6 Easy Ways | How Do I Undelete a File in Windows 10?

You may ask how do I undelete a file in Windows 10? On this page, you will get 6 practical ways to help you recover permanently deleted files in Windows 10 quickly and easily.

Lori

By Lori / Updated on December 21, 2023

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Is It Possible to Recover Deleted Files on Windows 10?

In most cases, yes. However, several factors can affect your chances of success, such as the type of deleted file and when it was deleted. If you have recently deleted important files using Shift + Delete or emptied data from your computer's Recycle Bin, not all hope is lost.

This is because simply clicking the Delete does not immediately free up any storage space. Only when you press Shift + Delete or deleted files not in Recycle Bin, Windows mark the disk space occupied by deleted files as empty but loses the possibility to recover files from the Recycle Bin.

undelete files

However, the inability to recover permanently deleted files from Recycle Bin does not mean that they are completely unrecoverable. Keep in mind that you need to recover permanently deleted files as soon as possible before they are overwritten.

There are many ways to recover permanently deleted files on Windows 10, we will cover them all. On this page, you will gain 6 effective ways to solve how do I undelete a file in Windows 10.

How to Recover Deleted Files on Windows 10

Whether your important files are permanently deleted or not, the following 6 practical ways to undelete a file in Windows 10 will help you.

#1. Undo Delete Files in Windows 10

“How do I undo a delete on my PC?” If you've accidentally deleted files in File Explorer and want to undo it in Windows 10, you can press Ctrl+Z, a shortcut in Windows to undo the last changes.

❌ Warning: If you've done other actions after the deletion, this quick method won't work.

▶ Go to the folder where the deletion happened > right-click within the folder > choose the Undo Delete option.

Undo Delete

#2. Recover Deleted Files from Recycle Bin

As you may know, usually when you select a file in Windows 10 and click Delete, the file moves to the Recycle Bin. The files remain in the Recycle Bin until you manually empty it, so you easily salvage deleted files.

▶ Double-click the Recycle Bin icon to open it > find your deleted or lost files > right-click the selected files and choose Restore to recover them to their original location in Windows 10.

Restore from Recycle Bin

#3. Recover Lost Files with the Windows File Recovery

Microsoft released its data recovery tool, Windows File Recovery. You can recover deleted files from Recycle Bin after  empty. It is designed for Windows 10 and higher and requires the use of a command prompt, which may be challenging for users.

⚠️Notes:
  • Windows File Recovery supports the recovery of photos, videos, and documents using commands, which can be difficult for users. You can learn how to use Windows File Recovery.

    Data recovery with Windows File Recovery may not be effective. If you are unable to recover data, you can try other methods below.

    Before using it, please right mode according to the file system of your drive and right switches based on data loss circumstances.

Step 1. Go to This PC to right-click on your drive and click Properties.

Check File System

Step 2. Select a recommended mode according to the file system of your drive and data loss circumstances.

File system

Circumstances

Recommended mode

NTFS

Deleted recently

Regular

NTFS

Deleted a while ago

Extensive

NTFS

After formatting a disk

Extensive

NTFS

A corrupted disk

Extensive

FAT and exFAT

Any

Extensive

Step 3. Choose your needed switches.

Switches

Definition

Supported mode(s)

/n

Filter the scan range: scans for a specific file with its file name/path/type, etc.

All

/y:

Recover specific extension groups.

Signature

/k

Recover system files.

NTFS Segment​​​​​

/u

Recovers undeleted files, for example, from the Recycle Bin.

NTFS Segment

Then, follow the steps below to recover deleted files using Windows File Recovery.

Step 1. Go to Microsoft Store, search and click Windows File Recovery tool, and choose Get to download it. Then, install and open it on your PC.

Microsoft Store Get

Step 2. Type the command line based on the general command line syntax:winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/mode] [/switches].

For example, if you need to recover zip files under C: drive to E drive, you need to type commands like winfr D: E: /extensive /n *paper*

Winfr Extensive Filaname

#4. Recover Emptied Recycle Bin Files via MyRecover

Windows File Recovery claims to recover different files, but it's not user-friendly and not very effective recovery, especially for beginners. It only works on Windows 10 and  Windows 11.

For a better option, go for MyRecover. It's easy to use, has a high success rate, and works on almost all Windows operate systems, including Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, and Windows Server. It supports various storage devices, such as internal and external hard drives, USB drives, SD Cards, etc.

MyRecover
Powerful Data Recovery Software
  • Recover deleted files from the Recycle Bin or other data loss scenarios, such as accidental deletion, disk formatting, system crashes, etc.
  • Recover 200+ file formats: It can recover deleted Microsoft Word, Excel, PPT, PDF, JPG, MP4, MP3, CDA, MSG, ZIP, and more.
  • Advanced scanning method: Quick Scan and Deep Scan allow you to locate all deleted or lost files effectively.
  • Support filter and preview files during the scanning process, and keep files' original name/format/path/quality.

