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How to Recover Deleted Files in Windows 10 and 11

6 min read

Accidentally deleted a file or emptied the Recycle Bin? Here are all the ways to recover deleted files in Windows — from the Recycle Bin and File History to free recovery tools.

Deleted files aren't immediately gone — Windows marks the space as available but doesn't overwrite the data right away. The faster you act, the better your chances.

Step 1: Check the Recycle Bin

If you deleted normally (not Shift+Delete), the file is in the Recycle Bin.

Open Recycle Bin on the desktop → find the file → right-click → Restore

Or restore via PowerShell:

$shell = New-Object -ComObject Shell.Application
$recycleBin = $shell.Namespace(0xA)
$recycleBin.Items() | Select-Object Name, Path

Step 2: Use File History

If File History was configured before the deletion, you can restore previous versions.

Right-click the folder that contained the file → Restore previous versions → select a snapshot → Restore

Or via File History: Control Panel → File History → Restore personal files → navigate to the file → click the green restore button.

Step 3: Previous Versions (Shadow Copies)

Windows creates shadow copies when System Protection is enabled, even without File History.

Right-click the folder → Properties → Previous Versions tab → select a date → Open to browse, or Restore to recover.

# List available shadow copies
vssadmin list shadows /for=C:

# Mount a shadow copy to browse it
$date = (Get-Date).AddDays(-1).ToString("MM/dd/yyyy")
vssadmin list shadows | Where-Object {$_ -match $date}

Step 4: Windows File Recovery (Free Microsoft Tool)

For files deleted from Recycle Bin or on formatted/corrupted drives.

Install from Microsoft Store: Windows File Recovery

# Recover specific file type from C: to D:\Recovery
winfr C: D:\Recovery /n *.docx

# Recover a specific file
winfr C: D:\Recovery /n \Users\YourName\Documents\report.xlsx

# Extensive scan for formatted/corrupted drives
winfr C: D:\Recovery /x /y:JPEG,PNG,PDF

Run in a Command Prompt as Administrator. Don't recover to the same drive you're recovering from.

Step 5: Third-Party Recovery Tools

If the above don't work, use dedicated recovery software. Free options:

Recuva (Piriform) — simple GUI, works well for recently deleted files

TestDisk / PhotoRec — open source, more powerful, recovers from formatted drives

Important: install recovery software on a different drive than the one you're recovering from. Every write to the drive risks overwriting the deleted data.

Step 6: Recover from OneDrive or Cloud Backup

If OneDrive sync was enabled:

  • Go to onedrive.live.com → Recycle Bin (in left panel) → restore from there
  • OneDrive keeps deleted files for 30 days (93 days for Microsoft 365)

Why Files Sometimes Can't Be Recovered

  • SSD with TRIM enabled — SSDs erase deleted data immediately when TRIM runs. Recovery from SSDs is often impossible.
  • The space was overwritten — new files were written where the deleted file was
  • Encrypted drive — recovery tools can find the data but can't decrypt it without the key
  • Time — the longer you wait, the more likely the space gets overwritten

Best Practice: Prevent Data Loss

  • Enable File History — Control Panel → File History → connect an external drive → Turn on
  • Enable System Protection (shadow copies) — sysdm.cpl → System Protection → Configure
  • Regular backups to external drive or cloud

Summary

Check Recycle Bin first. Then Previous Versions (shadow copies). For permanently deleted files: use Windows File Recovery (free, from Microsoft) or Recuva. Act fast — especially on SSDs where TRIM may erase data quickly. Stop writing to the drive until recovery is complete.

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