Have you been protecting your data lately, since your Windows system isnt immune to data loss? [And, losing your critical files & folders can be extremely stressful]
Windows might come up with the latest OS with new and exciting features now and then, but they indeed arent 100% immune to data loss. The chances of losing data due to human error, data corruption, software issues, malware, hardware malfunction, or even unpredictable disasters always exist. Or, you could even accidentally press that delete key somehow.
Irrespective of what your case of data loss is, Windows 10 or 11 have numerous methods to recover permanently deleted files while deploying seamless compatibility with third-party data recovery tools for addressing almost all sorts of data loss situations.
First, A Pop-Up Can Save Your File
You will always see this type of pop-up before permanently deleting the files. So, there is a chance you can save your files here.
But, if you somehow didnt notice this, and lost your files permanently, we suggest you follow these methods to recover permanently deleted files..
Note: Immediately stop using the hard drive/system from where youve deleted the files. That will help prevent overwriting.
How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files on Windows 10/11?
With these methods, you can easily recover permanently deleted files. Just follow step-by-step to get your files back now!
Method #1: Using Backup
Did you know Windows 10 and 11 have a utility known as Backup and Restore? This utility can help you restore your files as and when you want. For that, you will need to check the most recent backup [in case you are using Windows Backup].
- Connect the backup storage media to your system first.
- Now, go to the Start menu by pressing the Windows logo key.
- Once opened, type control panel and then hit ENTER.
- After that, go to Update and Security> Backup and Restore [Windows 7].
- You will see Restore My Files, click on it, and then follow the wizard to get back your files.
- In case your system doesnt show Restore My Files, then you will need to click Select another backup to restore files from. After that continue following the restore wizard.
Method #2: Using Previous Versions
The second way to recover your permanently deleted files is by using the Previous Versions feature. And, here is the process to do so:
- Go to the folder from where you deleted your files. Right-click on it and then choose Restore Previous Versions.
- You will see Previous Versions, from where you can choose the version you wish to restore.
- For that, click Restore or simply drag & drop the chosen version at the location you want to save it.
Pro Tip: Always use an external storage drive to save the restored file. You may overwrite the files, otherwise. Hence, to prevent data overwriting, we suggest you use an external storage device.
Method #3: Using Command Prompt
Sometimes, you might even accidentally pick the hidden attribute for your files/folders. In that case, you will not be able to find your files on your system. So, you will need to use Command Prompt in that case to restore the files.
Here are the steps you must follow to recover permanently deleted files:
- Go to the Start menu and type cmd in the search bar.
- Next, right click on the command prompt tab to select Run as Administrator option.
- Now, in the command prompt, insert chkdsk D: /f and then hit Enter. Dont forget to replace D with your hard drive letter.
- Once that is done, insert ATTRIB -H -R -S /S /D D:*.* and then hit Enter. Again, replace D with your hard drive letter.
- Thats when the recovery process will begin. Youll have to wait for sometime for the process to complete.
Method #4: Using File Recovery Tools
The last method is to use certain specialized tools to recover permanently deleted files on Windows. Were mentioning two of the most prominent ones here:
- Windows File Recovery Tool
- Stellar Data Recovery for Windows
a. Windows File Recovery Tool
A command-line tool that utilizes switches and modes to recover your deleted files. You can easily recover all your permanently deleted files on Windows 10/11.
Just follow the steps given below:
- Visit the Microsoft Store and download Windows File Recovery to launch it.
- Now, press the Windows logo key to type Windows File Recovery before hitting Enter key.
- Allow the app to make changes to the device by selecting Yes.
- Then, enter the command given below in the Command Prompt.
winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/mode] [/switches]
Here are some specific commands to recover deleted files from Windows 10:
Recover files from C: drive to the recovery folder on D: drive.
- Winfr C: D: /regular /n \Users\\Documents
Recover files like PDF and Word documents from C: drive to the recovery folder on D: drive.
- Winfr C: D: /regular /n *.pdf /n *.docx
Recover files with the string guitar in the file name
- Winfr D: C: /extensive /n *guitar*
Recover JPEG and BMP images from the Pictures folder on D: drive.
- Winfr C: D: /extensive /n \Users\\Pictures\*.JPEG /n\Users\\Pictures\*.BMP
Note: When recovering deleted files from the C: drive, i.e., where Windows is installed, use the /n switch to specify the user files or folder.
- Once you have run all these commands given above, you will need to enter Y to begin the recovery process. [Read detailed instructions on how to use this recovery tool appropriately].
