Accidental deletion of files after re-syncing Nextcloud client

📱 Desktop & mobile clients
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Hello Nextcloud community,

I encountered a serious issue with file synchronization in Nextcloud and need help recovering lost data. Here’s what happened:

  1. Initial setup:
  • I was using the Nextcloud desktop client to sync a shared folder (SMM) containing multiple subfolders, including СПОРТШКОЛА.
  • Later, I uninstalled the Nextcloud app but kept the local synced files.
  1. Problem:
  • I manually deleted the local SMM folder (from my PC) since I no longer needed it.
  • Later, I reinstalled Nextcloud and reconnected the sync.
  • After syncing, the entire SMM folder disappeared from the server, leaving only СПОРТШКОЛА restored (which was previously selected for sync).
  1. What I’ve tried:
  • Checked the Nextcloud Trash Bin (empty).
  • No file versioning enabled (so no previous versions).
  • Restored SMM from the server’s trash, but only СПОРТШКОЛА reappeared—other files are missing.
  • Asked colleagues—no one else has a copy.
  1. Questions:
  • Is there any way to recover the lost files from sync logs or server cache?
  • Could this be a sync conflict issue? (The client might have treated my local deletion as a “command” to delete everything on the server.)
  • Are there hidden logs (nextcloud.log, sync.log) that could help trace the deletion?

Additional info:

  • Server version: [if known, e.g., Nextcloud 25]
  • Desktop client: [e.g., Nextcloud 3.11.2 on Windows 11]
  • No backups available (unfortunately).

I’d greatly appreciate any advice on how to recover the missing files or diagnose what went wrong. Thank you!

1 Like
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It sounds like the local deletion was synced to the server, causing the files to be removed there too. Unfortunately, without backups or versioning, recovery options are limited. Check the server’s nextcloud.log and client sync.log for clues on what happened and when. Sometimes files end up in hidden trash or “deleted” folders—double-check all trash locations on the server. If your host supports snapshots or backups, ask them for help. Going forward, enable versioning and regular backups to prevent data loss. Good luck!

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there seems to be a glitch when shared files are deleted - looks in some situations this files don’t make into trashbin - I remember similar post about deleting shared files "remote account" deleted files omg - #6 by Murbuu but I didn’t find motivation to dig into the issue now. please share your findings and open issue on Github if possible.