How to Restore a Deleted User Profile in Windows 10/11

Sometimes when the C drive is running out of space, people tend to delete large files within it to free up disk space. However, some might accidentally delete the wrong ones, for example, user profile files located at C:/Users – where folders and files are saved.

As a result, when you attempt to restart Windows 10, you won't be able to log into your system because the files associated with your old user account have been removed. To resolve this issue, you can create a new user account, but you'll lose access to your files. Alternatively, you can use one of the solutions from this guide to effectively recover your user profile.

How do I restore a deleted user profile in Windows 10/11?

"Hello everyone, does anyone know how to restore a deleted user profile in Windows 10? My mom accidentally deleted my user profile, and all my picture, photo, and document folders are gone."

“I haven't created any backup previously on Windows 10. So, how can I recover deleted user profile along with all the missing files in Windows 10? If you have any solution, please let me know. Thanks.”

A missing user profile can lead to file loss issues and the disappearance of some personal settings from your Windows PC. This issue still haunts many Windows 10 users. If you encounter a similar problem on your Windows 10/8/7, don't panic.

In the article below, you will find 3 effective ways to recover deleted user profiles in Part 1 and 2 easy methods to back up and protect Windows 10/8/7 user profiles in Part 2.

Part 1: Recover Deleted User Profile in Windows 10/11

Note: The solutions provided here also apply to Windows 8 and Windows 7 users who have lost their user profile. Only a few specific steps will be different.

To help you find a convenient solution to recover the lost user profile, we will list all available methods, starting from the simplest to the more complex. Let's begin the recovery process.

Before you begin, start Windows 10 in Safe Mode.

If you can't log into Windows 10 after deleting the user profile, first boot Windows 10 into Safe Mode.

1. Restart your computer. While on the login screen, hold down the Shift key and click the Power icon, then select "Restart." 2. You'll see an options screen. Here, choose "Troubleshoot" > "Advanced options" > "Startup Settings" > "Restart." 3. As your PC restarts, press F4 to boot into Safe Mode.

When you're done, continue below to learn how to recover a lost user profile.

• Method 1: Restore a Deleted User Profile and Create a New One
• Method 2: Manually Restore a Deleted User Profile in Windows 10
• Method 3: Perform a System Restore to Recover a Deleted User Profile

Method 1: Restore a Deleted User Profile and Create a New One

The most direct solution to this problem is to restore the deleted user profile documents and files, and then create a new user profile in Windows 10. Follow these steps immediately to recover your lost items:

**1. Recover deleted old user profiles using file recovery software** If you accidentally deleted an old user profile and wish to restore it, you can utilize file recovery software. These tools scan your hard drive for deleted files and attempt to recover them. Here are some popular file recovery software options: 1. **Recuva** - Recuva is a free and powerful file recovery tool for Windows users. It can recover various types of files, including user profiles. 2. **tools Data Recovery Wizard** - This is a professional data recovery software supporting both Windows and Mac operating systems. It can perform deep scans of your hard drive to retrieve lost files. 3. **Disk Drill** - Disk Drill offers both free and paid versions for Windows and Mac users. It features an intuitive interface that helps you recover lost user profiles. 4. **Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery** - Designed specifically for Windows, this software can recover various types of files, including user profiles. Before using any file recovery software, ensure that no new data is created on the same hard drive, as it might overwrite the deleted files, making them irrecoverable. Follow the software's instructions, and once you locate the files to be restored, save them to a secure location.

A professional Data Recovery Wizard tool can effectively scan and recover deleted files in Windows 10, including user profiles and documents. Here, we recommend trying the Data Recovery Wizard. It simplifies the entire file recovery process with just 3 easy steps:

Step 1: Run the Disk Drill recovery wizard. Under "Select a location," click "Choose folder." Browse and select the location of the lost folder, then hit "Review found items" to start the scan.

Step 2: You can search for the target folder or use the "Filter" feature to look for a certain type of file within the folder.

Step 3: Preview the recovered folders. Thereafter, click 'Recover' and choose a safe location on your computer to save the retrieved data.

Important: After you recover your files, save your user profile to an external storage device, then continue with these steps.

2. Enable the admin account and create a new user account

Step 1: Right-click the Start or Windows icon, select Search, and enter Command Prompt. Choose Run Command Prompt as Administrator.

Step 2: Type net user administrator /active: yes and press Enter.

Note: If you want to revert this change in the future, run the same command with “no” instead of “yes”.

This will enable the hidden admin account on your computer. Restart your computer, and you should be able to create a new account.

Create New Account - New User Account

Step 1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users.

Step 2. Click on “Add someone else to this PC,” and follow the on-screen instructions.

Create a new user account.

Note: If you want to create a local account instead of a Microsoft account, click I don't have this person's sign-in information, and then select Add a user without a Microsoft account.

