Missing or Corrupted Attachments

Understanding Attachment Loss

QuickBooks attachments can go missing for several reasons: accidental deletion, moved storage folders, file corruption, or broken links after backup restoration. Understanding the cause helps determine the appropriate recovery approach.

Diagnosing Missing Attachments

1. 1
   Check attachment count

   Company → Documents → Doc Center. Note total attachment count. If suddenly zero or significantly reduced, indicates widespread loss.

2. 2
   Verify storage location exists

   Copy

   1. Edit → Preferences → Integrated Applications → Attachments
   2. Note storage path
   3. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to that path
   4. Verify folder exists and contains files

3. 3
   Check network connectivity

   If attachments on network drive, verify you can access the network path. Try opening \\ServerName\Share directly in Explorer.

4. 4
   Review recent changes

   Ask yourself:

   • Did we recently restore a company file backup?
   • Has the server or attachment folder been moved?
   • Were there recent Windows updates or permission changes?
   • Did anyone clean up disk space or delete old files?

Fixing Broken Attachment Links

If files still exist but QuickBooks cannot find them (wrong path), update the attachment storage location:

1. 1
   Locate actual attachment files

   Search computer for "Attach" folder or common attachment file names. Check default location: C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Intuit\QuickBooks\Company Files\

2. 2
   Update attachment path

   Copy

   1. Edit → Preferences → Integrated Applications
   2. Company Preferences → Attachments
   3. Browse to correct location where files actually are
   4. Click OK

3. 3
   Rebuild attachment index

   Close QuickBooks, delete Attachment.ini file from attachment folder, reopen QuickBooks to force reindex.

4. 4
   Verify restoration

   Open Doc Center and check if attachments now appear. Test opening a few files.

Recovering Deleted or Lost Files

If attachment files were actually deleted, you may be able to recover them:

Using Previous Versions (Windows)

1. 1
   Access Previous Versions

   Right-click the attachment folder (or parent folder if attachment folder is gone) → Properties → Previous Versions tab

2. 2
   Select restore point

   Choose a date/time from before files were lost. Click "Open" to preview contents.

3. 3
   Restore files

   If files are present in preview, click "Restore" to recover them to original location, or "Copy" to restore to different location.

Restoring Attachments from QuickBooks Backup

If you have QuickBooks backups (.QBB) that included attachments:

1. 1
   Restore backup to test location

   File → Open or Restore Company → Restore a backup copy. Restore to a temporary location (not overwriting current file).

2. 2
   Locate restored attachments

   When restoring, QuickBooks extracts attachments to subfolder. Navigate to restore location and find Attach folder.

3. 3
   Copy attachments to current storage

   Copy files from restored backup's Attach folder to your current attachment storage location.

4. 4
   Rebuild index

   Close QuickBooks, delete Attachment.ini, reopen to force QuickBooks to recognize the restored files.

Repairing Corrupted Attachment Files

If attachment files are present but corrupted (cannot open, errors when viewing):

Bulk Reattachment Procedures

If you have recovered files but QuickBooks links are broken, you may need to manually reattach:

Preventing Future Attachment Loss