Can I recover permanently deleted files in Windows 10 PC?

Question

Hi all,

I need some help here. I have a custom build Windows 11 PC with only 128GB SSD. The free space of C drive is almost full, only 2GB left. So I deleted a lot of files from my desktop and downloads folders. Unfortunately, there were several important files being deleted accidentally.

Is there any way to recover permanently deleted files in Windows 10 PC? Before posting here, I already checked the Recycle Bin and it is not empty.

Much appreciated if you could share some tips for helping me out!

Answer 1

Hello,

In this case, it is recommended that you use Windows File Recovery to recover your files.

Please refer to this link for details:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-file-recovery-61f5b28a-f5b8-3cc2-0f8e-a63cb4e1d4c4

Or you can try using file history:

Open File History by typing "restore your files" in the Windows search bar and selecting "Restore your files with File History".

Browse through the available versions of your files and folders and restore the ones you need.

Hope all is well.

Best Regards,

Hania Lian

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Answer 2

You can check backup solutions to recover permanently deleted files in Windows 10 PC.

File History: If you set up File History on your system, it may have kept copies of your files. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Backup, check if it's turned on, and use it to restore older versions of files or folders.

OneDrive: If you have OneDrive enabled and syncing, check your OneDrive folder. Deleted files may still be available in the OneDrive recycle bin.

Once files are deleted, they can be overwritten by new data. To maximize recovery chances, stop using the drive immediately to prevent overwriting the deleted files. Sometimes, malware can cause issues with file visibility. Make sure to scan your system to clean any potential threats.

Answer 3

Windows 10 includes a command-line utility called Windows File Recovery for recovering deleted files. First, install Windows File Recovery from the Microsoft Store. Then, open the tool and use the following syntax:

winfr source-drive: destination-drive: /mode /switches

You need to replace source-drive with the drive where the file was stored and replace destination-drive with a drive to save the recovered file (must be different from the source drive).

Taking Word docx file for example:

winfr C: D: /regular /n *.docx

The regular Mode is for recovering recently deleted files. And the extensive mode is designed forr files deleted a long time ago or on corrupted drives.

Windows File Recovery is quite effective tool to help you recover permanently deleted files in Windows 10 PC.

Answer 4

Recovering permanently deleted files from File History is not a smart thing to do. If you didn’t set up File History ahead of time, you’re outta luck! It only works if you had it running before those files went MIA. Plus, it usually only keeps copies of files in specific folders, so anything outside that whole default setup is gone for good.

OneDrive is great for syncing files across devices, but it has its own retention policy. If you’ve emptied the Recycle Bin in OneDrive, or if the files were deleted beyond the configured restore period, you won’t find them. So, if you weren’t regularly checking on your files or didn't adjust those settings, say goodbye!

The big bummer is that once you delete something, the system can easily overwrite that data with new stuff. The longer you use the computer after deletion, the harder it gets to recover those files. So, if you’re a heavy user, it’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack! Some recovery tools can get super technical. If you aren’t a tech wizard, the process of using them might feel like you’re navigating a maze. Plus, you might need to dish out some cash for decent software that actually works.

Answer 5

Using Windows File Recovery in Windows 10 can be pretty handy for recovering permanently deleted files, but it's not without its downsides. First off, it’s a command-line tool, which can be intimidating if you’re not comfortable with terminal commands. Forgetting a switch or mistyping a command can lead to frustrating dead ends. I remember the first time I tried it; I spent ages trying to figure out the proper commands and switches while sifting through all the documentation!

The syntax for the commands can be a bit convoluted, especially if you're not tech-savvy. You have to get everything just right, including using slashes and ensuring correct spacing. It can feel a bit like deciphering an ancient script, especially when you just want to get your files back quickly.

While it’s designed to recover deleted files, the tool has limitations regarding what it can actually restore. It works best with files that haven’t been overwritten yet. If you’ve been using the drive after deleting files, your chances of recovery drop significantly. I’ve seen situations where files just didn’t come back because newer data had already taken their place.