Your files matter.
Pause before you try a fix.

01 / Preserve what you have

Pause changes to the affected device

• Do not erase or factory reset it to troubleshoot missing files. Android confirms that a factory reset erases phone data. Avoid restore options that say they erase content.
• Decline format, erase, and initialization prompts on a drive you need data from. Seagate warns that formatting erases data; a drive becoming usable again does not mean its old files were recovered.
• Pause disk repair tools when this is your only copy. Apple recommends a current backup before Disk Utility repairs. Discuss recovery first if the files cannot be accessed.
• Avoid adding files or installing recovery apps on the affected storage. Ask for guidance before a scan or repair if you are unsure which drive it will change.
• Stop using a drive if new excessive grinding or clanking accompanies the problem. Seagate identifies these sounds as possible physical trouble. A sound alone does not diagnose the fault; do not keep powering it on to collect clues.
• If a phone is wet, disconnect the charger and do not charge it while wet. For iPhone, Apple advises against heat, compressed air, objects in the connector, and rice. Follow the device maker's guidance.

Keep the device and any original drive enclosure or cable together. Arrange intake before shipping anything. Mail-in only. No storefront or walk-ins.

02 / Check another working device

Look for an existing copy

• Check the account you used for photos. iCloud Photos and Google Photos can show pictures that finished uploading. Use another working device and verify the specific photos and dates you need.
• Check older computer imports, backups, and shared copies. Record what you found and which recent files are still missing. An account or backup setting alone does not prove every file is present.
• Keep the original device as it is while you check. Finding a cloud copy does not require resetting the affected phone or formatting its drive.