Summary: When operating on Windows 10 or Windows 11, you may encounter a scenario when you have accidentally deleted files from the system. This post discusses the stepwise methods to recover permanently deleted files and get them back in your system again (without any damage). It also talks about using specialized ‘file recovery tools’ that could help you recover permanently deleted files almost instantly. Download the recovery software to verify the functionality and effectiveness of the software.
Have you been protecting your data lately, since your Windows system isn’t immune to data loss? (And, losing your critical files & folders can be extremely stressful. A simple Google search for “how to recover permanently deleted files in Windows 10 & 11” ends up giving numerous search results – some work and some don’t! In this blog, we’ll learn some of the best proven ways to recover permanently deleted files in Windows 11 & 10 ).
Windows might come up with the latest OS with new and exciting features now and then, but they indeed aren’t 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 didn’t 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 you’ve deleted the files. That will help prevent overwriting.
With these methods, you can easily recover permanently deleted files. Just follow step-by-step to get your files back now!
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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).
The second way to recover your permanently deleted files is by using the ‘Previous Versions‘ feature. And, here is the process to do so:
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.
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:
The last method is to use certain specialized tools to recover permanently deleted files on Windows. We’re mentioning two of the most prominent ones here:
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:
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.
Recover files like PDF and Word documents from C: drive to the recovery folder on D: drive.
Recover files with the string “guitar” in the file name
Recover JPEG and BMP images from the Pictures folder on D: drive.
Note: When recovering deleted files from the C: drive, i.e., where Windows is installed, use the /n <filter>switch to specify the user files or folder.
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 to recover lost file on Windows 10, which is given below!
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 Windows 10 deleted files recovery software helps you recover permanently deleted files of any type, 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.
Congrats! You just learned how to recover permanently deleted files on Windows 10. We believe you won’t 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:
(And, almost every other file or document on your Windows).
It even comes handy when the backup fails/is unavailable/obsolete.
Also, don’t forget to check some frequently asked questions on how to recover deleted files in Windows 10, & 11, which are as follows:
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 can’t 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, a professional deleted files recovery software for Windows 10. 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 that’s 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 restore 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 use Stellar Data Recovery Free Edition – a DIY software that allows free recovery of up to 1 GB of data.
Q. I don’t 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 case you want to recover files deleted due to any reason, including permanent file deletion, you can restore a previous backup copy and recover deleted files on Windows 10.
Follow these steps for deleted files recovery in Windows 10 computers:
Read detailed instructions for Backup and Restore in Windows 10
Isha is a technical blogger and data recovery expert. She has experience in Windows data recovery. She writes about technical tips and tutorials.
Thanks for sharing such valuable information in this article. Through this article, I learned that it is very important to keep a backup of all the critical files. Thanks for sharing.
Hi,
Very useful blog. Thanks for the in-depth information that you mentioned in the blog
I had given my mini desktop PC to a technician to replace the old hard drive with SSD hard drive. He had done that and given back my old hard drive with USD adapter saying all the data is safe and this can be used as an external hard drive as well. I also verified and found that all the data was safe. However, I also had some desktop files which were deleted by my son the previous day when he was playing on my computer. This was not on the old drive (now made into an external hard drive). Where will the data in the recycle bin be in such a case and how can I get it back.
Hello Jai, you can download the stellar data recovery on your pc and attach your external hard drive with this pc. Now run the software and choose the deep scan option. If you see lost desktop files in preview then you can recover them easily after activation of the software. Thanks