Quote from bryan on January 26, 2026, 4:48 pm

hey, poor soul 😅

it sucks that you didn’t watch the update, but what’s done is done. Before anything else, I need to know what's with your disk usage Check how much space is used on your SSD now compared to before the update.

•   if disk usage is unchanged, don’t panic yet. That usually means the files are still on the drive just not where you expects them. In that case, there are plenty of ways to get everything back, and most of them are super easy
•  if disk usage changed, you can panic a bit. That usually means the files were actually deleted and with an SSD, that’s not great news at all.

 

I really hope you posted this thread as soon as you noticed the files were missing. Either way do NOT install anything on that laptop right now. If the files were deleted, any new writes to the disk can finish them off for good. Waiting for your reply.

Quote from chris_89 on January 27, 2026, 12:37 pm

oh yeah, had this too. when i upgraded from win10 to 11, some windows update bug kicked in and i ended up with C:\Users folder missing files.

i kinda came up w my own way to check what actually happened to the files and to do it in one go. the idea was ro figure out if the files are still on the disk or if they’re actually deleted. for that i used a file recovery software with a normal GUI (i used Disk Drill). the useful part is that during a scan it shows not only deleted files, but also existing ones. so the logic was: if i see my stuff under existing files > check the path, then just copy them back to where they should be, if they’re not there > check the deleted section and try to restore. in my case it was the second option.

that said, my machine had an HDD. no idea if you can actually recover files after Windows update from an SSD if they were really deleted. TRIM usually wins that fight pretty fast. so fingers crossed your case is just misplaced files and not actual deletion.

Quote from chris_89 on January 27, 2026, 12:38 pm

Quote from AlexR on January 26, 2026, 2:58 pm

Hey everyone. Attention! Achtung! SOS! Help! I have an ASUS Vivobook 17 X1704VA-AU665 with a 512 GB SSD. Yesterday I started a Windows 11 update and didn’t really pay attention to the process. I just run it and went to do other things. In the evening, I turned the laptop back on and noticed my desktop is completely empty. Literally nothing there, only the Recycle Bin but before the update, my desktop was full of files and folders. At first I thought the files might be hidden so checked how to show hidden files in Windows 11 and enabled hidden items in File Explorer, but that didn’t change anything.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who ran into this issue. If anyone has experienced something similar or knows how to recover files after windows update, please share any advice. ANY help is appreciated.

oh yeah, had this too. when i upgraded from win10 to 11, some windows update bug kicked in and i ended up with C:\Users folder missing files.
i kinda came up w my own way to check what actually happened to the files and to do it in one go. the idea was ro figure out if the files are still on the disk or if they’re actually deleted. for that i used a file recovery software with a normal GUI (i used Disk Drill). the useful part is that during a scan it shows not only deleted files, but also existing ones. so the logic was: if i see my stuff under existing files > check the path, then just copy them back to where they should be, if they’re not there > check the deleted section and try to restore. in my case it was the second option.
that said, my machine had an HDD. no idea if you can actually recover files after Windows update from an SSD if they were really deleted. TRIM usually wins that fight pretty fast. so fingers crossed your case is just misplaced files and not actual deletion.

Quote from DataRecoverExpert on January 27, 2026, 1:06 pm

Hi @alexr, moderator 7 Data Recovery Expert on the line.
If it turns out that the files from your desktop were actually deleted, we have a detailed guide on how to recover lost files after a Windows update - it covers multiple scenarios, including recovery from backups as well as using third-party recovery software when no backup is available.
Since you mentioned that your internal storage is an SSD, I’d strongly recommend also checking our guide on SSD data recovery - It explains the SSD-specific limitations and includes steps related to TRIM behavior.
We really hope this situation works out for you and that you’re able to get your files back. Good luck and feel free to update the thread if you need more guidance!💚

Quote from AlexR on January 27, 2026, 1:28 pm

@bryan
I checked the storage usage and disk usage hasn’t changed at all compared to before the update. So if I understand this correctly, that means the files still exist somewhere on the drive and weren’t actually deleted, right?

Quote from bryan on January 27, 2026, 1:30 pm

Quote from AlexR on January 27, 2026, 1:28 pm

@bryan
I checked the storage usage and disk usage hasn’t changed at all compared to before the update. So if I understand this correctly, that means the files still exist somewhere on the drive and weren’t actually deleted, right?

