Not Able to Access my desk top files

Dear @Milton J Rivera,

To ensure I understand your request correctly and to support you as effectively as possible, I need more specific information from you:

• Could you please confirm whether the files are still there, but you are unable to access them?
• Could you please share the exact issue message you see when you try to open the files (or the Desktop folder)?
• Could you provide me a screenshot of your issue?

In the meantime, kindly try these steps:

1> Use OneDrive “find/restore” options

If your Desktop is backed up to OneDrive, the best place to search is OneDrive on the web, then check Recycle bin and restore items if needed:

Sign in to OneDrive on the web and search for a filename or keyword.

Open Recycle bin in OneDrive and Restore the missing items.

You can Restore your OneDrive to a previous point in time (undo changes from the last 30 days). Find lost or missing files in OneDrive - Microsoft Support

2> If your desktop suddenly looks “reset” (icons missing / looks like a fresh profile)

If your desktop background/settings changed and your usual files “vanished,” Windows may have logged you into a temporary profile. In that case, your real files are often still sitting under your normal user folder:

Restart the PC once.

Open C:\Users and look for a folder matching your normal username (that is where the “missing” Desktop/Documents would typically be).

I hope the information shared helps point you in the right direction. Please try the steps above and let me know if they work. If not, we can continue working together to narrow this down.

The first response may not always resolve the issue right away, but with your help and more details, we can work toward a solution.

As a moderator, I do not have the tools to investigate your specific account directly because this is a user-to-user support forum. Our role is limited to providing technical support on reported issues, requests, or ideas. However, I will try my best to support as clearly as possible.

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Begin with these checks and fixes, based on the most common Microsoft 365/Windows causes in the provided context:

1. Confirm the files’ actual location

• Check whether the “desktop” files are really stored in:
  • A redirected folder (for example, Desktop or Documents redirected to a network share by Group Policy), or
  • A OneDrive-synced location (for example, Desktop under OneDrive, or a OneDrive folder on an external drive).

2. If the desktop/“My Documents” is redirected to a network share

• Symptom match: Double‑clicking a desktop icon or Documents folder does nothing, or shows errors such as:
  • “Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permission to access the item.”
  • “The share name was not found. Be sure you typed it correctly.”
• Cause: The folder has been redirected to a network share that is currently unavailable.
• Fix:
  1. Verify that the office PC is connected to the corporate network (wired/VPN/Wi‑Fi as required).
  2. Confirm that the file server / network share is online (your IT admin may need to check this).
  3. Once the share is reachable again, try opening the files.
  4. Temporary workaround if the share is down: redirect the folder to a local drive (note this makes network‑stored files unavailable until the share is back):
     • Right‑click the My Documents (or similar) icon on the desktop and select Properties.
     • On the Sharing (or Location) tab, change the path from the network share to a local folder (for example, C:\Users\<user>\Documents), then select OK.

3. If the files are in a OneDrive folder on an external drive

• Symptom match: Files in a OneDrive folder on an external drive show errors like “The file cannot be accessed by the system.”
• Cause: The external drive with OneDrive content was moved to a PC running an older Windows version than the Fall 2017 Creators Update, or the drive is being used on a system that doesn’t support that OneDrive sync format.
• Fix/workarounds:
  1. Sign in to onedrive.com with the affected account and download the needed files directly.
  2. On the office desktop, create a new OneDrive sync connection and let it sync the files locally again. See the guidance in Sync files with OneDrive in Windows from the context.
  3. If possible, use a PC running Windows 10 Fall 2017 Creators Update or newer to open the content.

4. If the files are work‑encrypted (Windows Information Protection)

• Symptom match: Files show as work files (organization name in File ownership column) and no longer open after OS changes or partition wipe.
• Cause: Work files are encrypted and the encryption keys are no longer available on the device.
• Fix:
  • Contact the organization’s IT administrator or help desk to restore access to the work encryption keys.
  • If access to those work files is no longer needed, dismiss the warning when prompted.

5. If Office shows “Access denied” when opening work files in redirected folders

• Symptom match: Opening or saving Office files in redirected folders fails with Access denied, and the app may close.
• Cause: The parent folder of the redirected folder is missing Read Attributes for the user.
• Fix (IT/admin action):
  • On the parent folder of the redirected folder, ensure permissions are:
    • Enterprise Administrators: Full Control
    • Domain Administrators: Full Control
    • Authenticated Users: Traverse Folder / Execute File, List Folder / Read Data, Read Attributes

If the issue persists, the next step is to identify precisely where the files are stored (local path, network share path, or OneDrive path) and involve the organization’s IT admin to verify network share availability, OneDrive configuration, and any work‑data protection policies.

References:

• My Documents Folder Does Not Open When You Double-click the My Documents Icon
• You receive an "Access denied" error message, and the program unexpectedly quits when you try to open or save a file in an Office program
• Unable to open content synced in a OneDrive folder on an external drive
• Manage Windows Information Protection on work and personal files