How to restore deleted files

Recover lost or deleted files

Note: If you’ve recently updated Windows 10 and are having problems finding files, see Find lost files after the upgrade to Windows 10.

If you can’t find a file on your computer or you accidently modified or deleted a file, you can restore it from a backup (if you’re using Windows backup) or you can try to restore it from a previous version. Previous versions are copies of files and folders that Windows automatically saves as part of a restore point. Previous versions are sometimes referred to as shadow copies.

To restore a file from a backup, make sure the media or drive that your backup is saved on is available, and then follow these steps:

To restore files from a backup

Open Backup and Restore by selecting the Start button , selecting Control Panel, selecting System and Maintenance, and then selecting Backup and Restore.

Select Restore my files, and then follow the steps in the wizard.

Restore deleted files and folders or restore a file or folder to a previous state.

To restore a deleted file or folder

Open Computer by selecting the Start button , and then selecting Computer.

Navigate to the folder that used to contain the file or folder, right-click it, and then select Restore previous versions. If the folder was at the top level of a drive, for example C:\, right-click the drive, and then select Restore previous versions.

You’ll see a list of available previous versions of the file or folder. The list will include files saved on a backup (if you are using Windows Backup to back up your files) as well as restore points, if both types are available.

Note: To restore a previous version of a file or folder that’s included in a library, right-click the file or folder in the location where it’s saved, rather than in the library. For example, to restore a previous version of a picture that’s included in the Pictures library but is stored in the My Pictures folder, right-click the My Pictures folder, and then select Restore previous versions.

Some previous versions of files

Double-click a previous version of the folder that contains the file or folder you want to restore. (For example, if a file was deleted today, choose a version of the folder from yesterday, which should contain the file.)

Drag the file or folder that you want to restore to another location, such as your desktop or another folder.

The version of the file or folder is saved to the location that you selected.

Tip: If you don’t remember the exact file or folder name or its location, you can search for it by typing part of the name in the search box in the Documents library.

To restore a file or folder to a previous state

Right-click the file or folder, and then select Restore previous versions.

You’ll see a list of available previous versions of the file or folder. The list will include files saved on a backup (if you’re using Windows Backup to back up your files) as well as restore points, if both types are available.

The Previous Versions tab, showing some previous versions of files

Before restoring a previous version of a file or folder, select the previous version, and then click Open to view it to make sure it’s the version you want.

Note: You can’t open or copy previous versions of files that were created by Windows Backup, but you can restore them.

To restore a previous version, select the previous version, and then select Restore.

Warning: The file or folder replaces the current version on your computer, and the replacement can’t be undone.

Note: If the Restore button is unavailable, you can’t restore a previous version of the file or folder to its original location. You might be able to open it or save it to a different location.

How to Recover Deleted Files from Laptop/PC on Windows 10/8/7

This article provides you with several ways to recover deleted files on Windows 10/8/7. You can recover deleted files from Recycle Bin or restore deleted files from laptop or PC with data recovery software.

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Deleting files accidentally is a slip-up that happens to most of us. If you delete a file unintentionally but realize you need it later, you can follow the useful tips in this guide to recover deleted files from your laptop or PC on Windows 10/8/7.

How to Recover Deleted Files from Recycle Bin on Windows 10

If you simply deleted files on your computer by moving them to the Recycle Bin and didn’t press the «Empty Recycle Bin» button afterwards, recovering recently deleted files can be easy. Use the following steps to recover deleted files from the Recycle Bin on Windows 10:

Step 1. Open the Recycle Bin, locate and right-click the files you want to recover and select «Restore».

Step 2. This will retrieve deleted files back to their original location. After restoration, you can copy the files to other drives if you want to.

How to Recover Deleted Files with Deleted File Recovery Software

Developed with advanced algorithm technology, EaseUS data recovery software is an easy-to-use tool over a decade of flawless track record in the data recovery field.

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

Download EaseUS deleted data recovery software for free and follow an intuitive process to restore deleted files from laptop or PC on Windows 10.

Step 1. Choose the exact file location and then click the «Scan» button to continue.

Step 2. After the process, select the «Deleted Files» and «Other Lost Files» folders in the left panel. Then, you can apply the «Filter» feature or click the «Search files or folders» button to find the deleted files.

