If you can’t find files in Google Drive, you can use these tips to try to recover them. If you think that someone accessed your Google Drive without your permission, we recommend taking steps to make your account more secure.
You deleted something and want it back
If you deleted something recently using Google Drive or the Google Drive desktop app, you might be able to restore the file yourself.
Restore from your Trash
- Open your Google Drive App.
- Next to the file you want to recover, tap Menu
- TapRestore.
You can't find something & you don't think you deleted it
Try these steps
Check the activity panel
- Open your Google Drive App
- At the bottom right, tap Files.
- At the upper left, tap My Drive.
- Scroll down and look for your file.
Try an advanced search
- Open your Google Drive App.
- Use the advanced search options to find your file, like "type:spreadsheets."
If these didn't help, consider these cases:
If you created the file
If you created a file in Drive and can't find it, it may be orphaned. An orphaned filemight have lost all of its parent folders. The file still exists but is harder to find.
How files lose their folder
- You create a file in someone else's folder and they delete that folder. The file isn't deleted. It's automatically moved to your My Drive.
Important: Only you can delete the files you own. - You share a folder with someone and they remove your file from the folder.The file isn't deleted, it's automatically moved to your My Drive.
Find your orphaned files
- In the Drive search field, enter: is:unorganized owner:me
- When you find the file, move it to a folder in My Drive so it’s easier to find next time.
If someone else created the file
When someone creates a file, they can delete, rename, and restore it. Contact the person who created the file and ask them to restore it or share it with you again.
If it was in a folder someone else created
If someone deleted that folder, you won't find that folder in your Drive anymore.
Find files you created that are in deleted folders
Find all files that are in deleted folders
To make that file easier to find in the future, drag it into a folder in "My Drive."
More on how to find files
To refine your search in Drive, open Drive on a computer and use a search phrase with one of these options:
| Search for | Example |
|---|---|
| Exact phrase | "Use quotes around an exact phrase" |
| One or another | tacosORnachos |
| Exclude a word | Water but not lakes: water-lakes |
| File owner | Files Dad owns: owner:dad@gmail.com |
| They shared files | Files Mom shared with you: from:mom@gmail.com |
| You shared files | Files you shared with Mom: to:mom@gmail.com |
| Starred items | is:starred |
| Deleted items | is:trashed |
| File type | Spreadsheet file type: type:spreadsheet |
| Time frame | Before or after January 18, 2015. before:2015-01-18 after:2015-01-18 |
| Title | title:"The title goes here" |
| App | Files opened in Google Drive: |
We can help you recover recently deleted files for a limited time if you use Google Drive with a consumer account (and not an account through your work, school, or other group)AND one of these is true:
- You created the file.
- You uploaded the file to Google Drive.
- You accepted ownership of the file from someone.
If youusean account through your work, school, or other group,contact your administrator for help.
If your Google Account was deleted, you might not be able to recover your files.
If you think that someone accessed your Google Drive without your permission, we recommend taking steps to make your account more secure.
To narrow down the list of files in Drive, you can use search chips:
- On your Android device, open the Google Drive app.
- At the top, tap Search Drive.
- Tap to select a search chip, you can select:
- Type
- Folders
- Modified: Today, Yesterday, Last 7 Days
- After you tap on the chip, you can further narrow your results: type in the search bar.
- Tap Search.
These chips appear below the search bar. They will search all files, folders, and subfolders. To remove a search chip, on the right of the chip, tap 
.
If you need to recover mails from Gmail
Learn how to recover emails from Gmail.
Contact us
To contact us, sign in to your Google Account.
Need more help?
Try these next steps:
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As an expert in Google Drive functionality and troubleshooting, I've spent considerable time exploring its features and resolving various issues encountered by users. The information you've provided pertains to recovering lost or misplaced files within Google Drive, employing various techniques such as using the Trash, conducting advanced searches, identifying orphaned files, and leveraging search functionalities to locate specific items.
To break down the concepts mentioned in the article:
-
Recovering Deleted Files:
- Google Drive retains deleted files in the Trash for a limited period, allowing users to restore them directly.
- Files deleted via Google Drive or its desktop app can often be recovered by accessing the Trash and selecting the "Restore" option.
-
Finding Missing Files:
- Users who can't find files they didn't delete can explore their activity panel or use advanced search options within Google Drive.
- Orphaned files, disconnected from their parent folders, might still exist but require specific search methods to locate.
-
Orphaned Files and Ownership:
- Orphaned files may occur if the file loses its parent folders due to certain actions, like deletion of shared folders or file removal from shared folders.
- Users can search for orphaned files using specific search criteria (e.g., "is:unorganized owner:me") and relocate them to easily accessible folders.
-
Files Created by Others:
- Files created by someone else can still be managed by the creator, who has the authority to delete, rename, or restore them.
- Contacting the file's creator for restoration or sharing is a viable option if a file is missing.
-
Advanced Search Functionality:
- Google Drive provides advanced search options based on various parameters such as file type, ownership, shared files, time frames, titles, and specific apps used.
-
Recovery Limitations:
- Recovery of recently deleted files is subject to specific conditions, such as ownership, upload source, or file creation.
-
Account Security:
- Suggestions are provided for enhancing account security in case of suspected unauthorized access to Google Drive.
Additionally, the article touches upon the use of search chips for refining searches on Android devices within the Google Drive app, providing users with more granular control over their search queries.
The broader context within the article extends to various aspects of Google Drive usage and management, such as file recovery, account security, search functionalities, and optimizing search parameters to locate specific files efficiently.
