How can I recover lost desktop files without a backup?

"Yesterday, I accidentally deleted a folder from my desktop that contained precious family photos and videos from over the years. I checked the Recycling Bin, but couldn't find anything there. I'm wondering if there's any way to recover deleted files from the desktop. I'm using Windows 10."

As in the user story above, accidental deletion is one of the leading causes of data loss today. Other common reasons include formatting of storage devices, hard drive failure, operating system crash, emptying the recycle bin, and virus attacks.

In this article, we will discuss how to recover deleted files from the desktop in Windows 10/8/7 using two practical methods. You can restore deleted desktop files from previous versions or by using a powerful third-party utility – Data Recovery Wizard (with a step-by-step guide). Follow along and give it a try!

How to recover deleted files from the desktop using "Previous Versions"

Previous Versions is a feature in Windows that creates backups of your files and folders, or saves copies of them automatically as part of a restore point. If you deleted a file or folder from your desktop, you can try to restore it for free from a Previous Version. Here's how to do it.

    Find the folder that contained the deleted file or folder, right-click on it, and then click "Restore previous versions." You'll see a list of available previous versions of the file or folder. Click "Open" to preview it before restoring, to make sure it's the version you want. Then, click "Restore" to recover the deleted file to your desktop.

How to recover deleted files from previous versions of Windows on desktop

Tip
  • The recovered item will replace the current version, and you can't undo this action.
  • If the Restore button doesn't appear, it might not be possible to restore an earlier version of the file or folder to its original location. However, you might be able to open it and save it elsewhere.

It's easy to recover deleted files from desktop via "Previous Versions". However, the truth is that many users don't have copies of files or folders created by Windows Backup or Windows Automatic Backup. So how can you recover deleted files or folders from desktop without backup? Don't worry, Data Recovery Wizard tool can help.

How to recover desktop files using data recovery software

With Data Recovery Wizard Pro, you can recover deleted files or folders from your desktop and even permanently erase them from Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP and Windows Server in three simple steps.

This file recovery tool lets you recover deleted files in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Step 1: Select the folder where you lost your files

Launch the Data Recovery Wizard tool. Under "Select Location," choose "Select Folder." Click "Browse," select the location where the folder was lost, and tap "OK" to scan.

Select the folder to scan

Step 2: Look for the lost folder and preview the found files

If you remember the name of the folder, type it in the search box to quickly locate the missing file. Then, open the found folder and double-click the scanned file for preview. Alternatively, you can use the filter feature to look for a specific type of file.

Select the files to recover

Step 3. Recover and save the lost folder

Finally, select the folders and files you need and click “Recover” to save the retrieved data to a new secure location on your computer.

Recover Lost Folder Data

Practical Tips for Data Loss Prevention

    • Use scheduled backup software to automatically back up important files
    • Safely eject external storage devices before disconnecting them
    • Manage your files carefully to prevent accidental data loss
    • Make backups before formatting a hard drive or major Windows updates
    • Have data recovery software on hand to restore lost data promptly

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