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How to Recover Deleted Files on PC Easily

Even important files are not always secured enough from accidental deletion. And if they were deleted and your Recycle Bin was wiped clean before you realized they were gone, then the situation may appear so desperate! Thankfully, we have created an amazingly capable app that we are very proud of – Disk Drill, that knows how to recover deleted files and even lost partition.
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The Best Ways to Reliably Recover Deleted Files for Free

It’s easy to accidentally delete files and sometimes there is no backup available. Don’t panic. Here are several methods that can be used to restore deleted files on your Windows machine. Use free data recovery software. Benefits of this recommended method include:

  • Restore up to 500 MB of data for free;
  • Preview files before performing a recovery;
  • Recover files in any format;
  • Obtain free file protection and data backup tools;
  • Mount scan results as a virtual drive;
  • Perform S.M.A.R.T. monitoring of your HDD or SSD.
Undeleting lost files even after emptying Recycle Bin is actually quite a possibility, if you have Disk Drill, of course. It offers unique algorithms for deleted files restoration no matter what type of file system you are using or what type of files you want to get back.

As soon as you realize you deleted a file or a whole partition the best thing to do is disconnect the storage and boot from another drive rather than the one with erased data. Try not to use the drive with deleted data until you are ready to perform the deleted files recovery.
5 Easy Steps

Method 1. How to Recover Deleted Files with File Recovery Software

Step 1

Download and Install Disk Drill for Windows

Download Disk Drill for Windows from our website. After installing the software, run it and then follow the steps below to recover deleted files on your Windows PC. You can recover deleted files for free with Disk Drill for Windows if they are under 500 MB covered by Basic edition of the app or you enabled Recovery Vault on your drive prior to data loss.
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Step 2

Select the drive and search for lost files

Choose the drive or partition from which you need to recover deleted files from the list displayed by Disk Drill. Scanning the complete drive produces more complete recovery results. The software can get back lost files from virtually all types of disk-based storage devices. After selecting the recovery location, click the Search for lost data button to start the tool’s sophisticated scanning algorithms which will find your deleted data.

How to run effective deleted file recovery
recover deleted files

Here are some examples of the devices that Disk Drill supports for file recovery:

  • Personal computer’s internal drives

    Deleted files from your disks that have been deleted from the Recycle Bin can easily be restored from your HDD or SSD with this software tool.

  • External hard drives

    If you have lost data from an external drive, simply connect it to your computer so it can be accessed by the application.

  • Flash drives

    This recovery tool can easily restore deleted files from these portable storage devices.

  • All makes and models of digital cameras

    Just connect your camera to your computer and let the software scan it for deleted images and videos.

  • Memory cards

    Connecting the device to your Windows machine allows you to recover deleted files with this software tool

  • Android/iOS devices

    Attaching the affected device to your computer allows the recovery software to see it as another disk and potentially restore your deleted files.
Step 3

Preview the found files

Disk Drill provides users with the ability to preview the files found during the scanning process before performing the actual recovery. This feature can save a lot of time by enabling you to verify that the file you are recovering is really the one that you want. It streamlines and simplifies the recovery process and eliminates extra wear and tear on the affected disk device.

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how to recover deleted files

Disk Drill supports the recovery of hundreds of different file types, including:

Photos in a wide variety of formats such as JPG, PNG and TIFF files. Pictures can usually not be replaced, so the ability to recover these valuable memories is vitally important in recovery software.
Videos that have been downloaded or created by users can be restored easily with this application. It supports the AVI, DV, MOV, MKV, and MP4 format as well as many others that should be able to get back any video that has been accidentally lost.
RAW camera images are the preferred file format used by many digital cameras. Some of the RAW formats supported by Disk Drill include Nikon NEF, CR2 and CR3 by Cannon, and GoPro GPR among many others.
Music files in the MP3, AIF, and WAV formats are all recoverable by this data recovery tool. It enables users to easily get back those tunes that were inadvertently deleted while they were cleaning their device’s storage.
Documents are created in many formats on your Windows computer and using this recovery software lets you restore deleted files in DOCX, PPTX, and XLSX formats to name just a few of the supported file types.
Step 4

Select which files you want to recover

A status bar shows the progress of the scan which can be paused at any point by the user. You will get the best results by allowing the scan to complete, but you may be able to save time by searching to see if the files you need have already been identified by the application. Check the box to the left of a file to choose it for recovery. You always have a choice to either restore the whole drive or recover deleted partition.

