Where is my stuff?

First check whether Windows signed you into a temporary or different user profile, because returning to the original profile can restore its Documents, Downloads, music, shortcuts, and personal settings.

1. Check for a temporary profile

1. Open Start > Settings > Accounts > Sync your settings.
2. Look for either message:
   • You are logged on with a temporary profile
   • We can’t sign into your account
3. If shown, copy anything created since the update to an external drive before signing out; files created in a temporary profile can be deleted when you leave it.
4. Restart the computer and sign in again. Microsoft notes that more than one restart may be needed.^1^

Applications may still be installed even if their shortcuts and settings disappeared. After the original profile loads, check Start > All apps for the music player.

2. Locate the original files

If no temporary-profile warning appears:

1. Open File Explorer and enter C:\Users in its address bar.
2. Open each user folder and inspect Documents, Downloads, Music, Desktop, and Pictures. Do not delete any unfamiliar profile folders.
3. Select This PC and search for:
   • A known book or document filename
   • *.pdf, *.doc, or *.docx
   • *.mp3 for music
4. For a result, right-click it and select Open file location. Copy important files to an external drive before making system changes.^1^
5. Also inspect C:\Windows.old\Users if Windows.old exists, and check the OneDrive folders or OneDrive Recycle Bin if those folders were synchronized.

If search returns nothing, run Control Panel > Indexing Options > Advanced > Index Settings > Troubleshoot search and indexing, then repeat the This PC search.^1^

3. If a new Microsoft account was created during the upgrade

Your files could remain under an older, disabled Administrator account:

1. Search for and open Computer Management.
2. Select Local Users and Groups > Users.
3. Double-click Administrator.
4. Clear Account is disabled, select Apply, then sign out.
5. Sign into that Administrator account and check its user folders.^1^

This branch applies only if a new account was created during the upgrade. If Local Users and Groups is unavailable—such as on some Windows 10 Home installations—skip it rather than changing accounts through other unsupported methods.

4. Restore or recover files if they are genuinely absent

If an external Backup and Restore backup exists, open Control Panel, search for backup, select Backup and Restore (Windows 7) > Select another backup to restore files from, and complete the restore wizard.^1^

If there is no backup, minimize computer use to avoid overwriting deleted data. Install Windows File Recovery from Microsoft Store and recover to a different physical drive, such as an external E: drive:^2^

winfr C: E: /regular /n \Users\<username>\Documents\
winfr C: E: /regular /n \Users\<username>\Downloads\
winfr C: E: /regular /n \Users\<username>\Music\

Replace <username> with the folder name shown under C:\Users. If Regular mode finds nothing, retry with /extensive.

5. If the original files are safe but settings or websites remain broken

Back up the recovered files first, then confirm which update was installed immediately before the problem. A recent Windows update can be uninstalled without removing personal files or apps, although some updates cannot be removed.^3^

For broader Windows malfunctions, open Command Prompt as administrator and run DISM before SFC:^4^

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow

Avoid Reset this PC or a clean reinstall until the files have been located or recovered; reset can remove applications and settings, and some recovery choices can remove personal files.^3^

References

1. [Windows 10](https://support.microsoft.com/windows/deployment/install-upgrade/find-lost-files-after-upgrading-windows#look-for-the-files-using-search)
2. Windows File Recovery | Microsoft Support
3. Recovery options in Windows | Microsoft Support
4. Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files | Microsoft Support