Step 3. Click the «Recover» button and save the restored files – ideally, it should be different from the original one.

Caution: Don’t save the recovered data back to the partition or drive where you lost it! You can transfer to that location after recovery, but recovering directly to the same drive may result in overwriting the file. If you only need to recover a few small files, you can use the free version of EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard. EaseUS free data recovery software allows you to recover up to 2GB of data. You can use it to recover any type of file on the hard drive of a laptop or PC.

Restore Deleted Files Using the Previous Versions Feature (Without Software)

If the file you deleted is not in the Recycle Bin, or if you have emptied the Recycle Bin and do not want to use third-party software to retrieve deleted files, you can try to recover an older version of the deleted or lost file by using the free backup and restore feature built into Windows. To recover deleted files without using specially crafted software, follow these steps.

In Windows 10/8.1/8:

Step 1. Open Control Panel.

Step 2. Go to «File History» > «Restore personal files».

Step 3. Click the green «Restore» button to get the deleted files back.

Step 1. Click the «Start» button, select «Computer», and navigate to the folder that used to contain the file or fold that you need to recover.

Step 2. Right-click the folder and select «Restore previous versions» in the context menu.

Step 3. You’ll see a list of available previous versions of the deleted files or folders with different times and dates. Choose the version you want and click «Restore» to retrieve deleted files.

Read the full guide on how to recover deleted files from previous versions on Microsoft’s web page.

How to Retrieve Files from a Backup on Windows 10/8.1/8/7

If you have previously set up Windows Backup, you can use it to retrieve deleted files. To restore a file from a backup, make sure the media or drive that stores your backup is available, and then follow these steps:

Step 1. Click the «Start» button, type Control Panel and select it.

Step 2. Select «Backup and Restore (Windows 7)».

Step 3. Click the «Select another backup to restore files from» option and choose your backup.

Step 4. Click «Next» and follow the instructions to complete the recovery process.

FAQs You Need to Check Out to Recover Deleted Files

If you also have any of the following frequently asked questions about deleted file recovery, you’ll find answers here.

1. Where do deleted files go?

Items deleted in a regular way should end up in the Recycle Bin, which gives you a second chance of recovery if you change your mind. However, if you use the «Shift» + «Delete» key combination to delete a file or a bunch of files permanently, the deleted items will bypass the Recycle Bin. A similar predicament may occur behind your back if a strain of malware corrupts or wipes your files.

But they are not gone forever, as your operating system doesn’t completely erase files right after they were deleted. Although disk space is labelled as available, the files are still there somewhere

2. How to recover deleted files on Mac?

You can recover deleted or permanently deleted files on Mac with EaseUS Mac data recovery software. Download EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac for free and run it.

Step 1. Select the device location you deleted files from. Click the «Scan» button to pinpoint permanently deleted files.

Step 2. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac will list the files it finds in the left-hand sidebar.

Step 3. Preview the items you are looking for and click the «Recover Now» button to restore permanently deleted files on Mac.

3. How to recover deleted files from an external hard drive, SD card, or USB drive?

If you remove files from an external hard drive, a removable USB flash drive, or an SD card, the deleted files will not go to the Recycle Bin. You need to connect the external storage device to your computer and make it show up. Then, apply EaseUS recovery software to recover deleted files from an external hard drive using the following simple steps.

Step 1. Connect your external hard drive, USB, or SD card to a laptop or PC.

Step 2. Make sure the device appears.

Step 3. Open EaseUS data recovery software and use it to retrieve removed files from the external disk.

4. How to recover deleted files on Android?

Android data recovery requires an extra step before recovery. You need to root the device in advance and install EaseUS Mobisaver for Android on your Windows computer. The software can scan your smartphone for lost pictures, contacts, messages, videos, and many more types of files, and will show the results in categories.

Step 1. Connect your Android phone to the computer

Install and run EaseUS MobiSaver for Android and connect your Android phone to the computer with a USB cable. Then click the «Start» button to make the software recognize and connect your device.

Step 2. Scan Android phone to find the lost data

After connected your Android phone, the software will quickly scan the device to find all the existing and lost data. You can easily find the lost files you want by choosing the correct file types.

