Recover Deleted Files on Windows 10 | 6 FREE Methods

Searching for a way to recover deleted files on Windows 10? You have several options to retrieve lost data, including using file recovery software. Windows also offers built-in file recovery utilities. We'll guide you through the most effective approaches for various data loss scenarios.

Unfortunately, it's all too simple to accidentally delete files in Windows 10. Microsoft has provided a safety measure in the form of the Recycle Bin, but this doesn't always come to the rescue — occasionally, you can inadvertently delete data permanently. For instance, if you delete a file while holding down the Shift key, it skips the Recycle Bin, making data recovery difficult. Moreover, the Recycle Bin has its limitations in terms of both storage capacity and the size of files it can hold. When it reaches its maximum capacity or if you attempt to delete files larger than its limit, the data will be immediately erased without passing through the Recycle Bin.

But fear not, all hope is not lost. There are steps you can take to recover those files you believed were gone forever. Walk with us as we guide you through how to restore permanently deleted files in Windows 10, utilizing both built-in utilities and third-party solutions.

Recover Deleted Files in Windows 10 Using Undo Delete

Many users are aware of a swift method to recover recently deleted files, which involves utilizing the Ctrl+Z deleted file recovery technique. Alternatively, you can right-click on the folder where the file was originally located and select "Undo Delete."

Here are the steps to recover deleted files using the Undo Delete feature: 1. **Realize the Mistake**: First, acknowledge that you have accidentally deleted a file and want to undo the action. 2. **Open Recycle Bin**: On your Windows computer, locate the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop or in the Start menu. Double-click it to open. 3. **Find the Deleted File**: Inside the Recycle Bin, browse through the contents to find the file you wish to restore. You can use the search function if you know the name of the file. 4. **Right-Click and Select "Undo Delete"**: Once you find the file, right-click on it. From the context menu, choose "Undo Delete" or "Restore This Item" (depending on your version of Windows). 5. **File Restored**: The selected file should immediately be restored to its original location before deletion. If the file was previously in a folder, it will return to that same folder. 6. **Verify the Restoration**: After the undo process, check the original location of the file to ensure it has been successfully restored. 7. **Empty Recycle Bin**: To free up space, you can now safely empty the Recycle Bin. However, do this only after confirming that all deleted files you intended to keep have been restored. Please note that the Undo Delete feature may not be available for files deleted using the "Shift + Delete" combination or from external storage devices. In those cases, you may need to use specialized data recovery software.

Step 1. Right-click on the folder where the file was lost.

Step 2. Click "Undo Delete" to restore the file to its original location.

Step 3. Alternatively, press "Ctrl+Z" directly to undo and recover the deleted files.

Remember that using Ctrl+Z or the Undo Delete function will only work if the file or folder was erased recently. This approach is not effective if you restart your computer following the loss of files. After a restart,

Restore Deleted Files in Windows 10 from the Recycle Bin

If you accidentally delete a file by pressing the "Delete" button on your keyboard or by dragging it to the Recycle Bin, the process to recover deleted files in Windows 10 is straightforward.

However, this method has its limitations. It will only work if you haven't emptied the Recycle Bin and if you didn't bypass the Bin by holding down the Shift key while deleting the data. If you can't locate what you're searching for in the Recycle Bin, it's possible that your files have been permanently erased. In such a case, you can attempt the following methods for Recycle Bin file recovery.

How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files in Windows 10 Using Data Recovery Software

Perhaps the most dependable method to retrieve deleted files is by using specialized data recovery software. A recommended tool for both Windows 10 and macOS is tools Data Recovery Wizard, which boasts a high success rate while remaining user-friendly.

Regardless of whether you have a backup available or not, the program will most likely be able to recover your deleted data for you.

