Missing files in iPad's Files App

Hey everyone! I spent hours with Apple Support and this is what worked for me:

1. Download everything that you still have that isn’t deleted to another computer or upload it to google drive
2. Go to settings and erase all data (trust in this) - make sure you download anything important beforehand
3. When the iPad turns back on, sign into iCloud and it should give you the option to restore a backup of your iPad, something that can only be done after erasing all current data.
4. it should give an option to restore back to a date when you had all the data.
5. choose that option and wait until ALL the iCloud data is finished downloading to check.

Yes, I know it sounds counterintuitive but it was the only way to get my data back that was deleted. It restored me back to a backup where all my files were there.

hope this works for y’all!

It seems there is a severe bug in iPadOS 17 with the Files app and PDF files with image layers (the stuff written with an Apple Pencil is added as an image layer to a PDF). I've started to use the Documents app https://apps.apple.com/us/app/documents-file-manager-vpn/id364901807.

It's pretty easy to backup/copy the annotated PDFs to Google Drive, Dropbox, Box or OneDrive.

Having myself updated to iPadOS17, I've not seen or been able to replicate your issue. As such, you may have been unlucky and have suffered a glitch specific to your iPad.

Your next step is to remove and reinstall the Pages App. Assuming that you wish to keep your documents, don't delete the Pages App; instead, you'll need to offload the Pages App. Offloading deletes just the App - and preserves the associated App data/documents.

Before proceeding, as a precaution, ensure that you have a current iCloud or iTunes backup of your iPad:

How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

When you are confident that your backup has been created or refreshed, you can offload Pages:

Settings > General > iPad Storage -

Scroll down the list of installed Apps to find Pages - tap - then select Offload App.

Next, perform a restart of your iPad:

Force restart iPad (models with Face ID or with Touch ID in the top button)

If your iPad doesn’t have the Home button, do the following:

1. Press and quickly release the volume button nearest to the top button.
2. Press and quickly release the volume button farthest from the top button.
3. Press and hold the top button.
4. When the Apple logo appears, release the top button.

Force restart iPad (models with the Home button)

Press and hold the top button and the Home button at the same time. When the Apple logo appears, release both buttons.

After restarting your iPad, you can reinstall the Pages App from the App Store:

https://apps.apple.com/app/pages/id361309726

I spent hours with Apple Support and this is what worked for me:

1. Download everything that you still have that isn’t deleted to another computer or upload it to google drive
2. Go to settings and erase all data (trust in this) - make sure you download anything important beforehand
3. When the iPad turns back on, sign into iCloud and it should give you the option to restore a backup of your iPad, something that can only be done after erasing all current data.
4. it should give an option to restore back to a date when you had all the data.
5. choose that option and wait until ALL the iCloud data is finished downloading to check.

Yes, I know it sounds counterintuitive but it was the only way to get my data back that was deleted. It restored me back to a backup where all my files were there.

hope this works for you!

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

Lotuspilot advice worked for me. Files folder disappeared completely, files within locatable but unopenable. So …. to repeat ….. delete (offload) Pages app. Restart device. Reinstall pages. Folder reappeared like magic! Good luck

OK I found solution how to restore files:

We logged to icloud.com site and navigated to icloud drive and data recovery. The files were listed in restore files and available for recovery (only for 30 days).

We are sure we did not delete those files, its clearly IOS error (probably sync errors) as files were not even in deleted files in the ipad.

For anyone having the same issue, try checking icloud.com and go to data recovery and hopefully you’ll be able to find your files there. I had the same issue, somehow when I checked 12 pdfs disappeared without doing anything but I found and recovered them from the website

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

Update: it happened again, on the 30th of December I modified some files with the Apple Pencil, checked again on the 3rd of January and they were gone. Then I purposely edited another file and two days later it disappeared. Now I’m using a third party app to edit my files and I suggest everyone to do so until this bug is fixed.

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.

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.

Same thing happened to me. My pdf files disappeared from the files app and were not even in the deleted folder or anywhere else. They showed up in recents but I was unable to open it. Then they disappeared from recents also. I have tried erasing iPad and also recovering software by connecting it to Mac but still the same issue keeps happening again. I am not even able to erase the edits in pdfs, they just fade a little on erasing the edits with eraser.

Im struggling with the same issue ever since updating to iOS 17, went to the I Store for technical assistance, unfortunately they said they’ve encountered the same issues with multiple devices even belonging to our police services with files missing of ongoing cases.

I have a number pdf files for business purposes with handwritten notes on them and now Im not able to access them.

To think that a company like Apple has not addressed these serious issues since when they were first reported, This thread began in September 2023, (3 Months ago). Is truly shocking and disappointing. I’ve been an Apple fan for over 15 years and today I’ve realised that perhaps it’s time to consider alternative options.