NOTE: When installing Windows File Recovery Tool on Windows 11, some people sometimes face issues. It might fail to download, and the reason is the incompatibility [most of the time]. You can face other issues as well, where the issue might not be clear.
If that is the case with you, go for the other alternative, which is given below!
b. Stellar Data Recovery Software
A smart DIY recovery software that will help you recover all your permanently deleted files on almost all versions of Windows, such as Windows 10, 11, 8.1, and other older versions. This software helps you recover permanently deleted filesof any kind, be it your audio or video files, and even documents, images, and all other types. And, it even recovers from any type of storage device. The best part is that this software tool helps recover data from encrypted and RAW drives as well.
How to Use Stellar Data Recovery Software for Restoring Deleted Files?- Download Stellar Data Recovery Standard Software.
- Install software on either external USB or on a different volume to prevent overwriting.
- Now, launch the software.
- From the options, select the specific file type or choose all data and then click Next.
- Now, select the location from where your files are deleted. Pick a specific folder under Common Locations or from the drive volume under Connected Drives. After that, click Scan.
- Once the scanning is done, you will see in a tree-view structure the recoverable files. It is usually in the left pane. Click on it to expand the tree and locate files to sort them quickly. You can even go to the File Type tab to sort it. Or, simply go to the search bar to find out the files you want to see.
- You will have to run Deep Scan if you are unable to find files using the method above. However, deep scan will take more time than Quick scan comparatively. But, Deep Scan will help you recover all the data on the hard drive.
- Now, select all the files you need to recover and then click Recover. After that, click on Browse for picking the location to save these files.
- Finally click on Start-Saving to recover all your files.
- Once everything is restored, create a backup to secure your files against all future data loss.
Conclusion
Congrats! You just learned how to recover permanently deleted files. We believe you wont fret about losing your important data ever again after this [on Windows though].
However, you must always keep an updated backup of all your critical files. [A Pro tip to keep your files safe].
You may use a local drive or even store your files safely on cloud storage when backing up files.
Or, you can even enable File History [which indeed is an amazing backup tool available in Windows]. It will store a shadow copy of your files and folder automatically to either a network drive or USB.
Moreover, if you want a highly reliable data recovery software solution for your system, we suggest Stellar Data Recovery, which is the ultimate savior of all your data. With it, you can recover permanently deleted:
- Files
- Formatted data
- Images
- Videos
- Documents
[And, almost every other file or document on your Windows].
It even comes handy when the backup fails/is unavailable/obsolete.
Also, dont forget to check some frequently asked questions, which are as follows:
FAQ
Q. Where do my permanently deleted files go in Windows 11?
A.All deleted files remain inside the computer hard drive even if you empty the Recycle Bin or use the Shift + Delete command for deletion. However, you cant access the deleted files normally because their location addresses in the hard storage are deleted [removed], and that space is allocated for fresh usage.
Q. I deleted my files from a Windows 10 computer a few weeks ago. Can I recover them?
A.The possibility of recovery depends on whether the deleted files are still intact on the hard disk drive and not overwritten with regular usage. As you had deleted the files a few weeks ago, the chances of recovery could be slim, mainly if you used the device a lot. Still, you can quickly determine the possibility by running Stellar Data Recovery software. After scanning the hard disk drive, if you can see the deleted files in Preview, you can recover them.
Q. I deleted my files by pressing the Delete key in Windows 10. Where do I find them? Is there a way to restore deleted files?
A.Firstly, look into the Recycle Bin because thats where the deleted files go unless you deleted them by pressing the Shift + Del keys or the files were too large [several GBs in size]. Once you reach the Recycle Bin, right-click the file and click Restore to bring back the deleted file to its previous location. If the files are not found in Recycle Bin, you can use a professional data recovery tool to recover the deleted files.
Q. I want to recover my deleted files for free on a Windows 10 laptop. Is there a way to do that?
A.Yes, you can use the Microsoft Windows File Recovery tool using the steps described in this post. You can also useStellar Data Recovery Free Edition a DIY software that allows free recovery of up to 1 GB of data.
Q. I dont want to be in a situation where I need to worry about data loss due to the accidental file deletion in Windows 10. Is there a way to avoid this situation?
A.Yes, Windows 10 offers a built-in Backup and Restore feature that allows you to back up the files on an external hard disk drive or network location. In the event of a data loss due to any reason, including file deletion, you can restore a previous backup copy and retrieve the data.
Follow these steps to back up your data on Windows 10 computers:
- Press the Windows logo key.
- Type Settings and navigate to Update & Security.
- Click Backup and Add a drive to start creating backups.
Read detailed instructions forBackup and Restore in Windows 10