C: \Users\Username\AppData\Local\Temp folder. This folder is the location where the majority of the documents that have vanished are located. Nevertheless, it is necessary to execute a few manual procedures to retrieve the data.

Way 5. Check drive index

It is possible that the indexing is the case if you are certain that the folders have not been removed or relocated to a different location but have remained in their original location. Your best bet for indexing the folders is to experiment with different indexing choices.

Step 1. Start File Explorer > type anything in the search box to launch the search process > Advanced options > Change indexed locations.

Step 2. Click Advanced.

Step 3. Click the Select new button to add the folder location into the indexing locations. Then, restart File Explorer and see if the folder disappeared in Windows 10 or 11 is visible now.

Way 6. Recover disappeared folder from Previous Version

If your folders were lost as a result of deletion, viruses, system failures, or any other cause, you can rapidly retrieve them by utilizing the Previous Versions feature.

Please note that the following prerequisites must be met: either you have already enabled File History by going to "Control Panel" > "System and Security" > "File History" or you have already established restore points.

This function is included in Windows 8 and later versions that have been published by Microsoft.

Step 1. Launch “Windows File Explorer” on your PC, and locate the folder that includes the missing folder you want to retrieve.

Step 2. Right-click on it > “Properties” > “Previous Versions”. After seeing a list of file versions, select a version you want to “Restore”.

To sum up

In Windows 10/11, how to recover missing folder? This tutorial provides a list of seven effective strategies that can assist you in recovering folders that have been deleted, hidden, or missing.

The attrib command and Windows File Explorer are both capable of retrieving the directories that you have hidden. Another option is to check the temp folder to give it a shot. Other things that are worth attempting include checking to see if you have logged into the incorrect account and ensuring that the indexing choices are correct.

Under any other circumstances, you are expected to make effective use of the options offered by Windows to restore deleted folders in Windows 10 from backups. By using a professional data recovery program such as AOMEI FastRecovery, it is clear that this is the method that is both the most straightforward and the most effective.