Step 3. Preview and recover data from Android phone

Preview all the recoverable files and select the items you want to recover quickly. Then, click the «Recover» button to get the selected files back once.

Deleted File Recovery Conclusion

After reading this tutorial, we believe that you have learned effective methods to recover deleted files on a PC running Windows 10/8/7. When you lose files, be sure to look around for them before calling them quits.

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David Balaban is a computer security researcher with over 18 years of experience in malware analysis and antivirus software evaluation. He presents expert opinions on contemporary information security matters, including social engineering, penetration testing, threat intelligence, online privacy, and white hat hacking.

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is a powerful system recovery software, designed to enable you to recover files you’ve deleted accidentally, potentially lost to malware or an entire hard drive partition.

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is the best we have seen. It’s far from perfect, partly because today’s advanced disk technology makes data-recovery more difficult than it was with the simpler technology of the past.

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Pro has a reputation as one of the best data recovery software programs on the market. It comes with a selection of advanced features, including partition recovery, formatted drive restoration, and corrupted file repair.

Recover lost or deleted files

Note: If you’ve recently updated Windows 10 and are having problems finding files, see Find lost files after the upgrade to Windows 10.

If you can’t find a file on your computer or you accidently modified or deleted a file, you can restore it from a backup (if you’re using Windows backup) or you can try to restore it from a previous version. Previous versions are copies of files and folders that Windows automatically saves as part of a restore point. Previous versions are sometimes referred to as shadow copies.

To restore a file from a backup, make sure the media or drive that your backup is saved on is available, and then follow these steps:

To restore files from a backup

Open Backup and Restore by selecting the Start button , selecting Control Panel, selecting System and Maintenance, and then selecting Backup and Restore.

Select Restore my files, and then follow the steps in the wizard.

Restore deleted files and folders or restore a file or folder to a previous state.

To restore a deleted file or folder

Open Computer by selecting the Start button , and then selecting Computer.

Navigate to the folder that used to contain the file or folder, right-click it, and then select Restore previous versions. If the folder was at the top level of a drive, for example C:\, right-click the drive, and then select Restore previous versions.

You’ll see a list of available previous versions of the file or folder. The list will include files saved on a backup (if you are using Windows Backup to back up your files) as well as restore points, if both types are available.

Note: To restore a previous version of a file or folder that’s included in a library, right-click the file or folder in the location where it’s saved, rather than in the library. For example, to restore a previous version of a picture that’s included in the Pictures library but is stored in the My Pictures folder, right-click the My Pictures folder, and then select Restore previous versions.

Some previous versions of files

Double-click a previous version of the folder that contains the file or folder you want to restore. (For example, if a file was deleted today, choose a version of the folder from yesterday, which should contain the file.)

Drag the file or folder that you want to restore to another location, such as your desktop or another folder.

The version of the file or folder is saved to the location that you selected.

Tip: If you don’t remember the exact file or folder name or its location, you can search for it by typing part of the name in the search box in the Documents library.

To restore a file or folder to a previous state

Right-click the file or folder, and then select Restore previous versions.

You’ll see a list of available previous versions of the file or folder. The list will include files saved on a backup (if you’re using Windows Backup to back up your files) as well as restore points, if both types are available.

The Previous Versions tab, showing some previous versions of files

Before restoring a previous version of a file or folder, select the previous version, and then click Open to view it to make sure it’s the version you want.

Note: You can’t open or copy previous versions of files that were created by Windows Backup, but you can restore them.

To restore a previous version, select the previous version, and then select Restore.

Warning: The file or folder replaces the current version on your computer, and the replacement can’t be undone.

Note: If the Restore button is unavailable, you can’t restore a previous version of the file or folder to its original location. You might be able to open it or save it to a different location.

How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files and Folders with or Without Software

How to recover permanently deleted files? You may permanently delete files or folders from hard drives or other storage devices by pressing the Shift + Delete buttons, emptying the Recycle Bin, or using other deletion methods. If you do this and need to recover permanently deleted files, you can use one of the many data recovery tools out there, one of which is EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard.

