Missing files on sharepoint

Question

Missing files on sharepoint

Mehdi Mohamed 20

I saved changed a shared file on sharepoint with my group, but It does not show up when i go back and try to find it.

How can i find it? If you look a the picture below, it says on thursday 23:23 i made my last change, but when i press to go to that change, it does not come up.

User's image

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Aetherin 3,930 Independent Advisor

Hi @Mehdi Mohamed,

The screenshot shows that SharePoint recorded several edits, including one at 23:23. However, the Activity pane is an activity log rather than a list of versions that can always be opened directly.

Could you please clarify whether:

Is the entire file missing from the document library, or is the file still there but the latest changes are missing?
Did you edit it in Office for the web, in a desktop app, or through a locally synced SharePoint folder?
Can other members of the group still find and open the file?

These details will help determine whether the file was moved, renamed, deleted, or whether the latest changes were not saved or synchronized.

If the file is still present, select … > Version history and check for a version saved around 23:23.

User's image

If the entire file is missing, search the document library using part of the file name rather than browsing through folders. If you still cannot locate it, check the site's Recycle Bin. You may also want to ask the site owner to check the second-stage Recycle Bin and verify whether the file was moved, renamed, or relocated to another folder.

If you have any updates or additional findings, please kindly let me know, and I'll be happy to continue assisting you.

Thank you for taking the time.

Mehdi Mohamed 20 Reputation points

2026-10-25T08:52:27.76+00:00

Hi Aethirin. When I open the latest saving, at 23:23, my work does not show up. Nothing shows up, except from other people in the groups work. The file itself is there, and others work is saved, except from mine, from thursday.
Aetherin 3,930 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-10-25T09:07:33.7933333+00:00

Hi @Mehdi Mohamed,

Thank you for clarifying.

This confirms that the file itself is still available, but your Thursday edits are not visible in the current version, even though the Activity pane recorded that you edited the file.

One possible explanation is that SharePoint recorded the editing activity, but the actual changes were not successfully saved or uploaded to the shared file. This can happen if the desktop app loses its connection, AutoSave is turned off, an upload fails, or your changes conflict with edits made by other group members.

Could you let me know whether this is a Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file, and whether you edited it in the browser, the desktop app, or through a synced SharePoint folder? Did you notice any Upload Failed, Save a Copy, Resolve Conflict, or AutoSave warning when you closed the file?

As a first step, open Version history and check each version from Thursday that shows your name, rather than only the 23:23 Activity entry. If none of those versions contains your work and you used the desktop app, reopen the app on the same device and check for a recovered or unsaved copy. If you find your work, save it immediately as a separate file before attempting to merge it with the shared version.

If no copy can be found, please contact the site owner or your organization’s IT team. They may be able to review the file’s version history and audit activity. However, if the edits were never successfully saved or uploaded to SharePoint, they may not be recoverable.

2 additional answers

Your answer

Mehdi Mohamed 20 Reputation points

2026-10-25T08:52:27.76+00:00

Hi Aethirin. When I open the latest saving, at 23:23, my work does not show up. Nothing shows up, except from other people in the groups work. The file itself is there, and others work is saved, except from mine, from thursday.
Aetherin 3,930 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-10-25T09:07:33.7933333+00:00

Hi @Mehdi Mohamed,

Thank you for clarifying.

This confirms that the file itself is still available, but your Thursday edits are not visible in the current version, even though the Activity pane recorded that you edited the file.

One possible explanation is that SharePoint recorded the editing activity, but the actual changes were not successfully saved or uploaded to the shared file. This can happen if the desktop app loses its connection, AutoSave is turned off, an upload fails, or your changes conflict with edits made by other group members.

Could you let me know whether this is a Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file, and whether you edited it in the browser, the desktop app, or through a synced SharePoint folder? Did you notice any Upload Failed, Save a Copy, Resolve Conflict, or AutoSave warning when you closed the file?

As a first step, open Version history and check each version from Thursday that shows your name, rather than only the 23:23 Activity entry. If none of those versions contains your work and you used the desktop app, reopen the app on the same device and check for a recovered or unsaved copy. If you find your work, save it immediately as a separate file before attempting to merge it with the shared version.

If no copy can be found, please contact the site owner or your organization’s IT team. They may be able to review the file’s version history and audit activity. However, if the edits were never successfully saved or uploaded to SharePoint, they may not be recoverable.

Answer 1

Use these checks in order:

Open the document library and review the file activity.
- Open the library.
- Select Open the details pane.
- Select More details at the bottom.
- In Activity, confirm the file shows the edit from Thursday 23:23.
- SharePoint activity shows changes from the last 60 days.
Check whether the file was moved, renamed, or deleted.
- A SharePoint 404 File/Page not found error can occur when a site, file, or group was renamed, moved, or deleted.
- If selecting that activity entry does not open the file, this is a likely cause.
Restore an earlier version if the file opens but the latest content is missing.
- Open the file.
- Go to File > Info.
- Select Version History.
- Open the version from the correct time.
- Select Restore if that version contains the missing changes.
If the file cannot be found at all, ask the SharePoint administrator to check the recycle bin.
- For deleted pages or files, the admin can check the site recycle bin and then the Second-stage recycle bin and restore the item if it is there.

If the activity pane shows the edit but opening it does nothing, the most supported explanation is that the file reference in the activity points to an item that was later moved, renamed, or deleted. If the file still exists, Version History is the best next step. If it no longer exists in the library, the recycle bin check is next.

References:

Answer 2

Mehdi Mohamed 20

How do i get in touch with a sharepoint admin?

Aetherin 3,930 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-10-25T08:44:16.7133333+00:00

Hi @Mehdi Mohamed,

As mentioned in my previous reply, I recommend contacting the SharePoint site owner first, as they can check the Recycle Bin and verify whether the file was moved, renamed, or if there are any permission issues. If you do not know who the site owner is, please ask the person who shared the site or file with you. If the site is connected to Microsoft Teams, you can also contact one of the team owners.

If the site owner is unable to resolve the issue, please contact your organization's IT help desk or SharePoint administrator. You may find this article helpful: How do I find my Microsoft 365 admin?