You can download the file recovery software for free from the link provided above, and then follow these steps to recover your deleted files: 1. Install the software on your computer: After downloading the tool, double-click the installer to begin the setup process. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. 2. Launch the file recovery software: Once installed, locate and open the application from your desktop or the program folder. 3. Select the drive to scan: In the software's main interface, you'll see a list of drives connected to your system. Choose the drive from which you want to recover the deleted files. If you're unsure which one it is, select the primary drive (usually labeled C:). 4. Choose the file type (optional): If you know the specific type of files you're looking for (e.g., documents, images, videos), you can select the corresponding file types to speed up the scanning process. 5. Start the scan: Click on the "Scan" or "Start" button to initiate the scanning process. The software will thoroughly search for deleted files in the selected drive. 6. Preview and select files: While the scan is in progress, the software may display found files. You can preview them to ensure they are the ones you need. Once the scan is complete, review the list of recoverable files and check the boxes next to the items you want to restore. 7. Recover the files: Click on a "Recover" or "Save" button to start the recovery process. Choose a safe location on your computer to save the recovered files, ideally a different drive than the one you're recovering from to avoid overwriting any data. 8. Verify the recovered files: After the recovery is finished, navigate to the save location and check the recovered files to make sure they are intact and usable. Remember that not all deleted files can be recovered, especially if they have been overwritten or the drive has been damaged. However, using a reliable file recovery software increases the chances of getting your lost data back.

Important: To ensure a higher chance of data recovery, install the data recovery tool on a different disk from the one where you lost the files.

Step 1. Launch the Data Recovery Wizard tool on your Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, or Windows 7 computer. Select the disk partition or storage location where you lost data and click "Scan".

Step 2. The recovery tool will begin scanning the disk to locate all lost and deleted files. Upon completion of the scan, click on "Filter" and then "Type" to specify the types of lost files you wish to recover.

Step 3. Preview and restore the lost Windows files. You can double-click to preview the scanned files. Next, select the targeted data and click the "Recover" button to save them to another secure location on your PC or an external storage device.

What is crucial to bear in mind, however, is that time is critical when it comes to data recovery. The earlier you initiate the process of locating and retrieving data, the higher the likelihood of a successful recovery. If you delay too long, it might become impossible to recover the data due to overwriting, or an issue could emerge with the drive from which you are attempting to recover the information.

Restore Deleted Files in Windows 10 Using Windows File Recovery Windows 10 offers a built-in utility called "Windows File Recovery" that can help you restore deleted files. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to use it: 1. **Download Windows File Recovery**: First, you'll need to download the Windows File Recovery tool from the Microsoft Store. Open the Store, search for "Windows File Recovery," and install it. 2. **Open Command Prompt as Administrator**: Press `Win + X` and select "Windows Terminal (Admin)" or right-click the Start button and choose "Command Prompt (Admin)" to open an elevated command prompt. 3. **Run the Recovery Tool**: In the Command Prompt, type the following command and press Enter: ``` winfr [source drive letter]: [destination drive letter]: [file/folder name] ``` Replace `[source drive letter]` with the letter of the drive where the deleted file was originally located (e.g., C:). `[destination drive letter]` should be the drive where you want to recover the files (e.g., D:). If you're trying to recover a specific file or folder, include its name after the destination drive letter. If you want to recover all deleted files from the source drive, omit the file/folder name. There are three modes available for recovery: - **Standard mode**: This is the default and simplest mode. It tries to recover files based on their filenames. - **Seeded mode**: This mode requires a copy of the original, healthy file or folder to assist in recovery. - **Signature mode**: This mode recovers files based on their content, without relying on file names or locations. 4. **Choose a Recovery Mode**: After entering the command, press Enter. You'll be prompted to select a recovery mode. Choose the one that best suits your situation. 5. **Wait for the Process to Complete**: The recovery process may take some time, depending on the size of the files and the drive speed. Do not interrupt the process. 6. **Find Recovered Files**: Once the process is complete, navigate to the destination drive to locate the recovered files. They might be in a folder named "Recovery" or with a timestamp. Remember that file recovery is not always guaranteed, and recovered files may have corruption or missing data. It's crucial to regularly back up important files to prevent loss.