"How do I undelete a file in Windows 10?" Please refer to the following steps to restore permanently deleted files in Windows 10 easily.

Step 1. Download and run MyRecover

Download and install MyRecover on your computer, select the drive that saves the files you would like to recover, and click Start Scan.

select-a-partition-to-scan

Step 2. Start scanning process

Then the scanning process will start Quick Scan & Deep Scan automatically. You can use the Search Box or the Filter feature to quickly locate the permanently deleted files.

scan-lost-data

Step 3. Select files to recover

You will see a list of data and choose the files you want to recover. Then, click Recover x files. MyRecover will display the number of files to be recovered and their entire size.

recover-lost-data

Step 4. Choose a new location

Please select a new location instead of the original location to save the files and click Select Folder to confirm it, avoiding files overwriting on your storage device.

Select New Location

🌟Tip: If needed, please upgrade to the advanced editions to enjoy unlimited data recovery.

#5. Restore Permanently Deleted Files in Windows 10 via File History

File History is a built-in feature in the Windows OS designed for users to back up and restore their files. If the File History is turned off, you can restore previous versions of files/folders.

If you have a File History backup, the process of recovering files becomes simple on Windows 10/11/8.

Step 1. Type Control Panel in the search bar to open it > click System and Security File History > Restore your files with File History.

file-history

Step 2. Click Restore personal files.

restore-personal-files

Step 4. Go to the path that saved the deleted files. Then, select and click the Recover to recover them.

restore-deleted-file

#6. Restore Permanently Deleted via the Previous Version

You can also use the useful backup feature Previous Version of Windows 10/11/8. This feature allows you to access earlier versions or backup copies of files stored on your computer.

🌟Tip: With File History or System Protection enabled, you will get a history of files or folders based on time. Before the recovery process, you can browse and select the files to be recovered.

Step 1.Press Win + E to open File Explorer. Find the folder that is used to save your deleted file.

locate-deleted-folder

Step 2. Right-click the file and choose Properties Previous Version. Select a version before the date you deleted the file, and click Restore.

previous-version-restore

FAQs

Are permanently deleted files gone forever?
 
When you permanently delete a file, the storage drive makes its space available for new data. Because the data deletion process only removes the reference path, while the actual contents keep intact. So data recovery software can recover permanently deleted files in Windows 10.
How do I recover something I accidentally deleted while typing?
 
No worries—here's a quick fix, you can use for your computer the Undo function. For Windows users, hit Ctrl + Z; for Mac users, it's Command + Z.
Can you recover deleted files after resetting Windows 10?
 
Yes, but the recovery should be done immediately after Windows 10 is reset to factory settings. Otherwise, the chances of recovery will be smaller due to data overwriting. When factory resetting Windows 10, applying a data recovery tool should be the most efficient and safe method.
How can I recover permanently deleted files in Windows 10 without backup?
 
If you have accidentally deleted files without a backup, you need to use a powerful Windows 10 data recovery software like MyRecover to recover them.

Step 1. Download and open MyRecover. Select the desired drive and click Start Scan.
Step 2. Wait until the scanning process is complete. Then, locate the lost and deleted files and click Recover xxx files.
Step 3. Choose a new location to save the recovered files.
Do deleted files from USB go to Recycle Bin?
 
Files deleted from a USB flash drive don't go to the Recycle Bin. Since it's an external device, they are permanently deleted, and you can't recover them from the Recycle Bin. However, data recovery software like MyRecover can help you recover deleted files from USB drives.
What if the folder is too big to recycle?
 
If you face the error this folder is too big to recycle, right-click on the Desktop, and choose Properties next to your Recycle Bin. Click on the drive and set the maximum drive space you want for the Recycle Bin next to Custom size.
Can you undo a delete on iPhone?
 
Yes, if you accidentally delete a photo or video on your iPhone, you have a 30-day window to get it back from your Recently Deleted album. Recovered photos and videos go back to your Library.

Conclusion

How do I undelete a file in Windows 10? As you can see, you get 6 effective ways to solve this question. Even if you use Shift + Delete, you can recover permanently deleted files in Windows 10. Among the 6 recovery ways, the quickest and easiest way is to use MyRecover.

To keep your data safe and avoid file loss, we recommend you to create regular a file backup of all valuable data with this free professional backup software for Windows AOMEI Backupper Standard. It support a backup system, file or folder, partition, and the entire disk to other storage devices.

Lori
Lori · Editor
Lori receives professional technical training since joining AOMEI, and aims at helping users troubleshoot problems on data recovery and protection. She focuses on simple, efficient and practical methods, and provides professional advice. Being able to help readers and users is her ultimate goal.