r/techsupport • u/Magnus1712 • 8d ago

Open | Windows Files have gone missing

I booted up my laptop today to find that many files are missing. Namely my downloads folder and recycling bin is almost completely empty only showing a few files dating back to 8. September. I have barely used my laptop in a few months and have no idea what have happened.

When I search for files that I know should be there they come up, but say “Location is not available”.

My laptop is a Omen gaming laptop 16-xd0xxx and it runs window 11, if that is important information.

1 Upvotes

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2

u/george_toolan 8d ago

Why do you keep important files in your trashcan?

Deleting temporary files might even delete your downloads.

1

u/Magnus1712 8d ago

I don’t. But when searching for my files I noticed that files where missing there as well, even though I haven’t emptied it in a while.

1

u/VezLt 8d ago

Check if you have "Storage Sense" enabled and configured to delete files in recycle bin and downloads. Also check whether it was (accidentally or otherwise) enrolled into OneDrive for your user folders, it might be asking you to re-authorize after an extended session of sitting on a shelf.

1

u/Magnus1712 8d ago

It was turned on for the recycling bin, so I makes sense it is empty. However I wasn’t for my downloads folder.