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annalena50
User level: Level 1 (4 points)

Help! Files are disappearing from my document folders

Help! My MacBook Air 2024, Apple M3 chip (with OS Tahoe 26.5.1) , plus my iMac has been disappearing files from my folders in Documents lately. This also happened about 6 months ago. I then updated the OS, called Apple support, but they didn't know why it happened. Now files are vanishing again., and I can't find them anywhere (maybe they are gone gone?)They are not in trash, iCloud, and I don't have any other profiles. I don't use stacks. I have rebooted my computers. I had Clean my Mac on my iMac, but not used it in over a year or two. My iMac and MacBook are now synced. I have plenty of storage left. I have tried command, shift and period to find hidden files, to no avail. I have saved my current files to EHD's so I don't lose more of them. I did First Aid repair in disc utility. I have not ran Malwarebytes yet. (never used it, just read about it) I called Apple support yesterday and they have no clue why my files are disappearing from my folders. I have changed my apple password, and set up two-factor authentication now. My apple account did not seem compromised though. No strange names on it etc, I feel like maybe there is malware on my laptop deleting items I don't want deleted? Not all files are disappearing, just a few here and there. And not all of the time either. Also, my desktop screenshots all disappeared. Newly taken screenshot are staying on my desktop, for now.

Posted on Oct 17, 2026 9:48 AM

6 replies

John Galt
User level: Level 10 (162,806 points)

Oct 17, 2026 1:38 PM in response to annalena50

I had Clean my Mac on my iMac, but not used it in over a year or two.


Erase the Mac.


The first thing I do with any Mac that has ever been affected by it or any similarly characterized "cleaning" program is erase it. It saves time — yours.


  • Not using it is insufficient.
  • Uninstalling it is insufficient.
  • Reinstalling macOS is insufficient.


Create a backup, erase the Mac, then reconfigure it as new from the ground up. Restore your essential files and work products from the backup.


Rule 1 of Macs is don't install junk.

SergZak
User level: Level 6 (11,986 points)

Oct 17, 2026 2:45 PM in response to annalena50

Simply put, Clean my Mac is capable of deleting files without regard to "clean" you Mac, regardless of whether or not you may be actively using it. It's capable of doing much more damage than you would believe.


Do as John Galt states...backup your Mac, erase it, and set it up as new using your backed up data.

Zurarczurx
User level: Level 6 (8,142 points)

Oct 17, 2026 1:59 PM in response to annalena50

Some questions that might help us.

  1. Are you synching Documents and Desktop via iCloud? - if so have you got optimize storage turned on on any devices?
  2. Do the docs disappear from particular folders?
  3. Are they of a particular type - e.g. excel, text, jpg?
  4. Have you checked the Recently Deleted folders in iCloud?
  5. Do you use the documents on other devices - iPhone or iPad for example?
  6. Do you use Airdrop?


John Galt
User level: Level 10 (162,806 points)

Oct 18, 2026 2:33 AM in response to annalena50

That won't be necessary — unless that "cleaning" product was installed and used on it as well.

annalena50 Author
User level: Level 1 (4 points)

Oct 17, 2026 7:44 PM in response to John Galt

Thank you John, that is very helpful! I will do what you say and never install anything to "help" my Apple devices. One more question: Since my imac and macbook are synced, should I erase BOTH of them? I am guessing yes

annalena50 Author
User level: Level 1 (4 points)

Oct 17, 2026 7:45 PM in response to SergZak

Hi Serg. Thank you so much for your reply. This community is gold worth :)

Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256377924