Converting a shortcut file back to its original file isn't a direct process, as shortcut files don't actually contain the contents of the original file. A shortcut, or .lnk file in Windows, simply points to the location of the original file on your computer or network. However, you can access and open the original file through the shortcut. If the shortcut is damaged or you've lost track of the original file, you'll need to search for it manually. 1. **Open the shortcut.** 2. **Find the original file location.** 3. **Copy or move the original file.** 4. **Delete the shortcut (optional).** **Open the shortcut.** - To do this, double-click the shortcut icon. This will open the original file that the shortcut points to. **Find the original file location.** - While the original file is open, look for an option to "Open File Location" or something similar. This is usually found in the File menu or the program's top ribbon. This will open the folder where the original file is stored. **Copy or move the original file.** - Once you've located the original file, you can copy or move it to another location. To copy it, press `Ctrl+C`, then paste it where you want with `Ctrl+V`. To move it, press `Ctrl+X` to cut it, then `Ctrl+V` to paste it in the new location. **Delete the shortcut (optional).** - If you no longer need the shortcut, you can delete it by right-clicking it and selecting "Delete." Remember, a shortcut is just a pointer to the original file, so you don't need to convert it; you only need to access the original file. If the shortcut no longer works, there might be a problem with the original file or its location.

Question: How to fix USB flash drive files turned into shortcuts?

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How to Convert a Shortcut File Back to Its Original File

"I use a USB flash drive as a backup device to store important files and documents. This morning, when I plugged the flash drive into my laptop and tried to open a file, to my surprise, all the files had turned into shortcuts with the same names as previously saved. I couldn't open any of these shortcut files. Does anyone know how to convert shortcut files back to their original files? I need to recover those shortcut files."

Files becoming shortcuts is a common issue that almost everyone encounters. This error is usually caused by viruses, trojans, or worms that may infect your USB flash drive, Pen drive, micro SD card, external hard drive, and so on. What viruses often do is hide your files and folders, turning them into small-sized shortcuts. They also delete files.

If you are also facing the same problem and want to open and recover shortcut files, you can easily troubleshoot with any of the three methods given below.

How to Open and Convert Shortcut Files to the Original File

There are three effective methods to fix this issue and try to restore the shortcut file. Try all methods before you can open the shortcut file.

Method 1: Convert Shortcuts to Original Files via CMD

Step 1: Press the Windows + R keys, then type in cmd. Right-click Command Prompt and select "Run as administrator."

Step 2. Type: attrib -h -r -s /s /d e:*.* and press Enter. (Replace e: with the letter of your device drive from which you want to recover shortcut files.)

You can also use the same steps to open a shortcut file from a flash drive with the attrib command prompt. If you need a video tutorial, check out this YouTube video.

This video will show you how to recover or get back your files from a shortcut virus affected hard disk, USB flash drive, memory card, or portable pen drive. After doing all the steps, just refresh your portable drive and check your pen drive for the files. Now you can easily find all your files.

Method 2: Recover Hidden/Deleted Files with the Shortcut Virus

If the above two methods fail to reveal the hidden files, or if the original file has been deleted, you can use a professional data recovery tool like the Data Recovery Wizard to successfully recover shortcut files. This comprehensive data recovery software can restore your data in 3 easy steps. It supports a wide range of file types including images, videos, audio, documents, emails, ZIP, RAR, and over 200 other data types.

Now, download the free data recovery program. Then, follow the step-by-step guide below to effectively open the shortcut file.

Step 1: Select the disk that is infected with virus to be scanned.

Run an antivirus file recovery software on your Windows computer. Select the disk that was infected by the virus and scan for lost or hidden files. Please note that:

• If the virus has hidden or deleted files on an HDD, it is recommended to install the software on another disk or external USB drive to avoid overwriting data. • If the infected device is an external hard drive, a flash drive, or a memory card, it does not matter where the software is installed on the computer (local disk).

Select the location to scan

Step 2: Review all scan results

The Data Recovery Wizard will immediately start scanning for deleted or hidden files on the virus-infected hard drive. To quickly locate the files you need, you can use the filter or grouping by type to display only pictures, videos, documents, emails, and so on.

Step 3. Preview and Recover Deleted/Hidden Files

Once the scan is finished, you can preview the files that were found. Select the ones you want and click “Recover.” Save the recovered files to another safe location on your computer or storage device, not the original location where they were lost.

Method 3: Show Hidden Files to Open a Shortcut File

As mentioned above, the Shortcut virus usually hides your files and changes their icons to shortcut ones. Thus, you can display hidden files to restore and open the shortcut files in the following way:

Step 1: Open your USB drive.

Step 2. Open Folder Options.

Step 3: Under the Hidden Files and Folders section, click Show hidden files and folders.

Step 4. Deselect the option to Hide protected operating system files.

Command lines are best left to computer experts, as incorrect commands can do more harm than good. For safety and ease of use, we therefore recommend trying the automated command-line alternative CleanGenius. This handy tool checks and repairs file-system errors, enables/disables write protection, and updates your system with a single click, without the need for complex command lines.

Just follow the simple steps below to use this one-click repair tool to show hidden files.

Step 1: Download the CleanGenius tool for free.

Step 2: Launch CleanGenius, and then select “Optimize” from the left pane. Click on “File Explorer” from the right.

Step 3: Select the hard drive, then click “Execute.”

Step 4: Once done, click on this link to view the hidden files.

If both methods don't work, it's possible that a virus/malware has deleted your files. In this case, you'll need to use a reliable tool like Data Recovery Wizard to help restore your deleted files.

"Frequently Asked Questions on How to Open a Shortcut File in UTF-8 Encoding"

Still having problems with the Shortcut Virus? Read through the questions and answers below for more help.

1. How do I remove the Shortcut Virus from my device?

Follow the steps to use CMD to remove a virus.

Search for "cmd", right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator. Type F: and press Enter. Input attrib -s -h -r /s /d *.* and press Enter. Type dir and press Enter. For your reference, the virus name might contain words like "autorun" and have the .inf extension.

2. How do I find the original shortcut file?

See where the shortcut points to the original file:

- Right-click the shortcut, then select "Open file location." - Windows will open the folder and highlight the original file.

Why do my folders turn into shortcuts?? This is a problem caused by a shortcut virus. Once your device gets in contact with it, the malware infiltrates your computer, USB flash drive, memory card, or any other removable storage device. It then promptly creates a shortcut with the same name as your folder, hiding the original folder and files.