4. Replace the new account's user profile with the recovered old user data

You can copy and paste the restored user profiles and documents into the new account.

Step 1: Restart your computer and log in with an administrator account.

Step 2: Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog, type in C:/Users, and press Enter.

Step 3: Copy and paste all the recovered user profiles into the new profile.

Note: It's recommended that you do this for each folder separately, to avoid accidentally moving some hidden, problematic system files.

After replacing the files in the new user account, you can restart your computer to keep all the changes. This way, you can use your old user profile data in the new account.

Method 2: Restore a Deleted User Profile Manually in Windows 10

Another way to recover a lost user profile is by using the Registry Editor. Here are the steps to do so:

Find the security identifier

Step 1: Right-click the Start or Windows icon, and then click Search. Type Command Prompt, and then press Enter to open Command Prompt.

Step 2. Type whoami /user, and press Enter.
This command queries the system for the SID of the current user account.

2. Edit the registry

Please follow one of the options provided below to restore a deleted user profile:

Option 1: Remove Duplicate Folders

If the SID is listed twice, delete the folder that does not have the .BAK file extension.

1. Right-click the folder on the left pane, and click "Delete."
2. Click "Yes" to confirm.

Option 2: Rename the .BAK Folder

1. Right-click the folder with the .BAK extension that matches your SID, then click Rename. 2. Delete the .BAK at the end of the file name and press Enter to save your changes.

The third choice: Alter folder paths and status

1. In the left pane, click on the folder that matches your SID. 2. Locate and double-click "ProfileImagePath." Enter the correct path to your user profile in the "Value data" field. 3. **Note:** If you're unsure of the location of your user profile, press `Win + R`, type **C:\Users**, and hit Enter. This will show you the correct path to your user profile. 4. After entering the correct "Value data," click "OK." 5. In the right Registry panel, double-click "State," change the "Value data" to "0," and then click "OK" to confirm.

Finally, close the Registry Editor, restart your computer, and log back into your user account. Now, everything you deleted should be restored, and you can use it again.

Method 3: Perform a System Restore and Recover the Deleted User Profile

Important: A system restore point captures everything on your computer, including the system state and saved files (such as user profiles, installed programs, and so on).

A System Restore point saves information about your computer, including the system state, saved files (like user profiles), and installed programs. When you perform a System Restore, your computer will go back to that previous state, which should bring back the documents in your lost user profile.

Step 1: Right-click the Windows icon and select "Search."

Step 2. Type in Create a restore point and click the top result to open the System Properties.

Step 3: Click the “System Restore” button under “System Protection.” This will bring up a list of all the restore points you've created.

Step 4. Click “Next” and select the restore point you want to use on your computer.

5. Click “Finish” to confirm your restore point, and then click “Yes” to perform the system restore.

Wait for the process to complete, then restart your computer. Log back in with your old user account, and you should be able to access your documents from the user profile.

Part 2: Tips for securing important user profiles and systems

The first part will provide an exhaustive solution to help you recover all lost user profiles. But did you know there's a simpler, better way to prevent this disaster from happening in the first place?

Here, we've put together some practical tips that can help you safeguard your user profiles, and even your Windows system. Follow this guide to learn how to protect your precious files and your Windows setup:

1. Use File History to copy user profiles

The File History feature in Windows 10 can help you copy individual files and save them as backups. You can use this feature to selectively back up your user profile.

2. Use Windows backup software - Todo Backup tool

With this backup software, you can selectively back up user profile folders or your entire Windows system in just three easy steps. All you have to do is decide what to protect.

Create a Windows Restore Point

To do so, you first need to enable System Protection by going to “System Properties” > clicking “System Protection” > selecting the “System C: drive” > clicking “Configure” > and then clicking “Enable.”

Turn on System Protection

Then, follow the on-screen instructions to browse to a large enough drive to create and save the Windows Restore Point.

Frequently Asked Questions on Restoring Deleted User Profiles and Files in Windows (UTF-8)

Here are four additional questions about recovering deleted user profiles and important files in Windows 10. Click here for the answers.

1. What are user profiles on Windows?

User profiles gather user settings and information for the respective user account. On the other hand, a user account is your gateway into Windows 10. It's created when you install Windows, and you can use it to log in to your PC and create multiple user accounts on it.

How do I remove a user profile from Windows 10?

• Delete the user profile manually.
• Remove the user profile from System Properties.
• Delete the user profile using the Settings app.

You can also choose to copy and migrate user profiles.

3. Can You Recover Deleted User Profile in Windows 10?

System Restore backs up everything on your Windows PC – system state, installed programs, saved files, user profiles, and so on. As such, you can use it to revert your computer to an earlier state.

4. What can cause user profiles to become corrupted?

This error can occur for one of the following reasons: The user profile is corrupted or missing. Disk write errors, power failures, or virus attacks can damage the file system.