6 Ways to Recover Deleted Files on Your Computer

Did you accidentally delete a file and are now looking for a way to recover it? Rest assured, accidentally deleted files usually do not vanish completely right away. You can retrieve these files by following a few easy steps.

Through this article, you will learn how to easily recover deleted files. So, there is no need to panic when you accidentally delete an important document. Check out the complete explanation below!

How to Easily Recover Deleted Files?

Accidentally deleting a file often causes sudden panic, especially if the deleted item is a critical corporate document. However, there are numerous methods available to retrieve it. Let’s explore the various ways to recover deleted files below:

1. Via the Recycle Bin

When you delete a file on your computer, it typically does not vanish immediately; instead, it is temporarily stored in the Recycle Bin for approximately 30 days. Nevertheless, in certain cases, files may occasionally be bypassed and deleted permanently.

If you have recently deleted a file and wish to retrieve it, check your computer’s Recycle Bin first. You should be able to find the Recycle Bin icon directly on your main desktop screen.

To recover deleted files via the Recycle Bin, follow these steps:

• Open the Recycle Bin.
• If you cannot find the Recycle Bin icon on your main desktop, open the Start menu and type “Recycle Bin” into the search bar.
• To make it easier to locate in the future, right-click on the Recycle Bin search result, hover over ‘Send to’, and select ‘Desktop (create shortcut)’. The Recycle Bin icon will now appear on your main desktop screen.
• Once inside, search for the specific file you wish to recover.
• Right-click on the file and select Restore.
• After clicking restore, the file will automatically return to its original directory—the exact folder location where it was stored before deletion.

2. Using Command Prompt (CMD)

The Command Prompt, also known as cmd.exe or simply CMD, is the default command-line interpreter for Windows computers. You can execute various administration tasks through the Command Prompt by inputting the correct string codes, including recovering deleted files.

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Follow these steps to recover deleted files using the Command Prompt:

• Search for Command Prompt.
  • You can find it by opening the Start menu and typing “cmd” into the search field.
  • Alternatively, press the Windows Key + R simultaneously on your keyboard, then type “cmd” into the Run box that appears and hit Enter.
• Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
• Once inside the Command Prompt window, input the following command: chkdsk X: /f
• Note: Replace X with the specific drive letter where your deleted file was previously stored.
• Press Enter, and then input the next command line: ATTRIB -H -R -S /S /D X:*.*
• Note: Just like before, replace X with the respective drive letter.
• After you press Enter, the data recovery process for the deleted files will execute. While this process is running, you must refrain from saving, deleting, or moving any files on your computer.

3. Using File History (Windows 10)

The Windows 10 operating system features a built-in backup utility called File History. Previously, this feature was known as Backup and Restore in older Windows environments like Windows 7 and Windows 8. You can leverage this utility to roll back and recover files that were deleted.

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Follow these steps to recover deleted files using File History:

• Open the Settings menu. You can find this in the Start menu, typically represented by a gear icon.
• Select Update & Security.
• Click on the Backup tab.
• Next, a window displaying “Back up using File History” will appear on the screen. Select Add a drive.
• After clicking ‘Add a drive’, a list of available disk partitions and external storage drives will appear. Click on the specific partition or external drive where your files were previously saved.
• Moving forward, all files contained within that partition or storage drive will be backed up regularly. Consequently, you can retrieve deleted files at any time simply by clicking the Restore option.

4. Using the ‘Restore Previous Versions’ Feature

If a deleted file didn’t make it into the Recycle Bin, do not worry; it can still potentially be recovered using the native Restore previous versions feature. Just ensure that the deletion occurred recently and the computer has not been restarted since the incident.

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Follow these steps to recover deleted files using the Restore Previous Versions feature:

• Locate the parent folder where the deleted file was previously stored.
• Right-click on that folder. Alternatively, you can open the folder, right-click on an empty space inside it, and view the context menu.
• From the list of available options, select Restore previous versions.
• A pop-up window will appear displaying a list of older folder versions. Select a historical version from a timestamp when the file was still present.
• Click Restore, and the folder will automatically revert to the selected historical version containing your missing file.

5. Utilizing Third-Party Recovery Software

Third-party recovery applications are frequently deployed as a viable solution to salvage lost data resulting from unexpected deletions. Some widely used tools in the industry include Recuva and Disk Drill.

To utilize third-party software, you can follow the step-by-step documentation provided by each respective application. Generally, the retrieval workflow consists of running a storage drive scan, selecting the specific files you want to retrieve from the scan results, and executing the recovery command.

In addition to straightforward workflows, third-party software like Recuva offers multi-platform flexibility, such as mobile file recovery. You can connect an Android device to your laptop or PC via USB and run the software to scan and recover deleted files from your smartphone.

Due to this convenience and flexibility, free versions of third-party applications often come with strict limitations. Typically, these restrictions manifest as file size caps or a maximum limit on the total volume of data you can recover for free. Consequently, if you need to restore large enterprise databases, you will likely need to upgrade to a premium, paid tier.

Furthermore, there are instances where your files may be flagged as unrecoverable by third-party applications. This scenario occurs when the deleted data sectors have already been overwritten by new data blocks on the exact same hard drive partition. When this happens, standard third-party software can no longer help you recover your target data, files, or folders.

6. Deploying FileBox Cloud Storage

This method serves primarily as a proactive, preventive measure to safeguard your company against accidental data loss. By utilizing FileBox Cloud Storage, you can easily recover deleted or corrupted files at any time using its built-in cloud restoration features. Simply by accessing FileBox via any standard web browser, you can seamlessly perform self-service file restorations.

This cloud architecture ensures you can reliably restore files even if they have been permanently deleted from local recycling bins or completely overwritten by other file actions.

Secure Your Corporate Files Permanently with Cloudmatika

Those are the primary methods you can easily deploy to recover deleted files on your system. If you want to ensure your enterprise data storage is managed under significantly safer, simpler, and more professional conditions, transition your infrastructure to FileBox by Cloudmatika.

FileBox delivers a premium cloud-driven storage architecture featuring support for unlimited users, simple day-to-day operations, and a highly cost-effective corporate subscription model. Furthermore, it comes equipped with built-in anti-ransomware protection to shield your assets from cyber threats.

Contact Cloudmatika right now to integrate FileBox into your business operations today!