{"id":22937,"date":"2020-01-09T00:53:31","date_gmt":"2020-01-09T00:53:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/?p=22937"},"modified":"2026-10-20T12:36:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T12:36:15","slug":"how-to-recover-deleted-files-after-windows-10-17763-107-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/recover-files-windows10-update.html","title":{"rendered":"How to Recover Files Deleted After a Windows 10\/11 Update"},"content":{"rendered":"

After Windows just finished updating, your desktop is now empty. The wallpaper is back to the default, Documents has nothing in it, and for whatever reason it appears Windows Update has deleted your files. This might not be the case, and it may be that Windows has signed you into a temp profile, opened the wrong account, or set your old files aside in a folder you never knew about. Even if it was Windows Update deleting files, you do still have options. We\u2019ll explain what happened and show you how to recover the files an update really did delete, the same way our recovery experts have done it many times before.<\/p>\r\n

Until your files turn up, avoid writing anything to your PC right now. This includes installing recovery software on the same drive. There is a specific order it needs to be done in so you don\u2019t overwrite your data.<\/div>\r\n

<\/span>Why Are My Files Missing After a Windows Update?<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

Usually because Windows is showing you a different profile or folder from the one your files are in, not because the update erased them. Updates are designed to leave personal files alone, so they\u2019re more often misplaced instead of gone. Real deletions have happened, though. The Windows 10 October 2018 Update<\/a> deleted files for some users, and in 2020, KB4532693<\/a> was widely reported to sign people in to a temporary profile that made their desktops look wiped. So if you\u2019re thinking \u201ca Windows update deleted my files\u201d, check the table below before assuming the worst.<\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
What you see<\/b><\/td>\r\nWhat has most likely happened<\/b><\/td>\r\nWhere to go<\/b><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Default wallpaper, empty Desktop, settings reset, and a notification about a temporary profile<\/td>\r\nWindows couldn\u2019t load your profile and signed you in to a temporary one.<\/td>\r\nRestart and check for a temporary profile<\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
You\u2019re signed in to an account you don\u2019t recognize, or the update asked you to create or sign in with a Microsoft account<\/td>\r\nYou\u2019re in a different or new user profile, and your files are in the old one under C:\\Users.<\/td>\r\nSearch the PC and check user and OneDrive folders<\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Some files are missing and others are fine.<\/td>\r\nThe files have moved to another folder or drive.<\/td>\r\nSearch the PC and check user and OneDrive folders<\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Desktop, Documents, or Pictures are empty or hold a shortcut called \u201cWhere are my files\u201d.<\/td>\r\nOneDrive folder backup changed where those folders live.<\/td>\r\nSearch the PC and check user and OneDrive folders<\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Files disappeared after a major upgrade, such as Windows 10 to Windows 11.<\/td>\r\nYour old user folders were moved to C:\\Windows.old.<\/td>\r\nCheck the Windows.old folder<\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
The update failed or rolled back, and now files won\u2019t open or Windows reports drive errors.<\/td>\r\nThe update damaged the file system and caused real data loss.<\/td>\r\nUse data recovery software<\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
None of the checks above turn anything up.<\/td>\r\nThe files were deleted or corrupted during the update.<\/td>\r\nUse data recovery software<\/a>, or restore from a backup<\/a> if you have one<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

<\/div>\r\n

If your files are misplaced, work through the three checks coming up next. If you\u2019re clearly dealing with a case where Windows update deleted files, skip straight to data recovery software<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

<\/span>How to Find Files Missing After a Windows 10\/11 Update<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

These three checks take a few minutes each and are completely safe, as nothing writes to the drive. If you find your files, copy them to another drive first if you have one.<\/p>\r\n

<\/span>Method 1:<\/span> Restart and Check for a Temporary Profile<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\r\n

Your user profile holds everything that makes the PC yours, including your Desktop, Documents, and Pictures folders. If Windows can\u2019t load your profile, it will use a temporary profile instead so you can still use the computer. A temporary profile looks like a brand-new account, with the default wallpaper and all, so it\u2019s easy to think \u201cWindows update deleted all my files\u201d when they\u2019re all on the drive.<\/p>\r\n

\"The<\/p>\r\n

Windows usually displays a message saying \u201cYou’ve been signed in with a temporary profile\u201d or \u201cWe can\u2019t sign in to your account\u201d, but here\u2019s another way to find out:<\/p>\r\n

