Google Investigating Vanishing Files on Google Drive, Advises Users to Hold Off on Edits

Google Drive users have been experiencing an alarming issue with their files disappearing from the cloud storage service. Reports on Google's Support forum have been accumulating, with users voicing concerns about losing access to files they've uploaded. Notably, on YCombinator’s Hacker News forum, a user from South Korea detailed a perplexing situation where their Google Drive no longer showed any files uploaded after May 2023. They encountered a complete absence of new files in both their folders and the trash, alongside a mysterious reversion of their folder structure to the way it was in May 2023. This individual, who confirmed that they never shared their files with others, faced a dead end even after attempting several troubleshooting steps, receiving no resolution from Google as of the latest updates.

In the midst of these unsettling events, a volunteer member of the Google Support team made contact with a company official and learned that Google is actively investigating these issues. Apparently, it is not an isolated case, as other Google Drive administrators have reported similar anomalies. Google has cautioned affected users against attempting to self-restore their Drive data or making any alterations to their root or data folders while the investigation is ongoing, based on guidance from their engineering team.

The problem seems widespread, with additional support threads emerging from other distraught users. One individual lamented the complete loss of significant files that were not shared and are now missing from both the Drive and trash. Another expressed frustration at being able to only view folders and subfolders but not the actual files within.

Amid these troubling accounts, no precise details have surfaced pinpointing where the glitch is manifesting—be it in Google Drive's web interface, mobile app, or within the synced folders on users' computers. It remains possible that some users have not yet thoroughly checked all potential locations where their files might be accessible. For anyone affected by this glitch, it is recommended to check all available access points for their files while awaiting further updates from Google.