Why am I not able to access Word or Excel data in my iPad or iMac anymore?

Question

Level 1

4 points

Why am I not able to access Word or Excel data in my iPad or iMac anymore?

This morning my iMac and iPad could no longer access data in Word and Excel. I routinely save and access in iCloud. I signed in afresh but whilst the iCloud dashboard was working it could not display or restore my data.

All other data, such as photos, contacts and diaries are unaffected.

Could this be an issue triggered by my Microsoft products or a recent Mac OS upgrade that I’ve loaded. Having first tried accessing iCloud without success I then tried my Samsung M3 1TB external hard drive by way of Time Machine. Whilst still doing backups, my Word and Excel data appears to be complete up to 19 Aug but missing after 20 Aug.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iMac 21.5″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Aug 30, 2024 7:49 AM

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Answer 1

Aug 30, 2024 12:25 PM in response to geof289

When start with a Finder window and I choose "Browse Time Machine Backups," I see that same Finder window from now and many versions back to June 21, when I bought this computer.

I can pick a day and use that day's Finder go to anywhere I want. If I want an Excel spreadsheet, I'd use this Finder window to go to the place I put it then-- maybe to the Documents folder, if that's where I had save it. If I saved it to the iCloud folder, then I can go there to find the file. I can use QuickLook with the file I see in Time Machine-- just press the space bar to see the spreadsheet. If I find the file I want, I just click "Restore" and it will put it in the same place in today's iCloud folder. If that file already exists in today's iCloud folder, then it asks if I want to keep the the original, replace it, or keep both.

So, the place to look is where you put it!

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Answer 2

Sep 1, 2024 7:47 AM in response to geof289

geof289 wrote: ... Thank you for the reference to Sync settings. I am searching for those but they haven't shown themselves.

Would you please provide a clue as to where those settings are.

Oops, sorry.

System Settings>Apple ID>iCloud for "Optimize"

System Settings>Apple ID>iCloud>iCloud Drive for syncing

For me, in Pictures I have a folder named "Nikon Z8." I placed a link to that folder in my sidebar for easy access. "Nikon Z8" is, of course, still in the Pictures folder.

Likewise, in iCloud Drive there are the folders "Desktop" and "Documents", and Finder automatically puts those separately in the Sidebar. In fact, when you first start a new Mac, those are already in the Sidebar. So, with syncing, Finder now puts them in the sidebar, but they are now under iCloud. Documents got lost, but you could drag it to the Sidebar, yourself. They'd still been iCloud Drive.

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Answer 3

geof289 Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 1, 2024 6:05 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

Under iCloud my sidebar never had sharing. Documents appeared under iCloud Drive, like your own.

I then lost the Documents folder and all its data. I have now restored that from an external backup drive, but now

My sidebar looks like this. and documents appear in the listing on the right hand side of the screen when I click iCloud Drive.

Like so:

The data loss which prompted the original post is that which I've restored from the external backup and now appears in the documents folder when I click on it.

Thank you for the reference to Sync settings. I am searching for those but they haven't shown themselves.

Would you please provide a clue as to where those settings are.

Once again, I do appreciate your help and interest.

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Answer 4

Aug 30, 2024 8:43 AM in response to geof289

I don't know what's going on, but do you have "Optimize Storage" turned on at System Settings>Apple ID>iCloud on your Mac? I don't, so my files remain on my Mac and are copied to iCloud and are available to my iPad. If you have "Optimize" turned on, then the files may be removed from the local drive to get extra room. Office apps are awfully interested in if you've paid up, and I've had weird things happen when I've moved Library files to iCloud.

What happened when you double clicked on the files in your iCloud Drive folder?

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Answer 5

geof289 Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 30, 2024 11:44 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

I just used Time Machine to copy MS Excel from 19 Aug but sadly the data hasn’t materialised. Does the application store its Excel files somewhere else and what is it called. I have to do the same for Word.

Any clues would be appreciated.

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Answer 6

geof289 Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 31, 2024 2:01 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

Thank you. I was aware of this process. My data was in a documents folder that disappeared. I have since found and restored it. However having unchecked the Optimize Storage box, I was surprised to see the folder being restored in iCloud rather than Desktop. As it happens, I do want it in iCloud so that I can access the files from my other Apple devices. The only remaining puzzle is why doesn’t the Documents folder appear under iDrive in the Finder menu. This was where I previously found and used it. Anyway, thanks for your continued help and interest. IT issues can be a little daunting when tackling them alone.

I cannot prove it, but my documents folder disappeared when I downloaded and ran a free duplicate photos app. I have since deleted it.

Finally, I can’t prove it, but my data disappeared when I downloaded and ran a free duplicate photos app. I have since deleted it.

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Answer 7

geof289 Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 1, 2024 9:16 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

Thanks once again for the information. This time it led me to check my settings rather than directly to them. I have OS Catalina version 10 . xxxx and the instructions were similar but different. Having recovered the documents I now have a link under iCloud in the sidebar so all is well again. Thank you for being there once more.

Now I must deal with the email from BT telling me that they are no longer offering BT Cloud.

Not a problem, just a pain typing things up. Most of what I have there is already on iCloud.

i will now leave you in peace. Regards, Geof

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Answer 8

Aug 31, 2024 6:12 AM in response to geof289

For your reference, this is my sidebar:

I have Sync This Mac and Desktop & Documents Folders turned on:

And I have Optimize off.

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Answer 9

geof289 Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 30, 2024 11:20 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

Thank you. I did what you suggested straight away. Now I must find a way to get my Word and Excel data back. I suspect a 19 Aug iCloud back up should help

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Answer 10

Aug 30, 2024 11:28 AM in response to geof289

Time Machine is a great backup utility. You can go back by hour today, and by day for weeks. And you don't ever have to think about it-- it just happens in the background.

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