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Missing files

How to find lost files on a Mac

· 8 min read

Most “lost” files on a Mac haven't been deleted at all: they were saved to an unexpected folder, renamed, moved by a clumsy drag and drop, or sent to iCloud Drive without you noticing. Before you think about data recovery, search methodically. In the vast majority of cases, the file turns up within minutes.

Here are the methods to try in order, from the quickest to the most thorough. If you're sure the file was deleted, go straight to our guide on how to recover deleted files.

1. Spotlight: search by name, content or date

Press Cmd + Space and type a word from the file name, or better yet, a phrase you know is inside the document: Spotlight also indexes the contents of PDFs, Pages and Word documents, and emails.

For a more precise search, open a Finder window and press Cmd + F. Choose This Mac rather than the current folder, then add criteria with the + button: Kind (document, image, PDF), Last opened date or Last modified date (for example “today”). You can save the search so it appears in the sidebar.

Spotlight also understands natural language, so queries such as “PDF from last week” or “spreadsheets modified yesterday” narrow things down quickly. If you remember who sent you the file, search for that person's name: Spotlight will surface the email that carried the attachment, and from there you can save it again.

If Spotlight finds nothing even though the file exists, its index may be incomplete. Check that the disk isn't excluded in System Settings > Spotlight.

2. Recents, Downloads and the app's own menu

  • Recents: in the Finder sidebar, this virtual folder lists files you've opened or changed recently, wherever they are. Sort by Date Last Opened.
  • File > Open Recent: each app keeps its own list. Once the document is open, Command-click its title in the window bar to see its exact location.
  • Apple menu > Recent Items: recently used documents, apps and servers.
  • Downloads: attachments opened from Mail or a browser often land here, sometimes with a “(1)” suffix.

3. iCloud Drive: synced Desktop and Documents, Recently Deleted

If Desktop & Documents Folders is turned on (System Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Drive), your files live in iCloud Drive. An optimized file may no longer be downloaded locally: it shows a cloud icon and Spotlight finds it less reliably.

Also check:

  • the iCloud Drive folder in the Finder sidebar, including the app folders (Pages, Numbers, Preview);
  • on iCloud.com, the Recently Deleted section of iCloud Drive, which keeps files for 30 days, even if they were deleted from another device;
  • on iCloud.com, Data Recovery (at the bottom of the home page), which lets you restore iCloud Drive files deleted in the last 30 days.

The same sync and local storage questions are handled by MacNeat's Nimbus module.

4. Previous versions: when the file was overwritten

The file is there, but its content has changed? macOS automatically keeps versions for compatible apps (Pages, Numbers, Keynote, TextEdit, Preview and many third-party apps):

  1. Open the document.
  2. Choose File > Revert To > Browse All Versions.
  3. Scroll through the versions on the right and compare them with the current version on the left.
  4. Click Restore, or hold Option to Restore a Copy without overwriting the current version.

Versions are stored on the document's volume. They don't survive a copy to an exFAT-formatted USB stick, or being sent by email.

5. Apps that keep drafts

A document that was never saved isn't always lost. Several apps keep a backup copy:

  • Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint: AutoRecover offers unsaved documents when you reopen the app after a crash.
  • Pages, Numbers, Keynote, TextEdit: thanks to autosave, an “Untitled” document is reopened as it was when the app restarts. Don't choose Delete when closing it.
  • Notes: the Recently Deleted folder, 30 days.
  • Mail: the Drafts mailbox, plus drafts stored on the server for IMAP accounts.
  • Browsers: Cmd + Shift + T reopens the last closed tab, handy for a web form.
  • Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro: auto-recovery files or library backups, to be enabled in their settings.

6. Hidden files, other volumes and other accounts

  • Invisible files: in the Finder, Cmd + Shift + . shows hidden files and folders, including the Library in your home folder.
  • Other disks: a file dragged to an external drive or a server was copied there. Check each volume in the sidebar.
  • Another user account: a file saved from another session doesn't appear in your home folder.
  • Panorama: MacNeat's Panorama module shows disk usage folder by folder, handy for spotting a large misplaced video file.

7. Time Machine: go back to yesterday

If none of the above works and you have a backup, open the folder where the file used to be, then choose Browse Time Machine Backups from the Time Machine menu in the menu bar. Go back to the last date the file existed, select it and click Restore.

No backup yet? Turn it on now in System Settings > General > Time Machine > Add Backup Disk. MacNeat also checks that Time Machine has backed up recently and warns you if it hasn't (see Data Protection).

8. What if the file really was deleted?

If the file is nowhere to be found, it was probably deleted. Check the Trash, then follow our guide to recovering deleted files on a Mac. If it was on an SD card, a USB stick or an external drive, external media recovery is still possible as long as you stop writing to it. On the other hand, a file emptied from the Trash on the internal SSD of a recent Mac is, in practice, unrecoverable without a backup.

Frequently asked questions

Why can't Spotlight find a file that exists?
Indexing may still be in progress, the disk may be excluded in System Settings > Spotlight, or the file may exist only in iCloud. Try a Finder search (Cmd + F) limited to This Mac.
Where does macOS save a document when I don't pick a folder?
Often in Documents, or in the app's iCloud Drive folder (Pages, TextEdit). Use File > Open Recent, then Command-click the window title to see the path.
Can I get back an unsaved Word document?
Often yes, if Word crashed or was force quit: reopen Word and AutoRecover will offer the document. If you clicked “Don't Save”, the backup copy is usually deleted.
I saved over a file. Can I get the old version back?
Yes if the app supports versions (File > Revert To) or if Time Machine has an earlier backup. Otherwise, the old version is lost on the internal SSD.
How do I see which folder a Spotlight result is in?
Select the result and hold Cmd: the full path appears at the bottom of the window. Cmd + Return opens the enclosing folder directly in the Finder.
My Desktop files disappeared after an update. What should I do?
Check whether Desktop and Documents syncing with iCloud Drive was turned on: your files are then in iCloud Drive, under Desktop. Also make sure you're logged in to the right user account.