How to Prevent Windows 10 from Automatically Deleting Files

On this page, you'll discover practical solutions to recover deleted files on Windows 10 and prevent Windows 10 from deleting files without permission.

Translation into English:

Q: Windows Defender Continuously Deleting Files

"Hello, I'm experiencing an issue where my computer is automatically deleting files without seeking my confirmation. I utilize certain programs with the .exe extension. However, Windows Defender is detecting these as viruses and removing them, even though I need them. How can I prevent Windows Defender from deleting the files that I wish to retain?"

Are you facing the issue where Windows Defender is continuously removing files, like downloaded videos, documents, or executable (.exe) programs? Or is your Windows 10 deleting downloaded files and data without seeking confirmation? Although it might seem illogical, this can indeed happen. Windows 10 might delete programs and documents after a restart due to Defender or the new Storage Sense feature in the operating system. However, there's no need to worry, as you can swiftly recover deleted files from Windows 10 using a professional data recovery tool. Once you've recovered your files, you can employ the helpful methods outlined below to prevent Windows from automatically deleting files.

Part 1. Recover Deleted Files from Windows 10

If your crucial files have been removed or deleted by Windows 10 and you're unable to retrieve them, don't panic. One of the top-notch file recovery software - tools Data Recovery Wizard can effortlessly recover your lost files in just three steps. It enables you to recover deleted files from the Recycle Bin, HDD, SSD, USB flash drive, external hard drive, digital camera, and more.

Now, download and install this software on your computer, and then follow the next steps to restore the removed files deleted by Windows 10.

Step 1. Launch the Data Recovery Wizard tool. Select the drive where you lost your files and initiate the scanning process. This software enables you to recover lost data from various devices, including HDD, SSD, USB drive, SD card, pen drive, camera, and so on.

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Step 2. Browse the complete scan results. You can select the file type you need by clicking on the file type filter. The data recovery software supports over 1000 file types, including photos, videos, documents, emails, audio files, and many more.

Step 3. Select the files you wish to preview. Click "Recover" and specify a storage location to save the retrieved data.

Part 2: Solve the Windows 10 Automatic File Deletion Error

After retrieving all your lost files from the Windows system, you can now proceed with the solutions to fix the Windows 10 issue of文件被删除.

Method 1: Prevent Windows Defender from Automatically Deleting Files

1. Open "Windows Defender" > Click on "Virus & Threat Protection".

2. Scroll down and click on "Virus & Threat Protection" settings.

3. Scroll down to "Exclusions" and click "Add or remove exclusions."

4. Click the "+" plus icon to add an exclusion and choose "File," "Folder," "File Type," or "Process." Then, specify the exact files, folders, or even file types that you do not want Windows Defender to delete or remove.

5. Save all changes. If you don't want Windows Defender to remove the .dll files, click "File Types" and enter the .dll and .exe file extensions, then click "Add." From this point on, the files you've marked for exclusion will no longer be removed or deleted.

Method 2: Disable Storage Sense to Prevent Windows 10 from Automatically Deleting Files

Storage Sense in Windows 10 is a recently introduced feature. When activated, it intelligently deletes unneeded files when your computer's disk space is running low. For example, it can automatically remove items from the Recycling Bin that are older than 30 or 60 days, as well as purge temporary files to free up storage. It also has the capability to delete older files in the Downloads folder.

However, if you don't want Storage Sense to automatically delete files, you can modify its default settings to prevent Windows 10 from removing files when you intend to keep them.

Step 1: Open the "Settings" app. Click on "System" and then "Storage". You can toggle the Storage Sense switch to "Off".

Step 2. If you don't want to disable this feature entirely, you can re-configure Storage Sense by clicking "Change how we free up space automatically."

Step 3: Check the box under "Delete files in my Recycle Bin if they have been there for over" and select "Never." Additionally, check the box under "Delete files in my Downloads folder if they have been there for over" and also choose "Never."

Method 3: Uninstall Problematic Updates That Delete Files on Windows 10

As we all know, sometimes newly installed Windows systems may remove or delete files from your computer without seeking your approval. It appears that if you've installed an incompatible or faulty Windows 10 update, it could result in the deletion of your files. Therefore, the simplest solution is to uninstall the problematic updates that caused the file removal on your Windows 10 PC. Here are the detailed steps to uninstall faulty updates: 1. Press the "Windows key + I" on your keyboard to open the Settings app. 2. In the Settings window, click on "Update & Security." 3. On the left sidebar, select "View update history." 4. Under the "Update history" section, click on "Uninstall updates." 5. A new window called "Control Panel" will appear. Here, choose "Programs" and then "Programs and Features." 6. In the next screen, click on "View installed updates" in the left panel. 7. A list of installed updates will be displayed. Look for any recent updates that might be related to the issue, usually ones with a date around when the file deletion occurred. 8. Right-click on the suspicious update and select "Uninstall." You may need to confirm the action. 9. Wait for the uninstallation process to complete, and then restart your computer. 10. After the restart, check if the deleted files have been restored or if the issue has been resolved. Please note that uninstalling updates may affect the stability of your system. If the problem persists or you're unsure which update to remove, consider seeking professional assistance or creating a system restore point before proceeding.

Step 1: Press the Windows + X keys and choose "Control Panel."

Step 2: Click on "Programs and Features" and then choose "View Installed Updates."

Step 3: Click the "Installed On" column header to sort the updates by date.

Step 4: Find the large, important updates that you recently downloaded, right-click on them, and select "Uninstall."

Step 5: After the uninstallation process finishes, restart your PC.

PS: If you wish to install the latest Windows 10 update, you can refer to the official Microsoft Windows 10 update website to download the Windows 10 ISO and proceed with the installation on your PC.