# Updated to a new version of Anki and my media files are missing?
**URL:** https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/updated-to-a-new-version-of-anki-and-my-media-files-are-missing/69282
**Category:** Help
**Created:** [March 29, 2026, 3:37pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/updated-to-a-new-version-of-anki-and-my-media-files-are-missing/69282 "2026-03-29T15:37:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@yo1o](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/yo1o)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2026, 3:37pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/updated-to-a-new-version-of-anki-and-my-media-files-are-missing/69282/1 "2026-03-29T15:37:01Z")
Hi!
I synced my deck with AnkiWeb before downloading an updated version of Anki. I have read previous threads describing a similar issue from Kazue and mf5758. From the drop-down of “Tools → Check Media” I can see the following: Missing files: 2008, Unused files: 72. Most of the files came from copying and pasting, is there anyway to restore them? Currently in my decks I just see a missing file icon where the picture was in my old version of Anki. It seems like @Danika_Dakika has been able to help with similar issues in the past, I was wondering if you could look into my issue as well? Open to all the help I can get with this issue, thank you in advance!
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### Author:  [@Danika\_Dakika](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/Danika_Dakika)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2026, 4:25pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/updated-to-a-new-version-of-anki-and-my-media-files-are-missing/69282/2 "2026-03-29T16:25:44Z")
> [@yo1o](#):
>
> I have read previous threads describing a similar issue from Kazue and mf5758.
Those users \[1\] manually deleted their own media files. Did you do that?
If all you did was update Anki versions, that happens in a different folder than [where your collection is stored](https://docs.ankiweb.net/files.html#user-data), so that can’t be the reason you’re missing media files.
> [@yo1o](#):
>
> From the drop-down of “Tools → Check Media” I can see the following: Missing files: 2008, Unused files: 72.
If these files recently went missing, have you already synced to AnkiWeb? If not, you should go to `Preferences > Syncing > Log Out`, then when you click Sync, you’ll log in again. That will trigger a rescan of media, and download any files that AnkiWeb has and you don’t.
I looked at the AnkiWeb account linked to the email address you used to post here. It doesn’t show any recently deleted media, so there’s nothing to restore.
* * *
1. Ref: [Did some wrong syncing, now 2175 files missing](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/did-some-wrong-syncing-now-2175-files-missing/54849) and [Accidently lost many media files from my cards](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/accidently-lost-many-media-files-from-my-cards/67434)
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### Author:  [@yo1o](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/yo1o)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2026, 6:15pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/updated-to-a-new-version-of-anki-and-my-media-files-are-missing/69282/3 "2026-03-29T18:15:40Z")
I uploaded my current decks to AnkiWeb before deleting my old version of Anki from my computer (it wasn’t letting me update from the original application) and downloaded the new version. I should’ve checked to see if the images made it through before deleting my old one, but I didn’t. Hopefully this helps to clear up the confusion. I just tried the “Preferences\>Syncing\>Log Out,” the images are still missing.
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### Author:  [@Danika\_Dakika](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/Danika_Dakika)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2026, 6:52pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/updated-to-a-new-version-of-anki-and-my-media-files-are-missing/69282/4 "2026-03-29T18:52:39Z")
> [@yo1o](#):
>
> before deleting my old version of Anki from my computer
Did you delete your `Anki2` data folder (see the link I gave you)? You didn’t need to do that in order to reinstall the app – but if you did, then yes, you manually deleted your own media. But if you’d never synced that media to AnkiWeb before, and it didn’t finish syncing to AnkiWeb before you deleted it, then AnkiWeb never had it.
Is it possible that it’s still in your Recycle Bin (or wherever your OS puts deleted files/folders)?
If you give me the names of a couple files you’re missing, I can search the media in your AnkiWeb account, but that’s what you already would have downloaded when sync rescanned your media.
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### Author:  [@yo1o](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/yo1o)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2026, 8:26pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/updated-to-a-new-version-of-anki-and-my-media-files-are-missing/69282/5 "2026-03-29T20:26:02Z")
I think I did delete my Anki2 data folder according to that link. I do see a folder in my recycle bin labeled “Anki” with an option to restore, should I attempt to do that?
Anyway, here are 3 examples of the media I am missing:
1. Missing: 11117-triglycerides-illustration.jpg
2. Missing: 1200px-Pudendal\_nerve.svg.png
3. Missing: 15118-mortons-neuroma.jpg
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### Author:  [@Danika\_Dakika](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/Danika_Dakika)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2026, 9:43pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/updated-to-a-new-version-of-anki-and-my-media-files-are-missing/69282/6 "2026-03-29T21:43:22Z")
> [@yo1o](#):
>
> I do see a folder in my recycle bin labeled “Anki” with an option to restore, should I attempt to do that?
If you look at that same page, you’ll see that is probably your Anki program folder – in which case you probably don’t want to restore it, because you now have a new version installed. But look inside it just in case? If it has folders with names like “addons…” or the name of your profile (“User 1” if you didn’t rename it), then that’s what you’re looking for.
> [@yo1o](#):
>
> here are 3 examples of the media I am missing
This AnkiWeb account definitely doesn’t have those files, and they don’t show as recently deleted either.
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### Author:  [@yo1o](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/yo1o)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2026, 10:23pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/updated-to-a-new-version-of-anki-and-my-media-files-are-missing/69282/7 "2026-03-29T22:23:41Z")
The add-ons weren’t in a folder, my computer had them as separate files in my recycle bin - they were by number (ex: “2052746015” for my scope remote). I do still have my media files in my recycle bin, so I will probably just manually re-input them into my cards. I appreciate your help nonetheless.
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### Author:  [@Danika\_Dakika](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/Danika_Dakika)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2026, 12:39am UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/updated-to-a-new-version-of-anki-and-my-media-files-are-missing/69282/8 "2026-03-30T00:39:59Z")
> [@yo1o](#):
>
> I do still have my media files in my recycle bin, so I will probably just manually re-input them into my cards.
If you still have the files, that’s all you need! You shouldn’t need to do anything with your note/cards. Those files are listed as “Missing” because they are already mentioned in notes, but they aren’t found in your collection. You just need to put those files in your `collection.media` folder for your profile. Then run Check Media again.
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### Author:  [@system](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/system)
#### Post date: [April 29, 2026, 12:40am UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/updated-to-a-new-version-of-anki-and-my-media-files-are-missing/69282/9 "2026-04-29T00:40:57Z")
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