Recover Deleted File from USB Not in Recycle Bin in 4 Ways

Where do my deleted files go if not in Recycle Bin?

As we all know, when we delete files from computer hard drives, the files will be moved to Recycle Bin, so that some users can retrieve files from Recycle Bin when needed. But many users report that deleted USB files are not found in Recycle Bin. This is because when you remove files from a USB flash drive, they are not saved to Recycle Bin and are deleted directly by the system.

Can deleted USB files not saved in Recycle Bin be recovered? Of course! This is because, when files are deleted from a USB they are not completely removed from the disk, but the space occupied by this part of the data is marked as empty until the space is occupied by the newly written data.

Why is my deleted file not in Recycle Bin?

When you delete a file in the following cases, the deleted item will not go to the Recycle Bin.

• You deleted files using the Shift + Delete keys or via the Command Prompt.
• You removed files from a USB flash drive.
• The "Don't move files to the Recycle Bin" option in Recycle Bin was checked.
• Deleted files are larger than the Recycle Bin free space, or the Recycle Bin is full.
• You emptied the Recycle Bin by mistake.

How to recover deleted file from USB not in Recycle Bin

Do deleted files from USB go to Recycle Bin? Usually not. However, there are still several ways that you can use to get back deleted files from flash drive not in Recycle Bin. Next, let's get down to business.

Way 1. Recover deleted files from USB not in Recycle Bin via recovery software

With professional hard drive recovery software - MyRecover, you can easily recover deleted files whether they are in the Recycle Bin or not.

This recovery tool allows you to recover files from USB flash drive, pen drive, SD card, memory card, HDD, SSD, and other various storage devices. And it can help in all kinds of scenarios such as deleted, formatted, partition loss, system crash, etc.

How to recover files deleted from external hard drive not in Recycle Bin, like a USB flash drive? Download this tool on your computer, and follow the complete guide below.

Step 1. Specify location

>>Run the recovery tool, hover the mouse over your USB disk where the deleted files are located, and then click Scan.

Step 2. Scan and preview files

>>It will automatically detect all deleted or lost files on your USB, and these files will be listed in the Scanned files list.

Pro tip:

You can use the Filter feature to display a specific type or utilize the Search option to locate a certain document quickly.

Step 3. Select and recover files

>>On the left, click on Recycle Bin. Select the wanted deleted files and click Recover x files. Then, you could choose a safe location for data recovery.

Way 2. Restore USB files not in Recycle Bin with Windows File Recovery

In addition to using a third-party data recovery tool, you can also employ the Windows official tool, Windows File Recovery, to recover permanently deleted folders from USB or get back deleted files from hard disks not in Recycle Bin. Windows File Recovery is a command-line utility, which means that you'll be issuing commands in CMD or PowerShell to use it.

The common command line for data recovery is winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/mode] [/switches]. There are some switches to control Windows File Recovery to perform file recovery.

Notes:✎...

The source-drive and destination-drive can't be the same.

Step 1. Download and install Windows File Recovery on your computer from Microsoft Store.

Step 2. Open the USB hard drive’s Properties, check its File System, and choose the mode you should use to recover data.

Step 3. Launch Windows File Recovery, and input your specific recovery command line.

For example, if you want to restore JPG files that were deleted for a while from the source USB drive (F drive) to the destination drive (D drive), the right command line is winfr F: D: /extensive /n *.jpg.

Step 4. Press “Y” to continue to recover deleted files from USB free and wait for the recovery process to complete.

Way 3. Recover deleted files from USB not in Recycle Bin from previous version

How to recover deleted files from USB without software from third party? If you have used File History to create backups for USB files or created restore points for Windows before data loss, it is an easy task to recover deleted files from USB not in Recycle Bin. You can directly restore copies of your USB files to get them back.

Step 1. Open This PC or My Computer and navigate to the folder that used to contain the deleted file or folder.

Step 2. Right-click it, and then select Restore previous versions.

Step 3. You'll see a list of available previous versions of the file or folder on the Previous Versions tab. Choose the needed one and click Restore.

Way 4. Recover USB files not in Recycle Bin using Windows backup

Another possible method to restore deleted files not in Recycle Bin on Windows 10 is to retrieve data from a Windows backup.

Step 1. Open Control Panel > System and Security > Backup and Restore (Windows 7).

Step 2. Tap on the Restore my files button.

Step 3. Click Browse for files or Browse for folders > select the files you need > Next.

Step 4. Choose the destination for saving stored files > tap Restore.

Last words

This page lists 4 possible solutions to recover deleted file from USB not in Recycle Bin. You can either use the MyRecover software, turn to Windows File Recovery, or restore a copy or backup file to get back accidentally deleted data from external hard drive effortlessly.