A Creative Cloud update that was recently released by Adobe has been deleting Mac users' files without warning, reports Ars Technica. The 3.5.0.206 update, now pulled by Adobe, deleted the contents of the first folder listed alphabetically in a Mac's root directory. Files were deleted after the update was installed and users logged into the Adobe service.

The bug has affected customers in different ways depending on the content that was listed first in the directory. Many customers who use backup service Backblaze had problems with the service because a hidden root folder called .bzvol was the file that was listed first and subsequently deleted. Backblaze made a video demonstrating the issue:


As Ars Technica points out, many Mac users' first folder is .DocumentRevisions-V100, which is used by the Mac's autosave feature and can cause problems if deleted.

The Adobe bug could also have dire consequences for users who have important folders with spaces in them, since those also assume a top alphabetically sorted spot on the Mac hard drive (which by default is labeled Macintosh HD).

An Adobe spokesperson said the company is investigating the issue and has pulled the distribution of the update until the problem is fixed. Creative Cloud users should avoid updating until a clear fix is provided by Adobe, and as an extra layer of precaution, a fake folder with a name that will place it in the top spot in the root directory may also help users avoid issues.

Tag: Adobe

Top Rated Comments

sualpine Avatar
129 months ago
Adobe: making crappy software that for some reason people still use since 1982.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
John.B Avatar
129 months ago
This shows the problem with auto updating software, and is why many creatives go months or even years between updates.

Stability is a feature.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hollersoft Avatar
129 months ago
Why does an application installer have write permission to the root of the file system??
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
2013.1 Avatar
129 months ago
2016 is the year of change.

The first two I already use for about 20 % of my Jobs.

Attachment Image
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
logicstudiouser Avatar
129 months ago
I feel extremely fortunate, I have been able to skip the creative cloud nightmare.
When I attended my college in 2012, it was the last year students could get the CS6 suites for free - which works for life and runs without issue.
Now at my school, the adobe suites creative cloud is valid for 1 year free - and you pay by subscription going forward.
CS6 hasn't gotten updates in a while, but I have no complaints. The apps I use work without issue.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
btrach144 Avatar
129 months ago
Adobe: making crappy software that for some reason people still use since 1982.
Luckily I cancelled my creative cloud subscription and got their crap off my computer last week.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

top stories 2025 12 20

Top Stories: iOS 26.3 Beta, Major Apple Leaks, and More

Saturday December 20, 2025 6:00 am PST by
You'd think things would be slowing down heading into the holidays, but this week saw a whirlwind of Apple leaks and rumors while Apple started its next cycle of betas following last week's release of iOS 26.2 and related updates. This week also saw the release of a new Apple Music integration with ChatGPT, so read on below for all the details on this week's biggest stories! Top Stories i...
maxresdefault

Where's the New Apple TV?

Monday December 22, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Features Leaked in New Report, Including Under-Screen Face ID

Tuesday December 16, 2025 8:44 am PST by
Next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be equipped with under-screen Face ID, and the front camera will be moved to the top-left corner of the screen, according to a new report from The Information's Wayne Ma and Qianer Liu. As a result of these changes, the report said the iPhone 18 Pro models will not have a pill-shaped Dynamic Island cutout at the top of the screen....
ios 18 security update

Don't Want to Upgrade to iOS 26? Here's How to Stay on iOS 18 [Update: Now Unavailable]

Friday December 19, 2025 10:37 am PST by
Since the beginning of December, Apple has been pushing iPhone users who opted to stay on iOS 18 to install iOS 26 instead. Apple started by making the iOS 18 upgrades less visible, and has now transitioned to making new iOS 18 updates unavailable on any device capable of running iOS 26. If you have an iPhone 11 or later, Apple is no longer offering new versions of iOS 18, even though there...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 Brings AirPods-Like Pairing to Third-Party Devices in EU Under DMA

Monday December 22, 2025 3:20 pm PST by
The European Commission today praised the interoperability changes that Apple is introducing in iOS 26.3, once again crediting the Digital Markets Act (DMA) with bringing "new opportunities" to European users and developers. The Digital Markets Act requires Apple to provide third-party accessories with the same capabilities and access to device features that Apple's own products get. In iOS...
iPhone Chips

Apple Clings to Samsung as RAM Prices Soar

Monday December 22, 2025 6:17 am PST by
Apple is significantly increasing its reliance on Samsung for iPhone memory as component prices surge, according to The Korea Economic Daily. Apple is said to be expanding the share of iPhone memory it sources from Samsung due to rapidly rising memory prices. The shift is expected to result in Samsung supplying roughly 60% to 70% of the low-power DRAM used in the iPhone 17, compared with a...
apple beta 26 lineup

Apple's 2026 and 2027 Product Roadmap: Foldable iPhone, iPhone 18 Pro, M5 Macs, and More

Tuesday December 16, 2025 4:42 pm PST by
There has been a whirlwind of rumors over the last few days, sourced from leaked internal software designed for the iPhone and the Mac, and news sites like The Information. Below, we have a quick recap of everything we've heard this week, which serves as a guide to Apple's product plans in 2026 and beyond. We've organized the info by likely release date, though there are some products that...