How to Recover Deleted Files from the Recycling Bin | Restore Recycle Bin

• Reading Time: 2-3 minutes • Applies To: Restoring deleted files (like photos, documents, etc.) from Recycle Bin in Windows 10/8/7, Vista/XP.

If you accidentally delete files on Windows 10/8/7, don't worry. Your computer's Recycle Bin will hold all your deleted files and folders for some time. So, how to recover deleted files from the Recycle Bin?

There are 4 reliable methods for Trash recovery that can help you. Follow the tutorials now to recover your deleted files on your own:

Video Tutorial: Recovering from the Recycling Bin

Method 1: Recover from the Recycling Bin: How to recover deleted files from the Recycling Bin

Essentially, the Recycle Bin retains most of the files deleted from a Windows computer for some time. You can perform a Recycle Bin recovery and restore deleted files from the following scenarios:

Files can be restored if:
• The file hasn't been permanently deleted from the recycle bin.
• The file is still within the retention period for the recycle bin (1 day, 14 days, 30 days, or 60 days).
• The file was sent to the recycle bin instead of being bypassed.

Three steps to recover deleted files or folders from the Recycle Bin:

Step 1: Double-click the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop to open it.

Step 2: Find and select the deleted file or folder you wish to recover.

Step 3: Right-click the selection, and choose Restore.

Or, in the top pane, go to the Manage tab and click Restore Selected Items to restore them.

Be patient – the files will be restored to their original locations, with all content, dates, and times intact. You can then view and use these files again.

Method 2: How to Recover Deleted Files After Emptying the Recycling Bin

If you have emptied the Recycling Bin after deleting the files, Method 1 will not work. Also, files will bypass the Recycling Bin and get permanently deleted if they are removed in any of these ways:

• Use the "Shift + Delete" keys.
• The file/folder is too large for the Recycle Bin, thus bypassing it.
• The Windows Recycle Bin is full and cannot hold any more deleted items.

Then how to recover deleted files after emptying Recycle Bin in Windows 10/8/7? Here, a professional data recovery software – tools Data Recovery Wizard could help. It will thoroughly scan your computer hard drive and recover deleted files after emptying Recycle Bin. Now, try this Recycle Bin recovery tool to retrieve your permanently deleted data now.

A 3-Step Guide to Recover Permanently Deleted Files After Emptying the Recycling Bin:

Step 1: To perform Empty Recycle Bin recovery on Windows 11/10/8/7, hover the mouse over the 'Location' section and click on 'Recycle Bin'.

Select "Recycle Bin" for scanning:

Step 2: The tool will immediately perform a quick scan of all deleted files and then automatically initiate a deep scan to find more lost files. Once the scanning is complete, you can use the "Filter" feature to select specific file types, such as images, Word documents, videos, and so on.

Step 3: After locating the file you wish to recover, double-click it for a full preview. Then, select the target file and click "Recover." We recommend saving the recovered files to a different volume or external USB drive to avoid overwriting data.

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Recover Files from Mac Trash

There is also a Recycle Bin Recovery Software for Mac that can scan and recover deleted files from the Trash on your Mac. If you accidentally delete files on your Mac, follow the steps below to get your data back.

Method 3: Restore Lost or Deleted Files from File History Backup

If you previously created a backup of your deleted files through File History on your computer, congratulations – you can restore them to your PC. If not, there's nothing you can find. This method is only applicable to Windows 8/10 users. Here are the detailed steps on how to recover deleted files:

< strong > Step 1: Open Control Panel and click on "File History."

Step 2. Click on "Restore My Files" on the left to load the backup file.

Click Restore my files.

Step 3: Use the left and right arrows to select the file you want, then click the "Recover" button.

Select the files to restore

If you're using Windows 7, you can use the Backup and Restore feature.

Restore files from a Windows Backup in Windows 7

Step 1: Click the "Start" button and choose "Control Panel."

Step 2: Select "System and Security."

Step 3: Click “Backup and Restore,” and then select “Restore my files.”

Follow the on-screen instructions to recover files that were deleted without being sent to the Recycle Bin first.

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Method 4: Recover Deleted Files/Folders Using a Previous Version

When you delete or lose files and folders on your computer and cannot recover them from the Recycle Bin, you can try to find them from their previous versions.

Note: This is just an attempt. Let's see how to find the previous version of your lost file:

1. Open File Explorer on your computer.

Step 2. Navigate to the folder where the deleted content is saved, right-click on it and select “Properties.”

Right-click on it and select “Properties”

Step 3. Click on "Previous versions," select a version of the file prior to when you deleted it, and then click "Restore."

