# Lost media files (already deleted)

**URL:** <https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/lost-media-files-already-deleted/15690>\
**Category:** Help\
**Created:** [December 6, 2021, 4:19pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/lost-media-files-already-deleted/15690 "2021-12-06T16:19:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![hsprks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/2acd7d/32.png) [@hsprks](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/hsprks)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2021, 4:19pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/lost-media-files-already-deleted/15690/1 "2021-12-06T16:19:43Z")

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Hi, ive unfortunately lost loads of cards (and i dont know which ones i need to replace), and i’ve tried putting all the photos in the trash back into the collection.media folder but still cant retrive them. is there any chance they can be retrieved from anki.webs backup??

thanks in advance

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**Author:** ![dae](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/forums.ankiweb.net/dae/32/65_2.png) [@dae](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/dae)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2021, 10:04am UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/lost-media-files-already-deleted/15690/2 "2021-12-07T10:04:21Z")

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Only if you had already synced them, and they were deleted within the last few weeks.

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**Author:** ![hsprks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/2acd7d/32.png) [@hsprks](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/hsprks)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2021, 11:00am UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/lost-media-files-already-deleted/15690/3 "2021-12-07T11:00:41Z")

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the thing is i did ‘export file’ so they should be in there right? but i dont know how to open that up and add it to my existing deck without losing whats in my existing deck if that makes sense

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**Author:** ![dae](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/forums.ankiweb.net/dae/32/65_2.png) [@dae](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/dae)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2021, 11:26pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/lost-media-files-already-deleted/15690/4 "2021-12-07T23:26:34Z")

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If you exported the media to a colpkg/apkg file, you can import it into a new profile, and then copy the files you need from one collection.media folder to the other.

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/anki2/original/1X/8f1279ababc5879d54e4838989f606cfe55af8c7.jpeg) [@system](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 4:40am UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/lost-media-files-already-deleted/15690/5 "2023-05-01T04:40:38Z")

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