How to recover deleted files

Are you wondering how to recover deleted files? If so, then you’re already aware of how frustrating it can be to have an important file be deleted accidentally. If you’re trying to get it back, then don’t lose hope: there are a few things to try before throwing in the towel. Keep reading for a few suggestions on how to recover deleted files.

First of all, if you just now deleted the file, then you may be able to get it back by simply issuing the Undo command on the desktop, which is Ctrl + Z. Click anywhere in the empty space in a folder or on your desktop and press Ctrl-Z. If you haven’t done anything else on the file system, like move a file or copy a folder, then the Undo command may bring the file back from wherever it was moved to, whether it was the Recycle Bin or elsewhere. Speaking of the Recycle Bin, you can check there for your file if the Ctrl-Z command doesn’t work. The Recycle Bin is where files go before they are permanently deleted. You can browse through it, and if you see the file you’re looking for, simply press the Restore button and the file will go back to wherever it was before. While you’re in there, it may be a good idea to empty the bin if there’s nothing else that you need in there, since it will free up some space on your computer.

If you’ve already deleted the file from the Recycle Bin, then the next thing to do is to check any place where you may have backed up the file. Did you copy it elsewhere on your computer, or to external media like a flash drive? Did you back it up using a cloud-based service like Dropbox? If so, then you can go to wherever you backed the file up, and make a copy of that copy to put back in the original location. However, if you didn’t back the file up anywhere, and it’s nowhere to be found on the computer, then it’s time to bring out some specialized tools.

When it comes to recovering deleted files, a file recovery tool can be one of the most effective ways to get a file back. These tools will scan your hard drive for any items that were recently deleted, and you can browse through all of the files that it finds. Once you locate the one you’re looking for, all you have to do is click a button and the file will be magically restored to its original location. There are hundreds of file recovery programs out there, and while there isn’t a big difference between them in terms of efficiency, you should at least make sure you buy from a reputable company. If you’ve tried a specialized tool and nothing is working at all, then you can pursue one final step.

The last step in how to recover deleted files is to try a System Restore. This procedure will turn your computer back to how it was at a previous date — usually within the last week or so. It’s as if you were using your computer a few days ago: everything will be like it was at that point. Keep in mind that, while this may give you access to your deleted file, it will also permanently delete any new files or programs that have been saved to the computer in the meantime. In other words, you’ll lose any changes that have been made in the past few days. Remember also that this is the very last option for recovering a deleted file. If this doesn’t work, then unfortunately, you’re just out of luck.

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