Missing files in iPad's Files App

STILL no reply from apple, nearly 5 months on? This is wild. There are more threads in other forums detailing the same problem.

It's only $9.95/mo if you need the VPN and PDF file conversion. It's free to manage and annotate PDF files.

Go to icloud.com ,sign in, scroll down and click recover files!

hey! try to contact the support they will help you recover the files. It worked for me.

My new files are randomly disappearing. I tried the icloud.com website but nothing is there for recovery. What now?

Have you tried opening the associated documents from their original location/path - instead of from Recents?

Opening documents from the documents actual location may refresh the symbolic links that you see within the Recents folder

I will just add I encountered same error on my ipad (6th gen, probably on IOS17 but it could be also 16th). Today my friend lost her PDF files on AIR 2nd gen, ios 17, from one folder (they are not in deleted files, recent as well). We also see it tries to sync something but never completing.

There is one thing in common, we all used pdf with our own annotation. Never seen anything like this for not annotated pdf.

I wish that I saw this post way earlier. I lost all my clients’ pdf with their signatures and details. I’m so upset with Apple and how could they not able to resolve this issue for such a long period of time? I’m so disappointed with Apple.

How is this even possible?????? I lost PDF files I annotated since January! The files are not in my iPad or iCloud, or deleted files, the files are just lost among with hours of work. All files deleted are from 2024 and it seems those were deleted as part of a recent update sent by Apple. What is the solution so I can recover my work?????

cant believe they havent fixed it yet, my files are gone too all of a sudden, yet my exam is thursday. WEIRDLY THO.. the file name remained but contained content from my other file i was working on simultanoeusly. i tried to look for a revert option but its not there, even my mac book says no older versions of the doc. how dissapointing

Files intermittently go missing and as I don’t pay for iCloud it means I need to start all over again. For Apple to accept that their iOS will be allowed to do this is absolutely appalling. Even Microsoft would not accept this! Completely blows my confidence using Apple devices. Currently on version 17

concern regarding a critical issue I recently encountered on my Apple device. Without any prior warning or indication, several important files have suddenly disappeared from their respective folders. Despite thorough searches, including checking the Recent Delete folder, I have been unable to locate these missing files.

This unexpected deletion has caused significant inconvenience and potential data loss, which is highly troubling. I rely heavily on the integrity and reliability of Apple’s systems for my personal and professional work, and such an incident undermines my confidence in the platform.

After losing edited PDFs in the native Files app, I started using the app Documents and then either keeping the files in Documents or off loading them to Dropbox. I've had no problems since and the Documents app gives you more editing and markup options than the native Files app.

Even I had my files on my iPad folder but are missing after the recent update and is being only seen in recently opened files but can’t open it from there too. We’re really important documents that have all gone missing from a particular folder. #apple needs to fix this blunder ASAP

Unfortunately this has been a problem for a long time with no resolution. My solution was to use the app called Documents. I haven’t had a problem since I started using it.

It’s really quite amazing that Apple can’t fix this issue.