How to Recover Deleted Files in Windows 10 (7 FREE Ways)

Looking to recover deleted files in Windows 10? You can use numerous methods to get data back, including Qiling file recovery software. Windows also has its own built-in file recovery tools. We'll show you the best approaches to make recovery modes in different data loss situations.

Methods	Scenarios a file was deleted
📌Windows 10 Data Recovery Software	Recover permanently deleted files not in the Recycle Bin.
🔂Undo Delete	The file or folder was deleted recently, and you haven't restarted your computer.
📛Restore from Recycle Bin	You remove the files using simple Delete methods, and the Recycle Bin hasn't been emptied.
Find deleted files with CMD	The files are hidden intentionally or unintentionally.
🧿Windows File Recovery Tool	Undelete files with a free command line utility.
📁Retrieve Using File Backup	The important file is deleted permanently. But there are backup files created before.
📝Restore from Previous Versions	Permanently deleted folders, do not want to use third-party software to recover files.

Restore Permanently Deleted Files in Windows 10 with Data Recovery Software

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 bypasses the Recycle Bin, or trying to delete files when the Bin is full, and data will simply be wiped out.

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The most reliable method to get back permanently deleted files is using Deep Data Recovery, a dedicated data recovery software that is compatible with different Windows versions. It has a high success rate and remains easy to use. This file recovery software enables you to recover deleted files without backup.

Follow the steps below to recover deleted files or retrieve permanently lost files and data in Windows 10.

Step 1. Download Deep Data Recovery by clicking on the download button. To guarantee a high data recovery chance, install the software on another disk instead of the original storage location where you lost files.
Step 2. Launch Deep Data Recovery and choose the hard disk to perform a quick or deep scan for permanently deleted files.
Step 3. Filter the recovery folder to find the files you want to undelete from the list of results.
Step 4. Preview the files and click the "Recover" button to start the recovery process.

⚠️ It is essential to remember 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 new data being overwritten or a problem arising on the drive you are trying to recover data from.

Tutorial on Restoring Deleted Files in Windows 10 in 5 Ways

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Recover Deleted Files in Windows 10 Using Undo Delete

Many users know a quick way to recover recently deleted files: Ctrl+Z deleted files recovery. Or, You can right-click the folder where it was located and click "Undo Delete".

Here are the steps to undelete files with the 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.

recover deleted files with undo delete feature

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.

Restore Deleted Files in Windows 10 from the Recycle Bin

How do I restore deleted folders on my desktop? If you delete a file by hitting the "Delete" button on your keyboard or simply dragging it to the Recycle Bin, then the steps to undelete files in Windows 10 are easy. Recycle Bin can be very helpful to recover deleted files in Windows 10 for free.

Step 1. Find the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop. Open it 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 deleted files.

recover deleted files Windows 10

⚠️ 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.

Recover Permanently Deleted Files from Windows 10 Using CMD

The Windows Command Prompt can be a powerful disk and file management tool. 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.

Step 2. Type ATTRIB -H -R -S /S /D X:*.* and hit Enter in the command prompt window. Replace "X" with the letter of your hard drive.

recover deleted files Windows 10 using CMD

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Undelete Files in 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 Deep Data Recovery 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, the Windows File Recovery tool 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:

You need a secondary drive to recover data – this can be a regular hard drive or an external USB drive.
You need to know the exact location where your deleted files were originally stored.

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. Press the Windows key and click the Search box. Enter Windows File Recovery in the Search box and select it.

recover deleted files Windows 10

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

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

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

For example:

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 finish restoring deleted files.

⚠️ This data recovery method will not be suitable for everyone because different commands are needed for every scenario. It's also worth noting that it will not be able to help you in every instance. For example, it cannot recover lost files following a virus attack or lost partition. In these cases, looking to Deep Data Recovery is better, as outlined above.

Recover Permanently Deleted Files Windows 10 from File Backup

This solution only works 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 loss recovery software to recover permanently deleted files on Windows 10.

Go to check your recent backups and follow the 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.

recover deleted files from Windows 10 using file backup

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.

restore files from windows 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 permanently deleted files in Windows 10 files by using the "Restore 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 set up a File History feature 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 contains the permanently deleted files.

Step 2. Click "Restore previous versions".

restore previous versions option

Step 3. Select the files you are interested in, and click "Restore" to restore previous versions.

restore deleted files from previous versions

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.

⚠️ Both previous versions and file history backup require you to backup files before you lose data. Otherwise, there is no backup available to restore from, and you'll lose your files completely.

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How to Prevent Accidentally Deleted Files on Windows 10

Rather than losing data and then recovering it, effectively avoiding the accidental deletion of files is certainly the best option. Here are some tips you can use to protect your data.

❌Avoid human error	Be careful when accessing or editing files, and do not delete them by mistake. Alternatively, do not permanently delete data all at once, making recovery more difficult.
✅Backup important data regularly	Back up your data regularly in any effective way. You can use backup tools that come with Windows, or you can choose trusted third-party file backup software.
😀Stop using the device and recover deleted data quickly	When you delete data from an HDD, SD card, or external drive, be sure to stop using your device promptly and use professional data recovery software to recover deleted files.

Recover Deleted Files Windows 10 FAQs

Read further 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, a few factors 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 deleted files from Windows for free?

One option to restore deleted files for free is using a free deleted file recovery software - Deep Data Recovery Free, which will scan your hard drive and attempt to recover any deleted files. With this tool, you can recover deleted files up to 2GB of data for free.

Step 1. Download and run Deep Data Recovery Free.

Step 2. Scan a disk for deleted files.

Step 3. Preview and store files to an external storage device.

3. 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 deleted file and select Restore.

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

Step 1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the deleted file's folder.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

If you accidentally deleted a file and do not have a backup, you will need to use dedicated Windows 10 data recovery software to recover it. Many different file recovery programs are available, and Deep Data Recovery is popular, which allows for data recovery after file corruption.

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.