Symptoms
- Files are gone from their folder and not in the Recycle Bin
- Deleted a folder by mistake with Shift+Delete
- Realized the mistake minutes or hours after deleting
- Files were on a USB drive or SD card, which don't use a Recycle Bin
Likely causes
- CommonFile was deleted normally and the data is still on disk, just unindexedDeletion usually just removes the pointer to the file, not the data itself.
- CommonDeleted from a Recycle Bin-less location (USB, SD card, network drive)External and removable drives typically skip the Recycle Bin.
- PossibleNew files have already overwritten the deleted dataThe more you use the drive after deleting, the lower the recovery odds.
- Less commonFile was permanently wiped by a secure-delete toolSome backup or security tools overwrite deleted data on purpose.
What to do
- Stop saving new files to the same drive or partition right away to avoid overwriting the deleted data.
- Check the Recycle Bin first and search it by the file's original name if it's a Windows drive.
- For files not in the Recycle Bin, install a reputable file recovery tool onto a different drive than the one you're recovering from.
- Run a scan targeting the specific drive or folder and preview recoverable files before restoring.
- Recover files to a different drive, never back onto the same one you're scanning.
- If the built-in recovery tool finds nothing, a professional recovery service may still retrieve data from lightly used drives.
Tools and parts
- File recovery software
- A second drive to save recovered files to
When to call a pro
If the files are critical (legal, financial, irreplaceable photos) and basic recovery software fails, stop and consult a data recovery professional before trying more tools.
Safety
Generally low risk
Generally low risk for a careful person. Stop if anything looks different from what this guide describes.