That’s great news 👍 
Try rebuilding the search index. After a Windows update the search index can break or go out of sync. It means Windows may finish the update but the indexing service still points to old paths or an outdated user profile. When that happens, files don’t show up in search, even though they’re physically still on the drive, which is similar to your case. So search index rebuilding can really help and files 🧚🏻‍♀️suddenly🧚🏻‍♀️ reappear in search after this. Microsoft has an official step-by-step.

Quote from DataNerd on January 27, 2026, 1:59 pm

If it hasn’t been more than 10 days since the update, check the Windows.old folder if it’s there. @alexr

Quote from JohnMiller on January 27, 2026, 6:19 pm

Are you sure you actually signed into your own profile and not a temporary profile on Windows 11? After an update, the main account can turn into a corrupted user profile, and Windows may load a temporary one instead. It’s better to restore your previous user profile, and this recover lost files after the Windows 11 update automatically. This page can help you https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/4197462/logged-on-with-a-temporary-profile-how-do-i-get-my 

Quote from em_on_pc on January 27, 2026, 6:26 pm

When i had to recover lost files after a failed Windows 11 update caused by a power failure during the update I thought the Windows File Recovery tool would save me (like, Windows messed up my files so Windows should be able to bring them back, right?) Big mistake! Absolute nightmare!! That tool is command-line only, super picky, and you basically need to type 1001 commands just to get one scan going. I wasted a lot of time and got nothing useful out of it. If you end up needing actual recovery, do yourself a favor and look for a deep scan recovery program with a normal interface (something you can click through, see what’s found, and decide what to recover and not fight the console for hours.

Quote from AlexR on January 28, 2026, 12:29 pm

@bryan That didn’t work for me so I’m going to try some of the other suggestions people shared here and see if any of them help.

Quote from phillyjohn on January 28, 2026, 12:30 pm

Hey guys. Why are we overcomplicating this so much? If there’s a backup via File History and the user is logged into the main account (not a temp one), you can just restore previous versions of the Desktop folder. Isn’t that the easiest option to try first?

Quote from bryan on January 28, 2026, 12:41 pm

Quote from phillyjohn on January 28, 2026, 12:30 pm

Hey guys. Why are we overcomplicating this so much? If there’s a backup via File History and the user is logged into the main account (not a temp one), you can just restore previous versions of the Desktop folder. Isn’t that the easiest option to try first?

Good suggestion, if File History was enabled, restoring previous versions is definitely the easiest fix but in many real-world cases, there’s simply no backup to restore from, which is why people end up needing the other options🤷‍♀️

Quote from AlexR on January 28, 2026, 12:55 pm

In my case, it really looks like the issue was account sync issues and Windows ended up loading a temporary profile. All the other options mentioned here are valuable and could definitely help others who run into the same problem. 
Thanksbeveryone <3

Quote from oHAVOC on April 22, 2026, 8:45 am

Hi… I just read through the whole thread here and a couple more on Reddit, because I think I ran into something similar after the latest Windows update. In my case, the desktop still loads and most of the usual icons are there, but the folders and personal files I had on it are gone.

I tried some things described on the official page https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/find-lost-files-after-upgrading-windows-10af49aa-b372-b067-a334-2314401297a9 

I already checked disk usage and it hasn’t changed, I’m logged into my main account (not a temp profile), hidden files are enabled, and I looked for a Windows.old folder but didn’t find anything useful there. And I don’t have a backup, obviously. 

Does anyone know how to recover lost files after Windows 11 update in a situation like this, or does it sound like they were just moved somewhere else?

Quote from DataRecoverExpert on April 22, 2026, 9:29 am

Hi @ohavoc, thanks for the detailed description. That actually helps narrow things down quite a bit.

Since your disk usage hasn’t changed, that’s a strong sign the files are still on the drive and weren’t deleted. In cases like yours after a Windows 11 update, this usually points to a path change, profile redirection, or something like OneDrive taking over the Desktop folder.

You can check a few things next. Open File Explorer and go to C:\Users\YourUsername\Desktop, then also check C:\Users\Public\Desktop. Files sometimes end up there after updates. If you use OneDrive, check C:\Users\YourUsername\OneDrive\Desktop as well, because updates can silently enable Desktop sync and move files.

It also helps to search for one of your missing file names directly in File Explorer. If it shows up, open its location to see where Windows placed it.

If nothing turns up, you can scan the drive with Disk Drill. In your situation, it’s useful because it shows both existing and deleted files. If your files appear under existing, it means they are still there and you can just copy them back.

Also, there’s a message above in this thread from me with relevant links to guides that cover how to recover lost files after Windows 11 update and SSD specifics. It’s worth checking that for a deeper explanation.

