How to Recover Deleted Files on Windows computer

Accidentally deleted a family photo, school project, or important document saved on your Windows PC? It’s upsetting, but those files might still be recoverable. Whether you cleared the Recycle Bin or lost files due to a computer issue, Windows 10 and 11 have several built-in and third-party options to recover deleted files on hard drive after deleting. This article explores three simple ways—Recycle Bin, File History, and free recovery software—to restore your important documents, pictures, or game progress. You don’t need to be a tech expert—just follow these steps to Recover Deleted Files on Windows computer.

What Happens When Files Get Deleted?

When you delete a file in Windows, it doesn’t immediately disappear from your hard drive. Instead, Windows simply marks the space the file occupied as “free” or “available for reuse.” Until new data overwrite that space, the deleted file can often still be recovered.

• When you press the Delete key or right-click > Delete, the file goes to the Recycle Bin, giving you a chance to recover it easily.
• This bypasses the Recycle Bin. The file is not visible to the system anymore, but the data remains on the disk — at least temporarily.

This is why it’s so important to stop using the drive immediately after accidental deletion. Saving new files or installing programs can overwrite that “free” space, making recovery much harder or even impossible.

🗑️ Check the Recycle Bin First

The Recycle Bin acts like a safety net, catching most files you delete from folders like Documents or Desktop. It’s the quickest way to recover files without extra setup, perfect for accidental deletions like a photo or spreadsheet. However, it won’t help if you’ve emptied the Bin or used “Shift+Delete,” and it only holds files until space runs out.

• Double-click the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop.
• Find the file you want to recover.
• Right-click the file and select Restore.
• The file will return to its original location.

✅ Works if you haven’t emptied the Recycle Bin or used Shift+Delete.

🔁 Use File History to Recover Files

If File History was turned on before deletion, you can restore previous versions of files or folders. It’s great for recovering files like a work report you edited by mistake or a game you deleted weeks ago.

• Right-click the folder that contained the deleted file.
• Select Properties > Previous Versions.
• Choose a version before the deletion.
• Click Restore to bring the file back.

Or you can open the control panel -> system and security -> file History -> restore personal files.

Here choose the specific file or entire folder you want to recover from the backup drive.

📁 File History must have been enabled beforehand via Settings > Update & Security > Backup.

🧰 Try Windows File Recovery Tool

If the file was permanently deleted, Microsoft offers a free tool called Windows File Recovery that can recover lost files — but it uses the Command Prompt.

• Download it from the Microsoft Store.
• Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
• Use a command like: winfr C: D:\RecoveryFolder /regular /n \Users\YourName\Documents\MyFile.docx

(Replace C:, D:, file paths, and file name as needed.)

⚠️ This tool is advanced and has a learning curve. It’s best used with Microsoft’s official documentation.

💻 Use a Third-Party File Recovery Program

If you’re uncomfortable with command-line tools or need a user-friendly interface, try trusted recovery software. Free tools like Recuva scan your hard drive to find deleted files that the Recycle Bin or File History missed, such as files deleted months ago or from a formatted drive. It works best if you act fast before new files overwrite the old ones.

Top free & reliable recovery tools:

• Recuva (by CCleaner) – Beginner-friendly and effective for photos, docs, and videos
• EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard – Deep scan and preview before recovery
• Disk Drill for Windows – Recovers files from HDD, SSD, USB, SD cards

You can recover files and folders using free third-party recovery software like Recuva:

• Download and install Recuva (free) from [ccleaner.com/recuva].
• Install it on a USB drive, not your main drive, to keep files safe.
• Launch the app and select the file type to recover.
• Choose the drive where the file was deleted.
• Click Scan, and wait ~5-20 minutes for results. Pick the files marked green (safe to recover) and click Recover.
• Save them to a USB drive and open to check they work.

🛡️ Always install recovery software to a different drive than the one you’re recovering from to avoid overwriting data.

If you use OneDrive or other cloud services (Google Drive, Dropbox), your files might still be there. Visit onedrive.live.com. Go to the Recycle bin tab. Select and restore deleted files.

🧠 Important Note: When you delete a file, Windows marks the space as “available,” but the data is still physically there until overwritten.

Stop using your PC right after deleting a file: Don’t install new programs or don’t save new files. Use another drive to download recovery tools. Try recovery within a few days for better results.

To stay safe, start backing up your PC today—it’s easier than you think and prevents future stress.