How to Get Back Something You Accidentally Deleted [4 Ways Included]

Do you want to know how to get back something you accidentally deleted? Here in this post, we list 4 ways for you to restore your files. Keep reading!

By @Ellie Last Updated October 16, 2024

How to get back something you accidentally deleted on Windows

 

 

Hello everyone. I deleted my files accidentally several days ago but I didn’t realize it at that time. Now I need it urgently but I don’t know how can I recover my files. How do I get back something I deleted? I’ll be grateful if anybody tells me what can I do to change the situation.

- Question from a Windows user

How do I undo an accidental delete?

Deleting something accidentally and you have no idea how to recover is fairly annoyed and frustrated, especially for those very important files, photos... The thing that concerns people most must be the ways how to get back something you accidentally deleted. Now, follow me to know the ways with detailed steps.

Solution 1. Use Ctrl + Z keyboard shortcut

How do I undo what I just deleted? Actually, if you just deleted your files, folder, and something else a few seconds ago, the quickest and most efficient way is to press “Ctrl + Z” simultaneously to undo your operation. It works in most cases. And if there's something wrong with the keyboard shortcut, you can also right-click your mouse and then click “Undo Delete”.   

Solution 2. Restore the deleted files in Recycle Bin

We know that the accidentally deleting files will be stored in Recycle bin, which means you could restore them from it the Recycle bin. Now, follow me to know how to operate.

Step 1. Go to the "Recycle Bin" on your desktop.

Step 2. Find your accidentally deleted files or folders, select the file, and right-click on the "Restore" option to undo deleted files.

Step 3. After that, all the deleted files will go back to the original location where the files were stored before.

Solution 3. Restore files from the File history

Although we said that the accidentally deleted files could be recovered from Recycle bin, what if you empty your Recycle bin regularly and it is deleted again and cannot be found there? Don’t worry, it is still accessible to get the recovery. That’s resort to File History.

File History, a backup tool for Windows 10 mainly, can be used to backup files and it is also a way to restore the previous version of files. If you enable this feature before, then you could restore your deleted stuff.

Before the operation: Check whether you enable the feature by the navigation to “Control Panel” > “System and Security” > “File History”. If it is enabled before, then it will be shown "Turn off". 

Step 1. Search “restore files” in the search box and open “Restore your files with File History”.

Step 2. Check the folder where your deleted files are saved. Click the Recycle icon to restore your deleted files.

Alternatively, you could right-click the folder which includes the deleted files and select “Previous Versions”. According to the time, you could get the folder back to a previous date by clicking “Restore”.

Note: How can we get the previous version on Windows 7? Here are the steps.

Step 1. On the desktop, click on “My Computer” and then locate the folder that stores the deleted files before. Right-click and then choose “Restore previous versions”.

Step 2. There will be a “Properties” window that pops up. And then you’ll find the accidentally deleted files. Click on “ Restore” and then the deleted files will be back.

Solution 4. AOMEI Data Recovery-- Restore your data at ease

Now you must know how to get back something you accidentally deleted. If you recover your data by using the above ways, congratulations! However, if the deleted data didn’t show up, we recommend using a third-party recovery tool. MyRecover, the right choice for those who encounter data loss, enables everyone to recover data from SSD/HDD/NTFS partition with a user-friendly interface.

And the advantages can be listed as follows:

  • It is compatible with all Windows operating systems like Windows 11/10/8/7, which could save you from upgrading OS.
  • You can recover deleted Word, PPT, Excel, Photos, Videos, Audios, Emails, Web pages, Compressed files, and other lost files within simple clicks.
  • You’re also allowed to recover formatted data.

Now get it and enjoy it with me.

Download SoftwareWin 11/10/8/7/Server
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Step 1. Download and install MyRecover on your computer and then run it.

Step 2. After loading the disk, hover the mouse over the partition of the deleted files before, then click Scan.

Step 3. You can see your deleted files and other lost files after performing the Quick scan automatically. 

Step 4. Choose a new location to save your recovered files. Then select the files you need, and click the “Recovery files” button. After that, go to the folder you chose before to check them.

Step 5. After that, you could get back your accidentally deleted stuff.

Bonus tip: How to get back something you accidentally deleted on iPhone/ iPad

Moreover, if you delete something accidentally on your iPhone or iPad, how can you get back those lost data? Here is a nice choice AOMEI Data Recovery for iOS suiting you best. It can help you recover any deleted data such as “Photos”, “Videos”, “Notes” and so on without losing any data. What you need to do is connect it to a PC with a USB cable and then scan. Now follow me to know how to use it.

Step 1. Download AOMEI Data Recovery on your PC. Install and run it. Prepare a USB cable to connect your iPhone to your PC. When you connect successfully, you can see the following picture. Click on “Scan Now”.

Step 2. Wait for a few minutes and then when it is completed, go to the tab you want to recover from, for example, “Notes”. You’ll find all your deleted notes are shown in this section. Choose the deleted notes you want and then click on “Recover”.

Step 3. Now you could get back something deleted accidentally.

Conclusion

Here in this post, we list 5 ways how to get back something you accidentally deleted on Windows, iPhone, or iPad respectively. By using a “Ctrl + Z” shortcut, restoring from Recycle bin, recovering from the File History... However, if you get tired of trying them one by one or the issue still remains, you could try MyRecover and iOS to free you from the problem.