Quote from oHAVOC on April 22, 2026, 10:05 am

@datarecoverexpert

Thanks for the reply, that actually makes things a bit clearer.

I checked the paths you mentioned. C:\Users\MyUsername\Desktop is basically empty, same as what I see on the actual Desktop. Public Desktop only has a couple of default shortcuts, nothing of mine there. I also checked OneDrive\Desktop and it looks empty too, or at least it doesn’t have any of the folders I’m missing.

I tried searching for a couple of specific file names in File Explorer and nothing came up, which is what worries me a bit. At the same time, disk usage is still the same, so I’m confused where the data could be.

At this point I’m not really sure how to tell if the files were moved somewhere weird or if something else happened.

Quote from nikaredko on April 22, 2026, 11:00 am

Hey @ohavoc, welcome! Really glad you found the forum.

Honestly, you've done better than most people in your situation, checking the basics first is exactly the right move. And that detail about disk usage not changing is still very important. It usually means the data is still on the drive, just not visible through the usual Desktop path, which lines up with what @DataRecoverExpert pointed out.

At this point, the best next step is to confirm what actually happened to the files. As @DataRecoverExpert suggested, running a scan with Disk Drill can help you figure that out. It shows both existing and deleted files, so you’ll be able to see if your files are still present somewhere on the drive or if they were removed.

If you go this route, try not to install anything on the same drive and make sure to recover files to a different disk, just to stay on the safe side.

If you want to compare tools or try alternatives, here’s a solid shortlist:

https://ratings.7datarecovery.com/best-recovery-apps/ 

Hope you get your files back, keep us posted! We’re ready to help.

Quote from DataNerd on April 22, 2026, 12:17 pm

Just to add one more thing here @ohavoc, since your disk usage hasn’t changed but search doesn’t find anything, it could also be a permissions or indexing issue.

Try opening your user folder and manually browsing through it, not just Desktop. Sometimes after updates, folders end up in slightly different locations inside the profile and don’t show up where expected. I’ve seen cases where files were inside something like a duplicated user folder.

Quote from gareth_w on April 22, 2026, 1:32 pm

Hey, found a vid that might be useful for you - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohCGgZGTDA8

Quote from DataRecoverExpert on April 22, 2026, 2:41 pm

@ohavoc I agree with the above. One small clarification that might help you interpret results. If you run a scan with Disk Drill and your files appear under existing, that means the file system still “knows” about them, just not through the path Windows is currently using for your Desktop.

In that case, check the original path shown in the scan results. It often leads directly to where Windows moved or detached the Desktop folder during the update.

If they were actually deleted, they would appear separately, and with an SSD that would be a more time-sensitive situation. Your case does not look like that so far.

Quote from chris_89 on April 22, 2026, 3:13 pm

if Disk Drill shows nothing under existing or deleted, then that’s when it gets weird, but since your space is still used, I’d bet they’re still there somewhere, just not in the Desktop path anymore.

Quote from oHAVOC on April 22, 2026, 3:56 pm

Not sure if anyone's still following this, but wanted to share what ended up working. I ended up running a scan with Disk Drill like you guys suggested, and that actually helped me understand what was going on. 

The majority were showing as existing rather than deleted, which was a huge weight off. Some documents and a couple of small folders had been deleted, seemingly at random. Nothing that made obvious sense.

From there I checked the file paths inside the scan results and turns out most of my data was still on the drive, just in a different location inside my user folder. Looks like something during the update messed with the Desktop path or how it was linked.

I copied everything back manually, and I was also able to recover the deleted files using Disk Drill, so nothing important was lost in the end.

So yeah, in my case it was a mix of misplaced files and a few that were actually deleted. Thanks everyone for the help, this thread saved me a lot of time 🙏

Quote from nikaredko on April 22, 2026, 4:45 pm

Thanks for coming back with an update, @ohavoc, this is actually a really helpful case for others who run into something similar.

What you described is a fairly typical mixed scenario after a major update. Most of the files were still present on the drive but disconnected from the original Desktop path, which is why disk usage didn’t change. At the same time, a smaller portion of files ended up deleted during the process, which can happen when Windows rebuilds or reassigns parts of the user profile.

For anyone else reading this thread and trying to recover lost files after Windows 11 update, the key takeaway is to not assume everything is gone right away. If disk usage hasn’t changed, there’s a good chance the files are still there somewhere. The goal is to verify their status first and then decide whether you need to relocate or recover them.

Appreciate you sharing the outcome, this will definitely help others in the same situation.