How to Recover Deleted Files?
When you accidentally delete an important file on your computer or lose it due to a virus, what do you do? Before panicking, you should know that there are some ways to recover deleted files. In this article, we will discuss three methods to recover deleted files on Windows 10.
1. Restoring from the Recycle Bin
The simplest and quickest method is to restore
deleted files from the Recycle Bin. The Recycle Bin is a folder where deleted
files are temporarily stored on your computer. To restore files from the
Recycle Bin, follow these steps:
- Double-click
the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop.
- Find the
file or folder you want to recover and right-click on it.
- Click on
the Restore option.
- The file
or folder will be restored to its original location.
This method works if you have recently deleted
the files and have not emptied the Recycle Bin. However, if you have emptied
the Recycle Bin or permanently deleted the files using Shift + Delete, this
method will not work.
2. Restoring from File History
Another method to recover deleted files on
Windows 10 is to use the File History feature. File History is a feature that
automatically backs up files and folders on your computer. With this feature,
you can access and restore previous versions of deleted or modified files. To
use File History, follow these steps:
- Open the
Start menu and click on the Settings icon.
- Click on
Update & Security.
- Select
Backup from the menu on the left.
- Connect
your backup drive or add a drive to open File History.
- Open the
folder containing the files you want to recover.
- Click on
the History button in the Home tab.
- In the
File History window, find the previous version of the file you want to
recover and double-click on it to restore.
This method works if you have previously enabled
the File History feature and have a backup of the deleted file. However, if you
have not enabled File History or do not have a backup of the deleted file, this
method will not work.
3. Restoring with Data Recovery Software
Another method to recover deleted files on
Windows 10 is to use data recovery software. Data recovery programs can be used
to recover files that cannot be restored from the Recycle Bin or File History.
These programs assume that deleted files still leave traces on the storage
device and use advanced algorithms to scan and recover these traces. To restore
deleted files with data recovery software, follow these steps:
- Download
and install a reliable data recovery program. Examples include EaseUS Data
Recovery Wizard, Recuva, and Stellar Data Recovery.
- Open the
program and select the drive where the deleted files were located.
- Click the
Scan button and wait for the program to find the deleted files.
- Select
the files you want to recover and click the Recover button.
- Save the
files to another drive or location.
This method works as long as no new data has been
written over the deleted files. However, if new data has been written over the
deleted files, this method will not work.
We have presented three methods to recover
deleted files on Windows 10: restoring from the Recycle Bin, restoring from
File History, and restoring with data recovery software. To determine which
method is suitable for you, consider the status and characteristics of the
deleted files.