New Recovery Tool in Updated Google Drive for Desktop App Restores Lost Files

In November, Google Drive for desktop (v84.0.0.0-84.0.4.0) had a sync issue causing files to disappear. In the latest version (85.0.13.0 or higher), there’s a file recovery tool. To access it, go to the menu bar, click the Drive for desktop icon, press and hold “Shift,” click “Settings,” and hit “Recover from backups.” A notification will appear, and hopefully, a “Recovery is complete” message will follow, along with a “Google Drive Recovery” folder on your desktop. Google warns that this method may not work for everyone and advises submitting feedback and diagnostic logs if issues occur. There are also alternative instructions for using the command line interface, Windows backup, and Time Machine backup.