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    Step 3.1
    Use "filters" for a faster search or to select a specific file type
    You can narrow down your search to specific types of files that have been identified as recoverable by the software for recovering deleted data. The application presents users with windows that contain files in the following categories: Pictures, Video, Audio, Documents, Archives, and other files. This feature makes it much easier to locate the precise files you want to recover without having to sort through the complete scan results.
  • recover permanently deleted files
    Step 3.2
    Search for files
    Use the search bar at the top of the app’s window to locate files with standard search terms like *.jpg or filename.*. You can also perform a full scan and search for the specific files you want to restore by opening the appropriate window containing their file type. Inside the window will be a list naming the files that have been found along with reconstructed files whose names could not be determined by the application. Check the boxes next to the files you wish to restore or click the Recover all button to get back all of the data.
  • recover deleted files
    Step 3.3
    Check the Reconstruction section
    The Reconstruction section of each window contains files that can be recovered by Disk Drill but do not have sufficient metadata available to provide a file name. The deep scanning algorithms can reconstruct lost data based on their file signatures. While their names may not be evident, you can preview the files to determine if they are what you want before you recover them.
Step 5

Recover the deleted files

After making the selection of the files you want to restore, simply click the Recover button. At this point, you are prompted to choose a storage location where the recovered data will be stored. You should not use the same device that experienced data loss to avoid further corruption or overwriting files before they can be recovered. Click OK when you have chosen the storage location.
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Protect

Not only deleted files recovery - Free Real-time File Protection

Did you know that if you protect yourself in advance you can recover deleted files for free? Disk Drill for Windows Basic edition offers amazing feature called Recovery Vault. This feature is a simple genius keeping track of all deleted files and saving data about each of them. Whenever you realize you need to recover deleted files they will be undeleted in no time!
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4 other easy methods

Other Methods to Recover Deleted Files on Windows

Here are some other methods that you can use to attempt the recovery of deleted data on your Windows computer.
Method 2

Recover deleted data with Recycle Bin

The Recycle Bin is where files that have recently been deleted are stored temporarily by the Windows operating system. You can recover files until you empty the bin or until the files roll-off due to time or capacity constraints.

To Recover Deleted Files on PC Windows 10/8/7 with the Recycle Bin follow these steps:

  1. Open the Recycle Bin by double-clicking its icon.
  2. Locate the files you want to recover and select them by checking the box to the left of their name.
  3. Check the column displaying the original location of the file so you can find it easily after recovery.
  4. Right-click on the selection and choose Restore.
  5. Let the process complete and then verify that the files have been recovered to their original location.
Method 3

Restore Deleted Files from the Previous Version (if you have enabled System Restore)

If you have enabled the Windows System Restore facility, you may be able to recover a previous version of the file using this native operating system feature. Here’s how to do it.

To restore a deleted file from a previous version, you need to:

  1. Open My Computer.
  2. Navigate to the folder that previously contained the file or files you want to recover.
  3. Right-click and select Restore previous versions.
  4. Windows will display a list of previous versions of the files that were created with Windows backup or saved as restore points.
  5. Double-click the previous version of the file that you want to recover.
  6. Drag the file to a new storage location where it will be saved and available for further use.
recover permanently deleted files via previous version
Method 4

Restoring from Backup

Backups are a great way to protect your valuable files and will come in very handy if you are faced with a data loss situation. If you have followed best practices and are making backups of your data regularly, you may be able to recover your lost files by using the backup media. This implies that backups were made in the time between when the files were introduced to your computer and when they were deleted. Here are the general steps to use when using a backup to recover your lost data.

