Answered | Why Did Half My Folder Disappeared From Google Drive?

User case: Why did my folder disappeared from Google Drive?

Some Google Drive users reported that their accounts seemed to reset to an earlier state from May, causing files added after that time to disappear. This problem was linked to a sync issue in Google Drive for Desktop. One user figured out that the sync issue left local files stored in a backup folder that couldn't be accessed because the files hadn’t uploaded to the cloud. Google confirmed that this affected a small group of users with version 84 of Drive for Desktop, where local file changes weren’t syncing properly.

Apart from the sync issue, there are many other reasons why folders might disappear from Google Drive. For example, files may have been accidentally deleted and moved to the trash. Open Google Drive, go to the left sidebar, and click on "Trash" to see if your missing files are there.

On the other hand, if the folder was shared with you, it's possible the owner changed access permissions or removed you from the folder. In short, there could be many reasons why half of your folder disappeared from Google Drive. Now, you can move to the next part to learn how to recover files from Google Drive.

How to recover Google Drive files?

After finding the answer to “Why did half of my folder disappear from Google Drive?”, here are some useful fixes to help you recover your Google Drive folders.

Method 1. Pause and restart Google Drive sync

As the half folder disappeared from Google Drive is likely due to a sync issue. First, pause and restart the sync to see if it fixes the problem. If not, you can learn to change the sync settings to recover the missing folder in the next method.

To fix folder disappeared from Google Drive, please click the Google Drive icon on the taskbar > click the settings/menu button > Pause syncing.

Then, when it is finished, click Resume syncing to see if the files are back.

Method 2. Check the sync settings

Some files may only exist online in the cloud and not on your computer. If Google Drive files still not showing, you can manually copy the files to your local drive.

Start Google Drive > click Settings/Menu > Preferences > Google Drive Folders from Drive > tick Mirror files instead of Stream files.

Thus you could store all your My Drive files both in the cloud and the local drives. And they will be available offline.

Method 3. Submit a request to Google Drive Support Team

If you find half folder disappeared from Google Drive, and you still cannot find them after using the fixes, you can also ask Google Drive Support for help.

Step 1. Open the Google Drive Help page by searching google drive help in the search bar of Google Chrome Click Contact Us from the lower right corner.

Step 2. Then select Missing or deleted files and choose Email. After describing your detailed problems and filling in the blanks with your personal information, click Submit.  

Method 4. Google Drive recovers deleted files

Sometimes, you might accidentally delete a folder when removing unnecessary files without realizing. To make things worse, you might empty the trash without checking. At this stage, it may be helpful to use a professional data recovery program to recover deleted files. This is often the most effective option, especially when files have been permanently deleted, as data recovery software can increase the chances of restoring lost data. AOMEI FastRecovery, a reliable file recovery tool for Windows, can help you recover missing folders with just a few clicks.

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 Google Drive files.

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

Final words

Why did half my folder disappeared from Google Drive? There are many reasons. You can use the fixes in this passage to find the missing folders. If you accidentally delete the files without noticing, AOMEI FastRecovery will help you easily recover any lost data. This software also allows you to easily find folder disappeared from external hard drives, including SD card, USB, or external SSD/HDD.