    \r\n\t
  1. Press Windows<\/kbd> + R<\/kbd> and type sysdm.cpl<\/b>. Press Enter<\/kbd>.\"Running<\/li>\r\n\t
  2. Go to the Advanced<\/b> tab, then click Settings<\/b> under User Profiles<\/b>.\"Opening<\/li>\r\n\t
  3. Find your account. If it says Temporary<\/b> in the Status<\/b> column, you\u2019re on a temp profile. If it says Local<\/b>, go to Method 2.\"Checking<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

    Before you restart, copy anything you\u2019ve saved since the update to another drive because anything saved in a temp profile is deleted when you sign out<\/a>. Then restart your PC. If it still doesn\u2019t load your profile, you can still access your data by copying it from C:\\Users\\<your username><\/b> onto another drive. On Windows 10, you can also check in Settings<\/b> > Accounts<\/b> > Sync your settings<\/b>, which shows a message at the top if you\u2019re signed in to a temporary profile.<\/p>\r\n

    <\/span>Method 2:<\/span> Search the PC and Check User\/OneDrive Folders<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\r\n

    Follow these steps to search your whole PC with File Explorer:<\/p>\r\n

      \r\n\t
    1. Open File Explorer, found in your taskbar or with Windows<\/kbd> + E<\/kbd>.<\/li>\r\n\t
    2. Click This PC<\/b> in the left panel. Searching from here covers every folder on the PC.\"Clicking<\/li>\r\n\t
    3. Type the name of a missing file into the search box in the top-right corner. If you can only remember the file type, type an asterisk followed by the extension (e.g. *.jpg, *.docx, etc.).\"Searching<\/li>\r\n\t
    4. Once the search has finished, right-click a result that matches your missing file and select Open file location<\/b>.\"Selecting<\/li>\r\n\t
    5. Check the folder path in the top bar, and open that folder to see if the rest of your data is there. If the data turns up in another folder under C:\\Users, just copy the files to your current profile.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

      Check OneDrive too<\/b>, especially if you\u2019re thinking, \u201cthe Windows 11 update deleted my files\u201d. If you sign in with a Microsoft account, OneDrive can be turned on automatically and backs up your Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Music, and Videos folders<\/a>. If you weren\u2019t able to find your files locally, they may be sitting in the cloud.<\/p>\r\n

      Follow these steps to check OneDrive:<\/p>\r\n

        \r\n\t
      1. Click the OneDrive icon in your taskbar and click View online<\/b>, or go to onedrive.live.com<\/a>.\"Opening<\/li>\r\n\t
      2. Click My Files<\/b> and see if your data is located in any of the folders.\"Browsing<\/li>\r\n\t
      3. Check the Recycle bin<\/b> too, in case they were accidentally deleted.\"Checking<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

        <\/span>Method 3:<\/span> Check the Windows.old Folder<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\r\n

        Following a major upgrade like moving from Windows 10 to Windows 11, Windows keeps a copy of your previous installation in a folder called Windows.old<\/b> on the C: drive. This includes the old user folders, like your Desktop, Documents, and Pictures. You can find it at:<\/p>\r\n

        C:\\Windows.old\\Users\\<your username><\/pre>\r\n
        This is a good place to look when \u201cWindows update wiped my computer\u201d feels like the only explanation, because everything seems like it was wiped when it\u2019s actually just set aside. However, you should check it soon, as Windows only keeps this folder around for 10 days after the upgrade<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n
        Here\u2019s how you get to the Windows.old folder:<\/p>\r\n
          \r\n\t
        1. Sign in to an account with admin privileges, as admin rights are required to open another installation\u2019s user folder.<\/li>\r\n\t
        2. Open File Explorer, then click This PC<\/b>.<\/li>\r\n\t
        3. Open the C:<\/b> drive, then open the Windows.old<\/b> folder.\"The<\/li>\r\n\t
        4. Find your old username and explore the folders inside.\"Old<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
          If you weren\u2019t able to find a Windows.old folder, it may be because there isn\u2019t one. Not every Windows reset method keeps it (notably the Reset this PC<\/b> option), and so you should be looking at recovery instead.<\/p>\r\n
          <\/span>How to Recover Files Deleted by a Windows 10\/11 Update<\/span><\/h2>\r\n
          If you haven\u2019t found your files by now, they were most likely deleted or damaged during the update. There are two realistic ways to get them back:<\/p>\r\n

    It could be that the files were moved or pasted to the wrong location. The quickest way to test this is to search for one or two files by name, then use the folder they turn up in as a clue to where the rest are. Microsoft recommends the same approach to finding files after upgrading Windows<\/a>. If a folder on your PC now holds only a shortcut called \u201cWhere are my files\u201d, open it to go straight to the OneDrive copy.<\/p>\r\n