Recover Deleted Files on PC: Best Methods & Tools to Restore Data

Ever found yourself in a panic after accidentally losing an important file? Whether it’s an image, PowerPoint presentation, video, or document, we’ve all been there. Deleting a file by mistake is something we’ve all experienced. If you’re wondering, ‘how do I recover deleted files from my PC?’, we’ve put together a simple, step-by-step guide to help you out. Let’s get started!

How to Recover Deleted Files from a PC? – Windows & IOS 

It’s frustrating always to lose an important file, whether because of a system crash, technical errors, or accidental deletion. So, we’ve listed a complete procedure for recovering files on both Windows and IOS. Windows users can recover deleted files using tools such as File History, Previous Versions, or third-party recovery software. To restore deleted files, Mac users can use Time Machine, iCloud backups, or specialised data recovery software. 

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Ways to Recover Deleted Files on Windows 

• Double-check the Recycle Bin 

When files have been deleted or misplaced, the Recycle Bin is always the first place to look for. On practically all computer systems, once a file has been removed, it will end up here. If you haven’t emptied the Recycle Bin yet, you can quickly restore a misplaced file to its original folder by performing a simple search. You can configure confirmation dialogue so that every time you try to remove a file, a pop-up appears on your screen to confirm. To enable this, right-click the recycle bin on the desktop, select settings, and then tick (Display deletion confirmation dialogue).

How do you restore files from the recycle bin?

• Launch the Recycle Bin from either the desktop or the Start menu.
• Locate the missing file you want to restore.
• Highlight the desired file and click “Restore”. If you need to restore multiple files at once, select them and then click “Restore the selected items” in the upper left corner.
• You can also drag and drop files from the Recycle Bin to another location if you don’t want them to go back to the original.

• Windows Backup History

If your Recycle Bin is empty, here is the next alternative you should try. File History backup is an option in Windows 8.1, 10, and 11 that allows you to store copies to network storage or even an external SSD or hard disc. Please keep in mind that this feature should be enabled before running your first backup. This is not set up by default.

How do you restore files from a File History backup?

• Go to the Windows search box and enter “Restore your files with File History.”
• Locate the file you want to recover. 
• Click the file’s version and then click Restore. 
• You can then drag it to a new location or leave it in the original folder.

Note: Wondering how to recover permanently deleted files from your PC? Windows’ File History is one of the best ways to safeguard your work. However, keep in mind that File History only retains copies of your files for a limited time, typically 30 days.

• Microsoft Windows File Recovery

The final option we recommend is Windows File Recovery. This software can restore deleted files from local storage devices, including USB drives and SSDs. There are two modes available: regular and extensive. Regular is the most effective method for recovering recently deleted files, whereas Extensive mode expands your search for files deleted a long time ago.

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Ways to Recover Deleted Files on IOS

• Double-check the Trash

MacOS, like Windows, throws practically all deleted files into the trash. These files can only be removed from the Trash if you explicitly delete them or if the apps place them there when you delete them from within the app. Emptying the trash can also be done manually or by setting the Finder preferences to empty it after a specific number of days.

How do you restore files from the Trash?

• Open the trash.
• Locate and click on the file you want to restore.
• You can alternatively drag and drop the file to a different location if that is your preference.
• Time Machine Backup 

Time Machine is a built-in application that allows users to schedule automatic backups to an external storage device on an hourly, daily, or weekly basis.

Disclosure: Once the storage device is full, the disc will delete the oldest files. To restore files from Time Machine, you must first configure it and conduct a backup.

How do you restore files from the Time Machine?

• Connect the storage device you’ve set up with Time Machine.
• Go to the Apple menu, select System Preferences, and then Time Machine.
• Locate the missing file and click Restore to return it to its original location.
• Backup and Recovery Tool

File recovery software, like Microsoft Defender, can save your day. The software, sometimes known as “unerase” or “undelete,” may be able to find deleted items after you’ve emptied the trash, but the system has not yet overwritten the sectors on the HDD or SSD where the files were stored. To increase your odds, consider downloading the software on an external SSD.

How to Prevent Accidental Deletion of Files

Prevention is better than cure; you can take some precautionary measures to prevent data loss and restore the deleted files by following these Steps:

• To avoid overwriting, do not write new data to the drive where files have been erased.
• Make it a habit to Check the recycle bin once in a while; you might find useful files to restore.
• Regularly backing up files is a must. Enable automatic backups to external drives or cloud services to ensure you’re always prepared for unexpected data loss.
• Try storing your files and documents in cloud storage, like Google Drive, iCloud, etc.
• If you’ve accidentally deleted files, consider using trusted file recovery software as soon as possible. Many tools can scan your drive and help restore lost data.

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Takeaways 

Recovering deleted files may be stressful, but with the correct tools and approaches, you can recover your data quickly and efficiently. Whether you’re using Windows or Mac, built-in recovery solutions such as the Recycle Bin, Time Machine, or File History can often save the day. If those don’t work, third-party file recovery tools can be really helpful. 

The trick is to act quickly and not overwrite deleted data. To avoid future data loss, back up your information on a regular basis and use cloud storage for enhanced security. With these procedures, you will never have to worry about losing files again!

Frequently Asked Questions 

Can I recover files after emptying the Recycle Bin?

Yes, you can use File History (Windows), Time Machine (Mac), or third-party recovery tools to recover deleted files after emptying the Recycle Bin.

How long do deleted files stay in the Recycle Bin?

Deleted files remain in the Recycle Bin until you manually empty it or until storage space is depleted, at which point Windows may automatically destroy older items.

Is it possible to recover permanently deleted files without backup?

Yes, however, you will need file recovery software such as Windows File Recovery, Recuva, or EaseUS to try data recovery.

Can I restore deleted files from a formatted drive?

Yes, recovery tools can help, but success is contingent on whether new data has overwritten the deleted information.

How do I prevent losing important files in the future?

Make regular backups of your data using File History, Time Machine, or cloud storage services such as Google Drive or iCloud.

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