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Are Permanently Deleted Files Gone Forever

You can still recover permanently deleted files.

When you delete a file or folder from your computer, it doesn’t simply disappear from existence. Even if you immediately empty the Recycle Bin or the Trash folder, all your deletion does is earmark the space that the file takes up on your hard drive as vacant. Thus, your permanently deleted files can be recovered if you know how.

Here are some effective ways to recover permanently deleted files from PC, laptop, Android, and iPhone.

How to Deleted Recover Files from Recycle Bin

To recover deleted files from the Recycle Bin on PC or laptop:

Step 1. Open the Recycle Bin by right-clicking its icon on your desktop.

Step 2. Select «Open» from the menu to view deleted files.

Step 3. Check the box to the left of the filename you want to restore.

Step 4. Right-click on the selected file and choose «Restore» to recover the file to its original location on Windows 10.

What if you find that the Recycle Bin is empty? What if the files you want to restore are not available in the Recycle Bin? In these cases, the methods outlined below will help you out.

Check the video tutorial about 5 methods to restoring permanently deleted files:

How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files from PC with Software

Support: recover permanently deleted files from PC or laptop running Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, XP without backup.

Most data recovery methods, including the ones built into Windows 10, require that you have a backup to restore your files. If you haven’t got any backups, one of the options you can try is to use a data recovery program. There are many such programs on the market, and you can try the one that you think is good.

EaseUS Data Recovery is one of those programs, and it’s been in the market for several years. It’s worth giving this tool a shot to see if it helps recover your files.

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

First, download this data recovery tool and then follow the guide below to recover permanently deleted files/folders with simple steps.

Step 1. Select a location and start scanning

Launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, hover on the partition/drive where the deleted files were stored. Click «Scan» to find lost files.

Step 2. Select the files you want to recover

When the scanning has finished, select the deleted files you want to recover. You can click on the filter to display only the file types you want. If you remember the file name, you can also search in the «Search files or folders» box, which is the fastest way to find the target file.

Step 3. Preview and recover deleted files

Preview the recoverable files. Then, select files you want to restore and click «Recover» to store the files at a new storage locations instead of the disk where the data was previously lost.

How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files Free

EaseUS free data recovery software allows you to recover permanently deleted files in Windows 10/8/7 for free as long as the data you lose is less than 2GB. If you want to recover more than 2GB or unlimited data, you need to go for the pro edition.

Lost data permanently on the new Windows 11 but don’t know how to recover? Learn three workable ways to recover permanently deleted files in Windows 11.

How to Restore Permanently Deleted Files Without Software

If the deleted file recovery software is not your first preference, you can try File History to recover permanently deleted files. This method won’t work if you don’t have a data backup.

Recover Permanently Deleted Files on PC from Previous Versions

Support: Undo permanent file loss with File History backup. This method doesn’t work without a backup.

If you enabled File History before getting your files deleted, you can use that feature to restore the deleted files on your computer. This method should work even if you deleted your files using the Shift + Delete method that removes your files for good. Do not attempt to use this method if you didn’t enable it before losing the files.

For Windows 11/10/8.1/8 users:

Step 1. Open the Start menu.

Step 2. Type restore files and hit Enter on your keyboard.

Step 3. Look for the folder where you deleted files were stored.

Step 4. Select the «Restore» button in the middle to undelete Windows 10 files to their original location.

If the computer warns you that it already contains a file or folder with the same name, select «Replace the file in the destination» to get your permanently deleted files or folder back.

For Windows 7 and older OS users:

This method may or may not work, but you can give it a shot to see if it helps you recover your permanently deleted files on Windows 7 and earlier.

Step 1. Create a new file or folder on the desktop and name it the same as the deleted file or folder.

Step 2. Right-click the new file or folder and choose «Restore previous versions». Windows will search for and list the previous versions of files or folders with this name along with their associated dates.

Step 3. Choose the latest version and click «Restore» to get your deleted file or folder back.

Here are the most complete methods recommended by Microsoft to recover deleted files on Windows 7 from backup or previous versions.

Restore Permanently Deleted Files via Backup and Restore

Support: Bring lost files back using a previously created file or folder backup. This method won’t work if there is no backup generated before.

