How to Recover Deleted Photos in Windows 11 (6 Ways)

Microsoft provides users with some options to respond quickly in the event of a data loss. If you have deleted some photos in Windows 11 but find they are still useful, you can undo changes or check the Recycle Bin folder. All the deleted files will be moved to the Recycle Bin folder by default.

If you find the deleted files not in the Recycle Bin, they may be deleted permanently. Or the Recycle Bin folder is emptied. In this case, you can seek help from backup software, such as Backup and Restore, if it is enabled. If not, using professional Windows data recovery software to recover deleted photos on Windows 11 will be a good choice.

Let's learn the 6 easy ways in detail.

Method 1: Undo Photo Deletion

If you accidentally deleted photos in Windows 11, but don’t close the picture folder or photo editor, press Ctrl + Z to undo the deletion action quickly. Alternatively, right-click on the blank space within the folder and select "Undo Delete" to recover deleted photos in Windows 11.

Method 2: Restore Deleted Photos from Recycle Bin

Also, recovering deleted files from Recycle Bin, such as photos, will be another good choice. The deleted photos will be retained for 30 days unless you empty it.

Step 1. Open the Recycle Bin, either from the Desktop or File Explorer. Locate the photos you accidentally deleted from Windows 11.

Step 2. Right-click the deleted photos and select Restore. It will be restored to its original location. You can also select multiple photos at the same time.

Method 3: Get Back Deleted Photos using Data Recovery Software

If you still can’t get the deleted photos back, they may be deleted permanently. Try powerful image recovery software - MyRecover to recover deleted photos in Windows 11 if you don't have a valid backup.

It has a high success rate and fast recovery speed. Meanwhile, it can handle data loss in different scenarios well, such as accidental deletion, disk format, virus infection, etc. Also, there are some useful data recovery features:

MyRecover

Trustworthy Data Recovery Software for Windows

• Support two advanced scanning methods. It helps to find out all the deleted or other missing files easily and quickly.
• Recover deleted PNG files, JPG/JPEG, TIF, GIF, PSD, X3F, SVG, ARW, and many more image formats.
• Filter specific or all image formats, or the pictures folder containing all of your important memories.
• Recover deleted photos in Windows 11 while scanning saves your precious time. Keep their original filename, format, quality, and path.
• Recover deleted photos in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, and Windows Server for free over 500MB.

Download Freeware
Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7 & servers

100% Secure

Now please download the best image recovery software - MyRecover and install it. Then, follow the steps below to recover deleted photos in Windows 11.

Step 1: Open MyRecover. Hover the mouse over the drive and click Scan to scan.

Step 2: It will run two advanced scanning methods - Quick Scan & Deep Scan automatically and display all the found files including photos in the following window.

Step 3 (optionally): You can quickly filter deleted photos and preview them to ensure you get the ones you want. Here are 3 feasible ways as follows:

• Search specific files or folders: Type the keywords of your image name, the extension(e.g. PNG, JPG, GIF, SVG, etc.), or the folder (e.g. Pictures) containing all deleted photos in the search box. So you can recover specific files or folders.

• Lock the image file type: Click Filter and select Type >Images. It will show you all the available images in different formats. You can also set the date modified and size.

• Check the original location: Expand the Deleted Files tab and go to the folder containing all the deleted photos.

Step 4: Select the deleted photos you want once found and click the Recover x files button. You are allowed to recover them during the scanning process saving time and effort. 

Step 5: You will then be asked to select a location. Please select a new location instead of the original location, which may cause file corruption or permanently deleted files.

Method 4: Recover Deleted Photos from Backup and Restore

Windows 11 also includes the previous backup software - Backup and Restore (Windows 7) that backup all the user files as well as other personal data such as pictures. If you set up a backup task using this software, it’s worth trying to restore photos from backup image.

Step 1: Connect the backup drive containing copies of your files including your precious pictures. Search for Control Panel in the start menu and select System and Maintenance > Backup and Restore (Windows 7).

Step 2: Choose Restore my files.

Step 3: Click Browse for files or Browse for folders and select the target files. Then, click Next.

Step 4: Choose the location to restore your photos - original location or new location. Then, click Restore to retrieve deleted photos in Windows 11.

Method 5: Retrieve Deleted Photos from File History

File History is dedicated file backup software to backup specific folders such as Pictures, Documents, Desktop, etc in Windows 11. It also includes the option to add a folder and backup any files you want. Try this if enable File History in advance.

Step 1: Open the Control Panel from the Start menu. Navigate to System and Security and File History.

Step 2: In the left pane, click Restore personal files.

Step 3: It will direct you to the File History window and display the most recent backup. You can click the left or right arrow to find the backup version you want based on the dates. Finally, click the green restore button to retrieve your photos. The images will be restored to their original location.

Method 6: Recover Deleted Photos from Previous Versions

Instead of directly recovering deleted photos in Windows 11 from File History, you can also try previous versions. It saves copy of your files from File History backup.

Step 1: Right-click on the folder containing deleted photos and select Show more options > Restore previous versions.

Step 2. It will direct you to a previous version window and display all the available previous versions of files and folders. Select the desired previous version based on the backup date.

Step 3: Click Open to confirm it is the desired version. Then, click Restore to restore deleted photos in Windows 11. You can save the deleted photos either at the original location or a new location.

Quick Tips to Protect Photos on Windows 11

Except for accidental deletion, there are many reasons for deleting photos, such as disk format, virus infection, etc. You can choose to scan your system for viruses regularly, avoid accessing malicious websites, etc to prevent data loss as much as possible.

However, it cannot help you get back the deleted photos in Windows 11. To make it possible, try the best Windows backup software - AOMEI Backupper Standard. Its File Backup feature is able to back up your photos and allows you to create multiple backup copies.

Open this backup software after installing it on your computer. Click File Backup under the Backup tab and click Add File or Add Folder to select photos. Then, select the local path, share or NAS devices, or cloud drive like OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox. Finally, click Start Backup.

To create 3 copies of your photos, except for the original photos, you still need to set two backup tasks with the help of the File Backup feature. You can choose to save the backup copies on different storage devices, for example, one is on the external disk and the other is on network drive, NAS, or cloud drive.

FAQs