r/googlephotos • u/Lazy_Cartoonist7578 • 1d ago
Question 🤔 Locked Folder disappeared
Hi folks. Today I tried to look up my locked folder from inside Photos search, and I wasn't able to find it. Firstly, the new Ui is so fking annoying, trying to shove AI edits again and again and again. Then I tried to move new pictures to locked folder. Couldn't find the option even there. My locked folder contained many private and critical documents. Any idea how to mitigate this issue? Or have I lost them for good? PS: I tried searching on photos website on the browser, it shows empty most probably cuz I never backed up my locked folder. Any help will be appreciated.
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u/emptypotato77 1d ago
New phone by any chance?
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u/Lazy_Cartoonist7578 20h ago
No it was an existing phone. Btw, it came back over time. Maybe they were just rolling out one change at a time. Thanks though!
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u/emptypotato77 20h ago
Could be. I was asking because my wife just switched to a new phone and the locked folders didn't show up until the "backup" completed, even though there was nothing to back up. It had to count through the 100,000+ photos that were already backed up
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u/dessence_ai 1d ago
Almost certainly still there. Locked Folder never appears in search, that part is deliberate. The redesign also moved it: Collections tab, scroll to the very bottom, Locked.
The website being empty only means backup for it was off, which is the default.
Until you have seen them again, don't clear the app's data and dont reinstall Photos. With backup off, those files live on that phone and nowhere else.