If you have created a backup of all valuable files and folders on an external hard drive, you could effectively restore the lost files from the backup. Or, if you have turned on Windows Backup, you still have a chance.

Here’s how to restore the deleted files and folders from Windows Backup:

Step 1. Open the Start menu. recover deleted files in windows 10

Step 2. Type backup and hit Enter on your keyboard.

Step 3. Select the «Go to Backup and Restore (Windows 7)» option under Looking for an older backup.

Step 4. Click the «Select another backup to restore files from» option and choose your backup.

Step 5. Click «Next» and follow the instructions to complete the recovery process.

Conclusion

If you enabled File Backup or Windows Backup prior to losing files, those file recovery methods should be your first choice to recover permanently deleted files. If you don’t have any backups, don’t panic as you can still recover your files.

There are many data recovery tools on the market to help you out, and if you can’t think of anything, start with EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard.

We have listed different solutions to recover deleted files or folders on PC or laptop, so you can choose a method according to your needs:

How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files FAQs

Using the methods above, you can recover permanently deleted files and folders on PC with ease. If you still have any issues on restoring permanently deleted files on other devices like Mac, iPhone, Andrord, or Google Drive, the following instructions should help you.

1. Where Do Permanently Deleted Files Go?

If you permanently delete a file, you only remove the entry for that file and not the file itself. The file is removed from the file system tables, but it is not wiped off. In fact, it’s still physically present on the hard disk.

Ideally, you should stop using the hard drive, then use a data recovery program to scan and recover the lost files. The sooner you do the data recovery after you delete your file, the better the chances of recovery will be.

2. How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files from Cloud Drive?

Take Google Drive as an example:

Step 2. Right-click the file you want back and choose «Restore».

However, if you have click «Deleted Forever» from the trash bin, it is hard to recover files from the trash bin in Google drive. Read also and get more details: How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files from Google Drive

3. How to Recover Deleted Files with Free Software?

There are many free software programs out there to help you recover deleted files on your devices. You can start with something like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard and see how it helps you get your lost files back. Tools like this usually work on all modern Windows versions including Windows 10/8/7.

The steps to use these tools are usually as follows:

Step 1. Launch the recovery tool on your computer and let it scan the drive where your lost files were located.

Step 2. Take a look at the list of files the tool can recover for you.

Step 3. Select the files to be recovered and click the «Recover» button.

4. How to Retrieve Permanently Deleted Files on Android

You can also get back photos or videos from Android with a PC. All you need to do is download EaseUS MobilSaver for Android. Then, refer to this guide: recover permanently deleted files Android.

5. How to Restore Permanently Deleted Files on iPhone

You may be wondering if you can recover deleted photos, videos, or files that the iPhone removed. The good news is in many cases, you can. But, if you can’t locate the image in the Photos app, chances are it’s lost forever.

However, all hope is not lost. You can use EaseUS iOS data recovery software to try and recover deleted folders or files on iPhone 14/13/12/11/11 Pro/XS/XS Max/XR with iOS 15-iOS 8. Here’s how you do this:

Step 1. Download and launch EaseUS MobiSaver.

Step 2. Connect iPhone to Your PC. Click «Recover from iOS device» on the left and click «Start».

Step 3. EaseUS MobiSaver will automatically scan your devices, and find all the lost data for you. Just wait for the scan to complete.

Step 4. You can choose the lost data such as your photos, videos, contacts, SMS, notes, voice mails, and other files you want to recover and save those data to another location.

6. How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files on Mac

If you are a Mac user, you can also restore permanently deleted Mac files with the software, Time Machine, or Terminal. The Terminal method only works if your deleted files are still in the Trash. Feel free to use this method if you haven’t removed from your files from Trash, yet. As for Time Machine, you’re going to need a Time Machine backup to restore your files.

If you don’t meet the requirements for the above methods, your last resort is to rely on a data recovery tool. Again, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac can potentially bring your lost files back on your Mac.

Step 1. Select the device location you deleted files from. Click the «Scan» button to pinpoint permanently deleted files.

Step 2. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac will list the files it finds in the left-hand sidebar.

Step 3. Preview the items you are looking for and click the «Recover Now» button to restore permanently deleted files on Mac.

