not finding all the files of onedrive account

A working sharing link shows that the linked item remains accessible, but it does not establish that the file belongs to the currently displayed OneDrive; first identify its owner/location and search every Microsoft account you may have used.

1. Identify where a linked file is stored

1. Open one of the working links.
2. Open the file’s Information/Details pane, usually through the ⓘ Information button.
3. Review any available location, owner, Has access, and Activity information. OneDrive’s Information pane provides access and activity details for an item.^1^
4. Do not use the account avatar on the linked-file page to determine ownership—it can represent the account currently viewing the link rather than the account storing the file.
5. If the item belongs to somebody else or another account, check OneDrive → Shared. Files shared with you are stored in the owner’s OneDrive, not yours.^2^

For an editable shared folder, select it under Shared, then choose Add shortcut to My files. Shared-folder shortcuts do not consume your OneDrive storage because the files count against the owner’s storage.^3^

2. Search each possible account separately

Sign out, then sign in at OneDrive.com separately with every plausible account, including:

• Personal addresses with different domains, such as Outlook, Hotmail, or Gmail-based Microsoft accounts.
• Any previous personal Microsoft account.
• Any work or school account.

For each account:

1. Use Search everything and search by filename, file type, date, description, or other remembered terms.
2. Check Shared.
3. Check Recycle bin.
4. Check Personal Vault. Personal Vault files do not appear in ordinary search results; unlock the vault and use Show Personal Vault items in the Recycle Bin when applicable.
5. Search computers and mobile devices that previously synchronized the files.

Microsoft specifically recommends searching through the OneDrive website first and checking other Microsoft accounts when files appear missing.^4^

The empty My Files view and newly available 1 TB are consistent with viewing a different or newly provisioned OneDrive, but those symptoms alone do not prove what happened.

3. Recover deleted files only if ownership is confirmed

If the file details show that the missing files belonged to the currently empty OneDrive:

1. Open Recycle bin in the OneDrive website.
2. Select the files or folders.
3. Select Restore.

For personal accounts, deleted items can generally be restored for 30 days, unless they were permanently removed from the OneDrive Recycle Bin.^5^

If many files disappeared during the last 30 days and you have Microsoft 365:

1. Go to OneDrive website → Settings → Options → Restore your OneDrive.
2. Select a date before the files disappeared.
3. Review the activity chart and feed.
4. Select Restore.

This rolls back the selected file and folder activity. Files created after the chosen restore point move to the Recycle Bin, so review the activity carefully before proceeding.^6^

Use full-OneDrive restore only after confirming that the files belonged to that OneDrive and that the disappearance occurred within the previous 30 days. If this is actually a work or school account and web search plus the Recycle Bin find nothing, contact the organization’s IT administrator with filenames, approximate last-access dates, and the devices used.

References

1. OneDrive basics (work or school)
2. See files shared with you in OneDrive | Microsoft Support
3. [Personal](https://support.microsoft.com/onedrive/add-shortcuts-to-shared-folders-in-onedrive#how-to-add-a-shared-folder-to-your-onedrive)
4. Find lost or missing files in OneDrive | Microsoft Support
5. [PC or Mac](https://support.microsoft.com/onedrive/restore-your-onedrive-files)
6. Restore your OneDrive