Recover Files Deleted Long Time Ago

This page includes effective solutions to help you restore deleted files long time ago on Windows hard drive, SSD, external hard drive, USB, and Android phone SD card.

How Do I Recover Deleted Files Long Time Ago?

"Can I possibly recover photos and videos that were deleted about 2 years ago on an SD card? Most of these files were family photos and some recordings of my wedding. I remember to move these files to an external hard drive and deleted them from the SD card.

Last week, I looked around my house but didn't find the external hard drive. I've got the SD card and it's empty. So I would like to restore those precious memories from the SD card at all costs."

To restore deleted files a long time ago is no longer a new need. If you have the same requests, follow provided solutions on this page for help.

If you don't have a backup of deleted files years ago, refer to Method 1 and apply reliable file recovery software for help. If you still have the backup of years ago deleted files, follow Method 2 for a guide.

Method 1. Recover Files Deleted Long Time Ago with File Recovery Software

Applies to: Restore files that were deleted long time ago without backup.

For Your Information: As long as the deleted files on storage devices were not overwritten by new data, there is still a chance to restore them.

The key point of restoring deleted files is that whether you have saved new data onto the device where the deleted files were. It doesn't matter the files were deleted a week ago, a month ago or a year even years ago.

Professional data recovery software - Deep Data Recovery enables you to effectively scan and restore files that were deleted long time ago in only a few simple clicks. Install this software on your Windows PC and let this software bring your sweet memory and valuable files back immediately.

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Windows 11/10/8/7, 100% Secure

 Tip: 1. Both Windows and Mac users can apply this software to restore years ago deleted files. If you are a Mac user, download the Mac version for help.; 2. Make sure to connect the storage devices such as USB or SD memory card on which you lost files a long period ago to the PC correctly.

Then you shall begin the recovery process:

Step 1. Select file types and click "Next" to start

Launch Deep Data Recovery. Select file types and click "Next" to start.

Select file types that you want to recover

Step 2. Select a location and start scanning

Hover on the partition/drive where the deleted files were stored. Click "Scan" to find lost files.

select a location where you deleted files

Step 3. 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 4. 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.

Method 2. Recover Deleted Files Long Time Ago from Backup

Applies to: Restore lost files that were deleted long time ago from personal backup, Windows backup or Mobile phone backup.

Note: If you didn't create a back up of your lost files, go back to Method 1 and apply Qiling file recovery software for help. If you have a habit of creating backups for important files, congratulations. You can effectively bring lost files back from your backup.

Here we'll show you to bring lost files from personal backup, Windows Backup, and Cloud backup:

# 1. Restore from Personal Backup

Advantage: Free & Fast Recovery

If you've manually copied and saved the lost files to another storage device, you can effectively bring the lost files back from your copies.

Step 1. Connect the storage device which contains the backup of your lost files to the PC.

Step 2. Open the storage device in File Explorer, locate and copy your lost files.

Step 3. Paste and save them to a secure location on your PC.

# 2. Restore from Windows Backup

Advantage: Free

If your lost files were saved on Windows PC and you've created a backup of these files by using Windows Backup. Congratulations. You can effectively bring these files back by performing

The below steps are taken on Windows 10:

Step 1. Open "Control Panel", go to "System and Maintenance", select "Backup and Restore (Windows 7)".

Step 2. Click "Restore my files" .

Restore files from Windows Backup.

Step 3. Click "Browse for files" or "Browse for folders" to select the previously created backup.

Select backup to restore.

Step 4. Navigate a location to save the backup - "In the original location" or "In the following location".

If there's a conflict, choose "Copy and Replace", "Don't copy" or "Copy, but keep both files" according to your needs.

Resolve conflict.

Step 5. Wait for the restoring process to complete.

Wait for the recovery to complete.

After this, you can go back to the location where you used to save the deleted files. You'll be able to view and use them again.

# 3. Restore from Mobile Phone Backup

Advantage: Free

If you are an android user and have created a backup of your long term lost files on your cellphone, follow the below tips for help:

For Android users:

Go to "Settings" > Tab Back up & restore > Choose the latest backup files and click Restore from Backup to get all lost data restored.

For iPhone users:

As restoring a backup from iOS backup will erase the current device, we suggest you use a third-party iOS data recovery software for help. Qiling MobiSaver support to restore iCloud backup with ease.

Bonus Tip: Protect Files with Regular Backup

You should know that the best way to restore lost files from all kinds of disasters is to create a full backup in advance. To make the backup process simple and easy for you, we suggest you try Qiling Backup.

It allows you to selectively back up files within only 3 simple steps:

Step 1: Launch Qiling Backup and choose "File Backup", "Disk/partition Backup" or "System Backup".

Step 2: Choose disk partition that you want to back up. Then select a destination where you want to store the backup file.

Step 3: Click "Proceed" to start the data backup process.