Recover Deleted Files Windows 10 | 6 FREE Ways

How to recover deleted files in Windows 10? This tutorial covers several effective ways to help you undelete files or restore permanently deleted files on Windows 10. You can use EaseUS data recovery software to recover permanently deleted files or apply other ways to restore deleted files Windows 11.

Looking to recover deleted files Windows 10? There are numerous methods you can use to get data back, including EaseUS file recovery software. Windows also has its own built-in file recovery tools. We’ll show you the best approach to take in different data loss situations.

It is, unfortunately, all too easy to accidentally delete files in Windows 10. Microsoft has included a safety net in the form of the Recycle Bin, but this does not always help – sometimes you can accidentally delete data permanently. Holding the Shift key while deleting a file, for instance, bypasses the Recycle Bin so data cannot be easily recovered, and the Recycle Bin is also limited in capacity. Not only can it hold a certain amount of data, but it will also house files up to a certain size. Try to delete files when the Bin is full, and data will simply be wiped out.

But all is not lost. There are things you can do to get back files you thought you would never see again. Join us as we show you how to restore permanently deleted files in Windows 10, using built-in tools and third-party options.

Recover Deleted Files Windows 10 Using Undo Delete

Many users know a quick way to restore recently deleted files, that is using Ctrl+Z deleted files recovery. Or, You can right-click the folder where it was located and clicking «Undo Delete».

Here are the steps to undelete files with Undo Delete feature:

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

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

Step 3. Or, press » Ctrl+Z » directly to restore the lost files.

Keep in mind that ctrl+z or Undo Delete will only work if the file or folder was deleted recently. This method is not useful if you restart your computer after file loss, After a

Restore Deleted Files Windows 10 from Recycle Bin

If you delete a file by hitting the «Delete» button on your keyboard or simply drag it to the Recycle Bin, then the steps to undelete files in Windows 10 are easy.

Step 1. Open the «Recycle Bin» from the desktop or Start menu and then locate the deleted files you are interested in.

Step 2. Browse through the content of the Recycle Bin to locate the files you need. You can also perform a search for a specific file, or use the column headings to identify files based on size, date of modification, and more.

Step 3. Select the file you would like to get back and then right-click them.

Step 4. Click «Restore» to recover the deleted files.

There are, however, limitations to this method. It will only work if you haven’t emptied the Recycle Bin, and if you have not bypassed the Bin by holding the Shift key while deleting data. If you can’t find what you are looking for in the Recycle Bin, it is possible that your files have been permanently deleted; you can try the following methods for Recycle Bin recovery.

How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files Windows 10 with Data Recovery Software

Perhaps the most reliable method of getting back deleted files is to use dedicated data recovery software. One such tool is for Windows 10 and macOS is EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard which has a high success rate and remains easy to use.

It does not matter if you have a backup available or not, the program will almost certainly be able to recover your deleted data for you.

EaseUS File Recovery Windows 10

You can download the EaseUS files recovery software for free from the link above, and then use the following steps to recover your deleted files.

Note: To guarantee a high data recovery chance, install EaseUS data recovery software on another disk instead of the original disk where you lost files.

Step 1. Launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard 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. This recovery software will start scanning the disk to find all lost and deleted files. When the scan process completes, click «Filter» > «Type» to specify lost file types.

Step 3. Preview and restore lost Windows files. You can double-click to preview the scanned files. Then, select the target data and click the «Recover» button to save them to another safe spot in the PC or an external storage device.

What is essential to remember, however, is that time is of the essence when it comes to data recovery. The sooner you can start the process of locating and recovering data, the greater your chances of successful data recovery. Leave things for too long, and it is possible that recovery will be impossible due to data being overwritten, or a problem arising on the drive you are trying to recover data from.

Restore Deleted Files Windows 10 Using Windows File Recovery

As long as you have at least Windows 10 May 2020 Update (Windows 10 2004) installed, you have access to Windows File Recovery – although you will need to install it from the Microsoft Store. This is Microsoft’s own free data recovery tool, but it is very different from programs like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard because it is a command-line tool. This means that rather than using a familiar system of icons and menus, it is text-based and therefore not something that everyone will be comfortable with.

