File not found at path in laravel 7x
Stefan Bogdanescu
Founder & Senior Architect · 2026-06-29
# Solving the "File Not Found" Error: Accessing Files in Laravel Storage
As a senior developer working with the Laravel ecosystem, you will inevitably encounter frustrating roadblocks when dealing with file system interactions, especially concerning storage. The issue you are facing—getting a `FileNotFoundException` when trying to access an image stored in `storage/public` using the `Storage` facade—is extremely common. It usually stems from a misunderstanding of how Laravel's filesystem abstraction layer maps internal paths to public URLs.
This post will walk you through the exact reason this error occurs and provide a definitive, robust solution, ensuring your application interacts seamlessly with files stored on the disk.
## Understanding the Laravel Filesystem Architecture
The confusion often arises because there are multiple layers involved: the physical file system, the internal storage paths managed by Laravel, and the public URLs accessible via the web. To resolve this, we must understand the configuration defined in `config/filesystems.php`.
When you use the `Storage` facade, you are not directly manipulating raw PHP file paths; you are interacting with configured **disks**. Each disk has a defined root directory where it stores its files.
In your provided configuration snippet, you defined a crucial setup:
```php
'disks' => [
'local' => [
'driver' => 'local',
'root' => storage_path('app'), // This is the internal application storage root
// ...
],
'public' => [
'driver' => 'local',
'root' => storage_path('app/public'), // This is where the public link should point
'url' => env('APP_URL') . '/storage', // The URL prefix for public access
// ...
],
]
```
Notice that your configuration sets up a dedicated `public` disk whose root is `storage_path('app/public')`. When you attempt to use the facade, you need to target this specific disk correctly.
## Why Your Code Failed and The Correct Approach
Your original code attempted to construct an absolute path using `storage_path()`:
```