Missing files? Google Drive's latest update has your back

Late November brought unsettling news for some Google Drive desktop users. Sync issues led to the disappearance of files spanning months or even years. But for those caught in this “small subset” of users, a glimmer of hope has emerged with the latest Drive for desktop app (version 85.0.13.0 or higher).

The update introduces a file recovery lifeline through a few simple steps: Navigate to the menu bar or system tray, click the Drive for the desktop icon, hold Shift, click Settings, and proceed to “Recover from backups.”

Once initiated, a “Recovery has started” notification should appear, followed — hopefully — by a “Recovery is complete” message after a brief wait. Voila! Discover your previously unsynced files neatly organised within a fresh “Google Drive Recovery” folder on your desktop.

However, success isn't guaranteed for all. Google advises, “If you encounter issues with the recovery tool, share feedback via the Drive for a desktop app using the hashtag '#DFD84' and ensure diagnostic logs are included.”