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

Before you get started with Windows File Recovery, there are two things you need to prepare: there are a couple of conditions you should know:

How to use Windows File Recovery to restore deleted files in Windows 10

Step 1. Open the «Microsoft Store» app and search for Window File Recovery. Now download and install the app by clicking the «Get» button.

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

Solution source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/windows-file-recovery/9n26s50ln705?activetab=pivot:overviewtab from Microsoft official website

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

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

winfr C: D: /n \Users\Documents\test.docx

This particular command will recover a deleted Word document named test that had been stored on the C: drive, saving it to the D: drive.

Step 4. You can then follow the on-screen instructions to finishing restoring deleted files.

This method of data recovery is not going to be suitable for everyone because of the fact that different commands are needed for every single scenario. It’s also worth noting that it is not going to be able to help you out in every instance. For example, it will not be able to recover files following a virus attack or lost partition. In these cases, it is better to look to EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard as outlined above.

Recover Permanently Deleted Files Windows 10 from File Backup

This solution only work when you set up a backup or open the File History function before the data loss happens. If there is no backup available, you still need data recovery software to recover permanently deleted files on Windows 10.

Go to check your recent backups and follow steps to get deleted files back from a Windows backup:

Step 1. Open «Settings» from the Start menu and head to «Update & Security». Click the «Backup» section to the left.

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

Step 3. Choose where to save your files. In the case of a naming conflict, Windows will warn you. Choose «Copy and Replace», «Don’t copy» or «Copy, but keep both files» according to your needs and then wait for the restoring process to complete.

Recover Deleted Files in Windows 10 from Previous Versions

You can also recover Windows 10 files by using the «previous versions» function – but you must already have enabled this feature in order for it to work. To ensure that this is an option that is available to you, you need to have set up File History to back up files automatically.

Assuming you have already configured this feature of Windows, you can use the following steps to restore permanently deleted files:

Step 1. Look for and right-click on the folder that contained the permanently deleted files.

Step 2. Click «Restore previous versions».

Step 3. Select the files you are interested in, and click «Restore».

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

What’s the Best Way to Recover Permanently Deleted Files in Windows 10

As you can see, there is more than one way to get back files you have deleted in Windows 10. The one that works best for you will very much depend on your circumstance and the way in which files were deleted.

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

All of the methods and techniques outlined in this article can be used to help get your data back. But it is the specialist recovery software EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard that gives you the greatest chance of success in the wide range of circumstances.

Recover Deleted Files FAQs

Read futher information on how to restore permanently deleted files in Windows 10.

1. Can I recover permanently deleted files from my computer?

In most cases, yes. However, there are a few factors that will affect your chances of success, such as the type of file that was deleted and how long ago it was deleted. If you have recently deleted a file and emptied it from your computer’s Recycle Bin, you may still be able to recover it using a deleted file recovery program.

2. How to recover permanently deleted files Windows 10 using CMD?

The Windows Command Prompt can be a powerful tool for disk and file management. You can use CMD to recover hidden files with the attrib command lines. But these commands can’t restore deleted files.

Step 1. Type cmd in the Search box. Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

3. How to recover deleted files Windows free?

Step 1. Download and run EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free.

Step 2. Scan a disk for deleted files.

Step 3. Preview and recover lost files.

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

A few ways are available to recover deleted files without using any third-party software. One way is to check the Recycle Bin to see if the file you accidentally deleted is still there. If it is, simply right-click on the file and select Restore.

If the file is not in the Recycle Bin, then you can try restoring it from a previous version. To do this:

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

Step 2. Right-click on the folder and select Properties.

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

5. How to restore permanently deleted files from Recycle Bin?

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

Step 1. Install and launch EaseUS Recycle Bin recovery software.

Step 2. Click Recycle Bin option under the Locations section and click Scan.

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

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

If you have accidentally deleted a file and do not have a backup, then you will need to use dedicated Windows 10 data recovery software to recover it. There are a number of different file recovery programs available, and EasedUS data recovery software is a popular one.

Once you have chosen and installed a file recovery program, simply run it and follow the prompts in order to attempt to recover your permanently deleted files.