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How to Recover Deleted/Lost Files in Windows and Mac?

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We all are aware of the importance of digital data in today’s era. Almost all of us are in habit of storing our important data files such as images, videos, study material, documents or you can say a lot of personal data on our computers. Suppose if that data got deleted accidentally or due to any reason, what would be the loss? No one of us can never afford to lose this. To recover deleted files is a very big issue while working on the system.

I don’t know your case but in my case, I was very panic while deleted my important files accidentally. Then I started searching all around the web and found some easy to execute steps that helped me in restoring deleted files accidentally. If you are also in the same queue then need not worry. The same research and experience I am going to share with you in this guide. Keep reading!

How to Delete the Files or Folders and where they go after deletion?

Whatever the reason may be but almost all of us might have faced the issue of deleted file recovery in Windows, macOS, or Android. Like me, some of us might not be knowing how to restore deleted files? Have you ever thought where these files go after deletion? Microsoft users delete pictures, videos, documents, and other files by these means and where these removed files go?

  • If you want to delete a file or folder, right-click on its icon and choose Delete from the context menu.

If you want to delete a file or folder, right-click on its icon and choose Delete from the context menu.

  • Click on the file and simply press the Delete key.
  • You can drag and drop the unwanted files directly into Recycle Bin.

You can drag and drop the unwanted files directly into Recycle Bin.

All the deleted files or folders by these means will go to the recycle bin and there are chances of recovery.

If you have deleted the files or folders by the below-mentioned ways then it is a little bit difficult to restore deleted files.

  • If you have used shift+delete in order to delete a file or a bunch of files permanently.
  • Recycle bin can store or handle up to a certain size of files or folders. The Files or Folders having a big size are too large to Recycle Bin and will be deleted permanently.

Recycle bin can store or handle up to a certain size of files or folders. The Files or Folders having a big size are too large to Recycle Bin and will be deleted permanently.

In these two cases, the deleted files will automatically bypass Recycle Bin and be lost permanently and you can’t restore deleted files from the recycle bin.

Is it possible to Recover Deleted Files?

Is it possible to recover deleted files? This question is quite weird but yes it is possible. When you delete your files or folders accidentally or knowingly and if you want to restore deleted files then you need to take care that stop using your computer or other external memory storage devices from where you have deleted the data.

Is it possible to Recover Deleted Files?

This is because when you right-click a file and press the Delete option, the system removes the file directory and hides the data. This space will be marked as free for use. In such a case if you try to recover the data then you can quickly rebuild the file directory and your data will be restored easily.

And if you continue using the computer or storage device then the new data will overwrite the directory files and occupy the space. As this new data is more likely to overwrite the previously deleted files and its directory then the possibility of data recovery will be reduced. Even if you are having a hard drive, memory card, or USB drive with the limited free space then it is difficult to recover the deleted files on it.

How to Recover Deleted Files on Windows PC?

If you don’t want to use the third party tools to recover deleted files then here are some simple methods to restore the deleted files back. And at last, we will have a look towards the third party software also:

Recover Deleted Files from Recycle Bin

If the deleted files or folders are of smaller size then you can recover these deleted files from the recycle bin. To do so follow these steps:

  • Open Recycle Bin.

Open Recycle Bin.

  • Check and select the files you want to recover. Right-click on the icons. And then choose Restore from the context menu to recover selected files.

Check and select the files you want to recover. Right-click on the icons. And then choose Restore from the context menu to recover selected files.

  • You can also use the drag and drop method to restore the deleted files.
  • Select the desired folder or file which you want to restore.

Restore Deleted Files from the Previous Version

If the deleted files are of large size and not available in the recycle bin or if you have deleted the files permanently then it will not be recovered from the recycle bin. In such a case, you can recover deleted files by using the previous version. To do so follow these steps:

  • Open the folder containing the deleted files and click on the History button.
  • It will display all the files contained in the most recent backup of that folder with the date and time.
  • Click on the Previous button to locate and select the file you want to restore.

Click on the Previous button to locate and select the file you want to restore.

  • Now click on the Restore button to get the file/files back.

Note: This built-in windows 10 OS will fail to recover permanently deleted large files like videos. The third-party data recovery solutions are best to recover your large data files.

Recover deleted files using Software or Third-party tools

There are various methods to recover deleted data. There is plenty of third-party software to recover deleted data files. You can use one of them as per your ease. Some of these tools are free while some are paid. Free software has a limitation of file size recovery.  Today I will show you, how to use these software for the recovery of deleted files.

