Word files have vanished off Mac desktop, and am getting an error message when I try to open them from "Recent files"

Question

Word files have vanished off Mac desktop, and am getting an error message when I try to open them from "Recent files"

Anonymous

Hi there,

I've tried several proposed solutions to this online and nothing has worked. Hoping someone can help.

Almost all of my .docx files randomly vanished off my Desktop overnight. They are not in the Trash. When I try to open them via Recent Files in Word, I get the error message "Can't open (file). This document has been deleted or is not currently accessible."

Whole folders that contained .docx files are also missing.

Microsoft Word is up to date, and I have not updated my Mac system in a while. I'm running MacOS Monterey, version 12.3.

Please help if you can. Thank you.

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Answer accepted by question author

Bob Jones AKA CyberTaz MVP 437.9K

Sorry I can't be of more help but Apple is passing the proverbial buck 🙂 Nothing in the Microsoft programs or any other programs has the ability to delete user content unless it is written to a location where it shouldn't be stored in the first place. That would be in one of the support folders owned by that particular program or the suite to which that program belongs.

Apple's own guidelines prohibit programs from deleting files as well as any other file management operations on the internal storage device. The macOS owns the Desktop. The OS is responsible for file management. The programs merely call for the services. Any calls for saving, closing, duplicating, deleting, etc. are handled by the OS. The programs & their installation processes have nothing to do with disk management. Neither does installing or updating software involve the Desktop or its content — especially if the program isn't running.

This has been an ongoing bone of contention with Apple for decades which has worsened over the last several editions of macOS. Apple refuses to acknowledge it but always has discouraged saving to the Desktop. The normal response is that user files should be saved to the Documents folder & hierarchies created within it.

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2 additional answers

Answer 1

Thanks so much for this. You're right, I should have updated the OS (to be honest I thought I had). I bought this computer new from Apple in October 2022, though, so I'm surprised the OS is already three years out of date.

I called Apple, and they didn't know what the cause was, but thought it was an issue with Microsoft perhaps updating and causing an issue with the OS.

Either way, duly noted to keep that updated!

Answer 2

File management is a function of the operating system. The application programs — neither Word or any other — have anything to do with moving or deleting document files.

I can't guarantee that it will prevent future issues but keeping the operating system reasonably current is a necessity. Updates are provided at no charge so there is no valid reason to not apply them as they become available. Not only is the Monterey edition of macOS no longer supported by Apple, the version you cited is out of date by nearly 3 years. Version 12.7.6 was the final release.

If you use Apple's Time Machine app you may be able to recover your files or they may be available on your iCloud account.