Once it's done, you can reopen the folder and check if the missing file reappears in its original location on your computer.

If that doesn't work, you can use the Data Recovery Wizard tool in Method 2 below.

More tips about Trash Recovery

For more on recovering from the Recycle Bin, we have two more suggestions. Read on to learn how to allocate more space to the Recycle Bin and how to fix a corrupted Recycle Bin.

**1. How to Allocate More Space to the Recycling Bin**

You can increase the space available in the Recycle Bin to avoid permanently deleting files due to lack of space with these steps:

Step 1: Right-click on the Recycle Bin and select “Properties.”

Step 2: Select "Custom size" and adjust the amount of space you want to allocate to the Trash.

Step 3: Click “Apply” and then “OK” to save and apply the changes.

2. How to Repair a Corrupted Recycle Bin and Recover Data

Sometimes, the Recycle Bin might get corrupted and stop working. To fix this issue, try the following:

Step 1: Right-click on the desktop and select "Personalize".

Click “Personalize” on the desktop

Step 2: Now, click on “Themes” in the left sidebar.

Select a Theme

Step 3: Click on “Desktop icons settings” in the right pane.

4. Click on the Trashcan icon, then click “Restore Defaults,” and then “Apply.”

You can refer to the above method to show or restore the Recycle Bin icon on Windows 10.

Bottom line

On this page, we collect 3 methods that can help you easily recover deleted files from the Recycle Bin on Windows 10/8/7 or even older versions of Windows.

Whether you have simply deleted some files temporarily or emptied the Recycle Bin, Data Recovery Wizard can help you get them back.

Moreover, we still recommend using a backup tool to protect your files from the computer. As you know, data loss happens almost every day.

Frequently Asked Questions About Recovering Deleted Files from Recycle Bin 1. **什么是回收站？** - The Recycle Bin is a special folder on Windows operating systems where deleted files are temporarily stored before they are permanently erased. 2. **文件被删除后会立即从硬盘上消失吗？** - No, when you delete a file, it doesn't immediately disappear from the hard drive. Instead, it's moved to the Recycle Bin, giving you a chance to recover it. 3. **如何恢复误删的文件？** - To recover a deleted file, simply open the Recycle Bin, find the file, right-click on it, and select "Restore." The file will be returned to its original location. 4. **如果在回收站找不到删除的文件怎么办？** - If a file is not in the Recycle Bin, it might have been permanently deleted or bypassed the Recycle Bin. In this case, consider using data recovery software for assistance. 5. **文件在回收站会保留多久？** - Files remain in the Recycle Bin until you manually empty it or until the system reaches its storage limit, at which point older files may be automatically deleted. 6. **回收站清空后还能恢复文件吗？** - Once the Recycle Bin is emptied, files cannot be recovered through the Recycle Bin itself. However, specialized data recovery tools might still be able to retrieve the data. 7. **如何防止误删重要文件？** - Enable file versioning (like File History on Windows), create regular backups, and consider using a third-party file protection software. 8. **删除网络驱动器或外部存储设备的文件会进入回收站吗？** - It depends on the settings. By default, deleting files from network drives or external storage may bypass the Recycle Bin. 9. **如何检查硬盘上的可用空间是否足够存放删除的文件？** - Check your disk space by right-clicking on the drive in File Explorer, selecting "Properties," and viewing the "Free space" value. 10. **如何设置不让文件直接跳过回收站而被永久删除？** - In Windows, go to Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > Recycle Bin > Properties, and uncheck "Don't move files to the Recycle Bin" for the desired drive.

After reading this article, you may still have questions about recovering deleted files from the Recycle Bin. We hope you can learn more from the following FAQs:

**Can You Recover Deleted Files in Windows 11?**

You can easily recover deleted files on Windows 11 using any of these three effective methods.

• 1. Recover deleted files from Recycle Bin in Windows 11.
• 2. Restore deleted files in Windows 11 using File History.
• 3. Retrieve deleted files in Windows 11 with a data recovery wizard tool.

Why can't I find the deleted files in the Recycle Bin?

It's possible that you've emptied the Recycling Bin, or set Windows to automatically empty it. If you don't want the Recycling Bin to permanently delete your files and folders, you can change a setting in the System Storage menu to stop it from emptying itself.

Where do all the permanently deleted files go?

Once you move something to the Trash and empty it, or delete files with Shift+Command, they're not necessarily gone forever. They remain on your media until they're overwritten, and can be recovered with data recovery software.

How do I recover deleted files from the recycle bin?

You can restore deleted files from the Recycle Bin by clicking "Restore," or from a File History backup. If you've emptied the Recycle Bin, you can use a data recovery tool, or restore Windows to an earlier state.