Google Drive missing files error has been fixed

One of the best things about backing up your files to an online service is that they’re, well, backed up. So it’s understandable that a lot of Google Drive users are upset after finding out that this may not be the case. An error with a recent version of the desktop client for Google Drive has resulted in missing files for some users — a lot of missing files going back several months in a few cases. Update: The problem has been corrected in a new version.

An ongoing support thread on Google Drive Help, spotted by The Register, is full of dozens of replies from users who’ve found their remote backups empty. The initial complaint comes from a Windows user who says that their Drive files going back to May of this year have suddenly disappeared, apparently from both the local folder and Google’s server. Direct help from the support team was unable to restore the files. Over 300 users have clicked the “I have the same question” response.

A reply from a Google employee says that the company is aware of the issue and working on it, stating that it’s affecting a “limited subset of Drive for desktop users.” Google says that in the meantime you shouldn’t delete any of your local files or disconnect your account from within the Drive app. Oh, and you should probably back up those files somewhere else — you know, that thing you’re paying Google to do for you.

A separate thread from Google posted yesterday said that the issue is affecting version 84.0.0.0 through 84.0.4.0 of the syncing app, presumably for both Windows and Mac. If you’re relying on Google Drive for any important files, you might want to take a look and perhaps consider an alternative service.

Update, December 7th, 2023: The missing file error seems to have been corrected in Drive desktop version 85.0.13.0 for Windows and Mac. Missing files can be found if you use the Recover from Backups function…hopefully. Check out this Google Drive support page for detailed instructions.