As long as you have the May 2020 Update for Windows 10 (Windows 10 2004) installed, you can access Windows File Recovery – though you'll need to download it from the Microsoft Store. This is Microsoft's own free data recovery utility, but it differs significantly from tools like tools Data Recovery Wizard, as it's a command-line tool. This implies that instead of a user-friendly interface with icons and menus, it operates through text commands, which might not be comfortable for everyone.

Due to the potential for things to go wrong, Windows File Recovery is really only recommended for slightly more experienced PC users.

Before beginning with Windows File Recovery, there are two preparations you need to make and some conditions you should be aware of:

• You require a secondary drive to recover data - this can be a standard hard drive or an external USB drive.
• You must know the exact location where your deleted files were originally stored.

How to Utilize Windows File Recovery for Restoring Deleted Files in Windows 10

Step 1. Open the "Microsoft Store" app and search for Windows File Recovery. Click on the "Get" button to download and install the app.

Step 2. Open Windows File Recovery from the Start menu shortcut.

Step 3. Use the syntax shown below to initiate the process of recovering deleted files. The basic command line is:

winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/switches].

For example:

winfr C: D: /n \Users\Documents\test.docx This command translates to: WinFR (Windows File Recovery) command: It recovers files from drive C to drive D, specifically targeting the file test.docx located in the \Users\Documents folder.

This specific command will recover a deleted Word document named "test" that was previously stored on the C: drive and save it to the D: drive.

Step 4. You can then follow the on-screen prompts to complete the restoration of deleted files.

This method of data recovery may not be suitable for everyone due to the requirement of different commands for each specific situation. Additionally, it's important to note that it won't be effective in every case. For instance, it won't be able to recover files after a virus attack or a lost partition. In such instances, it's advisable to opt for tools like the Data Recovery Wizard as mentioned above.

Recover Permanently Deleted Files in Windows 10 using File Backup

This solution works only if you have set up a backup or enabled File History before the data loss occurred. If no backup is available, you will still need to use a tool like Data Recovery Wizard to recover permanently deleted files on Windows 10.

Proceed to examine your recent backups and follow the steps to retrieve deleted files from a Windows backup:

Step 1. Open "Settings" from the Start menu and navigate to "Update & Security." Click on the "Backup" section on the left side.

Step 2. Select "Backup and Restore (Windows 7)". Click "Restore my files" > "Browse for files" or "Browse for folders" to choose the previously created backup.

Step 3. Select where to save your files. If there's a naming conflict, Windows will alert you. Choose "Copy and Replace," "Don't copy," or "Copy and Keep Both Files" based on your needs, then wait for the restoration process to finish.

Recover Deleted Files in Windows 10 Using Previous Versions

You can also recover Windows 10 files using the "Previous Versions" feature - but this must have been enabled beforehand for it to work. To make sure this option is available, you need to have set up File History to automatically back up your files.

Assuming you have already set up this feature in Windows, you can follow these steps to restore permanently deleted files:

Step 1. Locate and right-click on the folder that previously contained the permanently deleted files.

Step 2. Click "Restore previous versions."

Step 3. Select the files you want to restore, then click "Restore".

If Windows warns you that it already contains a file or folder with the same name, choose "Replace the file in the destination" to overwrite it, or select a new file name.

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What is the Best Method to Recover Permanently Deleted Files in Windows 10?

As you can see, there are multiple methods to recover deleted files in Windows 10. The most effective approach will greatly depend on your specific situation and how the files were erased.

The table below compares the various recovery methods available to you, helping you to weigh up the pros and cons of each.

All the methods and techniques outlined in this article can help you get your data back. However, specialized recovery software like Data Recovery Wizard gives you the best chance of success across a wide range of scenarios.

