When you permanently deleted your files by mistake, is it possible to recover them? The answer is YES! This post primarily introduces 4 proven methods to restore permanently deleted files in Windows 10 free.
Yesterday, I deleted some files on my Windows 10 computer. Now I find I still need them. So I came to the Recycle Bin and planned to restore them. But to my surprise, my files are not there! It turns out that I have the Do not move deleted files to Recycle Bin option is enabled. This means when I delete a file, it will be deleted permanently instead of going to the Recycle Bin. How can I restore permanently deleted files in Windows 10? It would be better if it is free.”
- Question from a user
Except for the reason mentioned above, there are more common reasons behind permanent file loss:
No matter how you have permanently deleted your files, you are able to retrieve them back using the methods mentioned below.
In the beginning, we’ll introduce how to recover permanently deleted files in Windows 10 without software. Two methods are mentioned in this section.
The first method to get back permanently deleted files is to restore them from a Windows backup making with the Windows built-in utility Backup and Restore if you have this feature enabled in advance.
Step 1. Input Control Panel in the Windows search bar, and start it.
Step 2. Click System and Security and then Backup and Restore (Windows 7).
Step 3. Here you’ll see if you have this function enabled. If you do, click Select another backup to restore files from. If you don’t, jump to the next method.
Step 4. Select the backup and then click Next.
Step 5. Search for your excel file by using the Browse for files or Browse for folders option.
Step 6. Choose a location to save the backup, select your files and click Restore to recover it.
Bonus tip: Backup files to avoid data loss via AOMEI Backupper
You can also use the third-party backup freeware AOMEI Backupper. It allows you to back up your partitions to the destination you designate in just a few simple steps.
Step 1. Download, install and launch AOMEI Backupper for Windows on your computer.
Step 2. Under the Backup tab, select the Partition Backup option.
Step 3. You can set a Task Name to help you distinguish backups from each other. Click Add Partition or Volume to choose the partition you want to back up. You can also choose a location to save your backup. After, click Start Backup.
Step 4. Click Start Backup to carry out partition backup and wait until the operation is complete. Click Finish to exit the interface.
You are able to save copies of your files using the File History feature so that you can recover them if they are lost or damaged. You need to enable this feature on your Windows PC before deleting your files. Let's learn how to recover permanently deleted files in Windows 10 without software.
Step 1. Go to Control Panel > System and Security > File History.
Step 2. Here you’ll see if you have this feature turned on. If yes, click Restore personal files. If not, go to the final method.
Step 3. Select the excel file you need to recover and then click the Restore button.
If neither of the previous two methods works for you, you can try MyRecover, a free but powerful data recovery tool. You can use it to restore permanently deleted files in Windows 10, even if you don't have a file backup or a file history.
Download, install and launch MyRecover on your computer.
Step 1. Hover the mouse over the drive, and click Scan.
Step 2. Then the scanning process will start automatically. You don’t need to wait for the process to complete if you find the files you want to recover.
Step 3. Choose the files that you want to recover. Click Recover xx files and choose a destination path to save the restored files.
Of course, you can also recover permanently deleted files in Windows 10 using CMD. With Windows File Recovery, the Microsoft-developed command-line tool, you are able to recover permanently deleted files with commands. Note, this tool only works with Windows 10 versions 2004 and up.
Preparation work:
Check your File System first before using this tool. Go to This PC, right-click the partition containing the deleted files, and then select Properties.
In addition, you need to use recovery mode and switches to get back your files. To decide which mode to use, refer to this table.
| File system | Scenarios | Mode |
| NTFS | Deleted recently | Regular |
| NTFS | Deleted for a while | Extensive |
| NTFS | Formatted disk | Extensive |
| NTFS | Corrupted disk | Extensive |
| FAT and exFAT | Any | Extensive |
Switches are used to filter the scanning range, thus can save the scanning time.
| Switches | Meaning | 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 | Recovers system files. | NTFSSegment |
| /u | Recovers undeleted files, for example, from the Recycle Bin. | NTFSSegment |
Step 1. Download and install Window File Recovery on your computer from Microsoft Store and then open it.
Step 2. Open Powershell or Command Prompt (run as administrator). In the Command Prompt, enter commands in the following command format:
winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/mode] [/switches]
For example, if you need to recover deleted pdf files from F: drive (the external hard drive) to D: drive, then the command will be like:
winfr F: D: /regular /n *.pdf
This post primarily gives four methods to restore permanently deleted files in Windows 10 for free. You can choose the most suitable one according to your own situation.
If you’ve enabled Backup and Restore, you can restore permanently deleted files from a Windows backup. If you’ve turned on File History, you can revert to an older copy of the files. If you don't have a file backup or a file history, MyRecover can help you recover permanently deleted files without any limitations. You’re also able to recover files via Windows File Recovery, but this tool is technical-demanding.