  1. Find the storage media that contains your backups and attach it to your machine.
  2. Start your recovery program and search for the desired files.
  3. Use the application’s interface to restore the lost data.
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Method 5

Hire a professional data recovery service

If all other methods fail, you may need to engage the assistance of a professional data recovery service. This can prove to be expensive and is not the most convenient method of getting your files back. You will need to get your device to the recovery service and will be without it for the time needed to perform the recovery. These services often require access to the device before quoting a price for the restoration operation.

Use these steps if you are considering a professional data recovery service:

  1. Search Google for a local data recovery service or one with a good reputation. We suggest Cleverfiles Data Recovery Center as a reputable solution.
  2. Make your selection and follow the vendor’s guidelines to send them your storage device.
  3. Ship or deliver the device to the company and obtain a price for the recovery.
  4. Complete the financial transaction with the recovery service and let them recover your files.
  5. Pick up the device and start using your files again.
how to recover deleted files with data recovery service

How to Recover deleted files on different platforms

One of the most effective ways of recovering deleted data on Windows 10 machines is with the built-in backup facility provided by the operating system.


Follow these steps to recover deleted files on Windows 10:

Step 1. Open the File Explorer and navigate to the folder containing the files you want to recover.

Step 2. Click the Home tab.

Step 3. Click the History button which starts the File History program.

Step 4. Select the files and versions you want to recover.

Step 5. Click the Restore button and choose how duplicate file names will be handled.

There are many methods with which to recover deleted files on a Windows 8/8.1/7 system. The first one you should try is to recover your files from the Windows Recycle Bin with the following steps:

Step 1. Click the Recycle Bin icon to open it.

Step 2. Locate the files you want to recover. Note their original location as that is where they will be found after the process completes.

Step 3. Click the Restore button to perform the recovery.

One of the most reliable and effective ways to recover deleted data from a macOS system is with Disk Drill.


Follow these simple steps to recover deleted files on Mac:

Step 1. Download and install Disk Drill for Mac.

Step 2. Launch the program and select the disk with the deleted files.

Step 3. Click the Recover button to begin scanning for lost data.

Step 4. Preview the files that Disk Drill has found and select the items you want to restore.

Step 5. Press Recover a second time to perform the recovery.

PhotoRec and TestDisk are versatile freeware data recovery tools that support a variety of operating systems including Linux. Here are the required steps to use this software to recover lost files on your Linux machine:

Step 1. Enter the command:

sudo apt -y install testdisk

Step 2. Navigate to the directory that contained the deleted data.

Step 3. Enter the command:

sudo photorec

Step 4. Select the hard drive for recovery and hit Enter.

Step 5. Choose the partition and file type that you wish to recover.

Step 6. Specify the partition type and if you want to tool to scan free sectors or the entire drive.

Step 7. Change folders if necessary with command-line navigation.

Step 8. Press C when ready to recover your files. They will be restored to the recup_dir folder. Filenames are not restored so you need to preview and rename the recovered files.

If you accidentally delete a file on Ubuntu with file manager, it is moved to the operating system’s Trash. Here are the steps you can use to get the file back:

Step 1. Open the Activities overview and start typing the word Files.

Step 2. Click on Files to open the file manager.

Step 3. Click on Trash in the sidebar. Press the Menu button and select Sidebar if it is not visible.

Step 4. Locate the deleted file.

Step 5. Click on the file and select Restore. It will be recovered to its original folder.

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Tips to Avoid Losing Your Files in Future

  • Use an Online Backup

    There are many online backup services available that eliminate the need for users to have additional storage devices on which to store their backups. Using one offers protection against accidentally deleting your files with backups that are always available.

  • Use updated anti-virus software

    Many file loss scenarios are initiated by infection from viruses and malware. Using an anti-virus application that is kept updated with the latest virus signatures can protect you from this type of data loss.

  • Stop using your computer

    As soon as you suspect that you have lost data, you should immediately stop using the affected computer or device. This will prevent the permanent loss of the files by having them overwritten by the operating system.