"Recover Deleted Files" FAQs

Continue reading for detailed instructions on how to recover permanently deleted files in Windows 10.

< strong > 1. Can I recover permanently deleted files from my computer? < /strong > Yes, it is possible to recover permanently deleted files from your computer, but it depends on several factors. When you delete a file, it's not immediately wiped from your hard drive; instead, the space it occupies is marked as available for new data. Here's what you can do: 1. **Check the Recycle Bin**: If you've just deleted the file, it might still be in the Recycle Bin. Simply open it, find the file, and restore it. 2. **File History (Windows)**: If you're using Windows and have File History enabled, you can restore deleted files by going to Settings > Update & Security > Backup > More options > Restore files from current backup. 3. **Time Machine (Mac)**: For Mac users with Time Machine backups, connect your backup drive and go to the Time Machine icon in the Dock, then follow the on-screen instructions to restore the deleted file. 4. **Third-party recovery software**: There are various data recovery tools available, such as Recuva, tools Data Recovery Wizard, or Disk Drill. These programs scan your hard drive for deleted files and attempt to recover them. Be cautious when downloading software from the internet. 5. **Professional Data Recovery Services**: If the above methods fail, you may need to seek professional help. Data recovery services specialize in retrieving lost data, but they can be expensive. Remember that the chances of successful recovery decrease as time passes and new data is written to the drive, potentially overwriting the deleted files. So act quickly.

In most cases, yes. However, there are several factors that can influence your chances of successful recovery, such as the type of file that was deleted and how recently it was deleted. If you have just deleted a file and removed it from your computer's Recycling Bin, you might still be able to retrieve it using a file recovery software tool.

2. How to recover permanently deleted files in Windows 10 using Command Prompt?

The Windows Command Prompt is a powerful utility for managing disks and files. You can utilize the CMD to uncover hidden files through the use of the 'attrib' command lines. However, these commands are not capable of restoring files that have been deleted.

Step 1. In the Search box, type 'cmd'. Right-click on Command Prompt and choose 'Run as administrator.'

Step 2. Type ATTRIB -H -R -S /S /D X:*.* and press Enter. Replace "X" with the letter corresponding to your hard drive.

3. How to recover deleted files for free on Windows?

One option to restore deleted files for free is by using a free file recovery software called Data Recovery Wizard Free. This tool scans your hard drive and endeavors to recover any deleted files. It allows you to recover up to 2GB of data at no cost.

Step 1: Download and run the tool Data Recovery Wizard Free.

Step 2. Scan a disk for deleted files. Translation: Step 2. Perform a disk scan to search for deleted files.

Step 3: Preview and recover lost files.

4. How can I recover deleted files in Windows 10 without using software?

There are a few methods to recover deleted files without utilizing any third-party software. One approach is to examine the Recycle Bin to verify if the file you unintentionally deleted is still present. If found, you can simply right-click on the file and choose the 'Restore' option.

If the file is not found in the Recycle Bin, you can attempt to restore it from a previous version. To do this:

Step 1: Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder where the deleted file was previously located.

Step 2: Right-click on the folder and choose Properties.

Step 3: Under the "Previous Versions" tab, select the most recent version of the folder that contained the deleted file and click on "Restore."

5. How to recover permanently deleted files from the Recycle Bin?

You can use third-party file recovery software to retrieve a permanently deleted file from your Recycle Bin.

Step 1: Install and launch the Recycle Bin recovery software.

Step 2: Click on the "Recycle Bin" option under the "Locations" section and then click "Scan."

Step 3: Select the file you need, preview it, and restore it.

6. How can I recover permanently deleted files in Windows 10 without a backup?

If you accidentally delete a file and don't have a backup, you'll need to utilize specialized Windows 10 data recovery software to retrieve it. Numerous file recovery programs are available, and tools Data Recovery Software is a well-known option.

Once you've selected and installed a file recovery program, simply run it and follow the on-screen prompts to attempt to recover your permanently deleted files.