  • Save a few versions of a file every time you stop working

    Enabling System Restore and saving copies of your files after you have finished working on them will save them in Windows restore points. The previous versions can then be recovered using native operating system functionality.

Frequently Asked Questions

Updated on by Disk Drill Team

Follow these steps to recover permanently deleted files on Windows 10/8/7:

  1. Open the Recycle Bin by right-clicking its icon.
  2. Select Open from the menu to view deleted files.
  3. Locate the files you want to recover.
  4. Check the box to the left of the their name you want to restore.
  5. Right-click on a selected file and choose ‘Restore’ to recover the file to its original location. You can also drag out the files from Recycle Bin for restoring.

Use Disk Drill for Mac and employ the following steps:

  1. Download, install and launch the application.
  2. Select the disk with lost files and click the Recover button to start scanning.
  3. When the process is complete, preview and select the recoverable files that you want to restore.
  4. Click Recover again to perform the recovery. Choose a safe location other than the affected disk to store the recovered files.

Yes, you can recover deleted files for free on your Windows computer. Simply download the free version of Disk Drill for Windows. The trial version of the software allows you to restore up to 500 MB for free and check out its features before upgrading to the Pro copy of the tool.

To recover deleted files in Windows 10 with File History follow these steps:

  1. Navigate and right-click on the folder that contained the permanently deleted folders or files.
  2. Select ‘Restore previous versions’.
  3. Windows will display a list of previous versions of the files that were created with Windows backup.
  4. Double-click the previous version of the file or folder thay you want to recover.
  5. Click ‘Restore’ or drag & drop the file to a new storage location.

To recover files from an emptied Recycle Bin follow this procedure:

  1. Install Disk Drill for Windows on a partition that does not contain the Recycle Bin.
  2. Select the disk with the Recycle Bin.
  3. Click Search for lost data to start scanning for deleted files.
  4. Select the files you wish to restore from the preview.
  5. Click Recover to retrieve the data. 

In order to recover permanently deleted files from the Recycle Bin without using software follow these steps:

  1. Locate your backup storage media.
  2. Connect the backup media to your computer.
  3. Start your backup and recovery application.
  4. Search through backup copies for the files you need to recover.
  5. If they are found, select the files and restore them to your hard drive.

Follow these steps to recover lost files from an external hard drive:

  1. Download and install Disk Drill.
  2. Connect the external drive and launch the application.
  3. Click Search for lost data to scan the external drive for deleted files.
  4. Preview the files that can be recovered and make your selections.
  5. Click Recover to perform the operation and restore your lost files from an external hard drive.
  1. Use Disk Drill for Mac to recover files from an Android device. This function is not supported by the Windows version of the tool.
  2. Enable debug mode on the Android device.
  3. Connect the Android device to your computer and launch Disk Drill.
  4. Select the device and click Recover.
  5. Choose the files you want to get back and click the Recover button again.
  6. Choose a location on your computer where the files will be stored.

You will need to root your device to scan it with Disk Drill.

Follow these steps to recover lost files from a pendrive or flash drive.

  1. Download and install Disk Drill.
  2. Connect the pendrive to your computer and start the app.
  3. Click Search for lost data to start scanning the pendrive for deleted files.
  4. Preview the data that the software can recover and select the files that you want to restore.
  5. Click Recover to restore your files to a safe location that you will be prompted to select.

Recover Deleted Files from Windows PC:

  1. Right click on the Recycle Bin icon on desktop.
  2. Select Open from the context menu to view files.
  3. Check the box and select files you want to recover.
  4. Right click on a selected file.
  5. Choose 'Restore' to recover the file to its original location.

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    Anonymous
    Just wanted to leave an excellent review!!! I accidentally deleted all of my husband's med school files from his external hard drive and luckily Disk Drill was able to retrieve all of them! SOOOOO SATISFIED!
    Barry
    Hello, I am writing my PhD thesis and my files were deleted. I tried your software and it worked. I can't express how much you have helped me and I am just so thankful. Other than telling everyone to use this software, is there any review sites that you could link because you have helped me so much, I feel like I need to promote you Thanks Again
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