Recover Deleted Files using RECUVA

Recuva free provides user-friendly wizard utility, quick access, and efficient recovery options. All the files are individually listed whether recoverable or overwritten that can be restored in a matter of clicks.

  • Download Recuva free software and install it on your computer. Check on the ‘Enable Deep Scan‘ option present on the window. Next, click on the start button to initiate the process of recovering files.

Download Recuva free software and install it on your computer. Check on the 'Enable Deep Scan' option present on the window. Next, click on the start button to initiate the process of recovering files.

  • Recuva free software is started. You have to select the file type you want to recover and click next.

Recuva free software is started. You have to select the file type you want to recover and click next.

  • You can select the files by click on the box and press on the recover button present at the bottom of the window.

You can select the files by click on the box and press on the recover button present at the bottom of the window.

EASEUS Data Recovery Software

Losing your files is most devastating, and EaseUS recovery software will help to discover your files and recovers your deleted files. This helps to recover files even from an emptied trash, formatted hard disk, crashed operating system, and even from virus infected computer. This data recovery software helps to recover 2 GB of data for free, and if you want to recover more than 2 GB, then you have to purchase the software and become a premium member.

  • Download EaseUs data recovery software for Windows or Mac according to your system OS through your browser search engine.

Download EaseUs data recovery software for Windows or Mac according to your system OS through your browser search engine.

  • Select the drive where you lost your files and click on the scan button present on the top right corner of the window.

Select the drive where you lost your files and click on the scan button present on the top right corner of the window.

  • The EaseUS data recovery software will run both quick scan and deep scan in search of required files to recover them. Initially, a quick scan happens; check whether you found your lost file else goes with the deep scan in search of your lost file. In the middle of the search if you found your lost item wait till the end of the search to recover the file completely.
  • After completion of the scan, you will get the below window containing the left side of folders and right side files under those folders. Tick the checkboxes of files you want to recover and click on the recover button.

After completion of the scan, you will get the below window containing the left side of folders and right side files under those folders. Tick the checkboxes of files you want to recover and click on the recover button.

** Follow the same procedure to recover deleted files in Windows.

DISK DRILL

Disk Drill can recover recently deleted files and older files. Disk Drill is an independent platform which will restore any kind of file. This is also used to recover lost data from external devices including all types of memory cards and USB drives. You can recover 500 MB of free data using this quick and simple data recovery software. Windows recover deleted files and Mac, disk drill software is downloaded from the browser, and the same steps are followed to recover data.

  • Download the Disk Drill file by searching it from Google, run, and give permission to install it.

Download the Disk Drill file by searching it from Google, run, and give permission to install it.

  • Launch disk drill and select the drive you from which want to recover deleted or lost files.

Launch disk drill and select the drive you from which want to recover deleted or lost files.

  • On the next screen, you can see the file types on the left side and corresponding files on the right side.

On the next screen, you can see the file types on the left side and corresponding files on the right side.

  • Choose the file you want to recover and save the file.

WONDERSHARE RECOVER IT Data Recovery

Wondershare recovers it data recovery software will get back your deleted files in a natural way without any risks. With just a click scans your computer for images, videos, music, emails, documents, etc. This recovers data from hard drive, memory card, flash drive, digital camera, and camcords. It supports to recover data due to sudden deletion, formatting, hard drive corruption, virus attack, system crash under different situations.

  • Download Wondershare RecoverIt data recovery software from Google search and install it on your computer.

Download Wondershare RecoverIt data recovery software from Google search and install it on your computer.

  • Open the recover it data recovery icon present on your desktop.
  • On the screen select the deleted files recovery option.

On the screen select the deleted files recovery option.

  • Select the drive you want to search for your file or folder and click on the start button.

Select the drive you want to search for your file or folder and click on the start button.

  • The software begins to search and wait for quick search results. Next click on the all-round recovery option to find your lost files. Bottom left, you can find a red box which shows the files can be found according to loss of time.

The software begins to search and wait for quick search results. Next click on the all-round recovery option to find your lost files. Bottom left, you can find a red box which shows the files can be found according to loss of time.

  • After completion of scanning, you can select the files that you want to recover and click on recover present at the bottom.

After completion of scanning, you can select the files that you want to recover and click on recover present at the bottom.Note: The same procedure is followed for Mac to recover deleted files.

How to Recover Deleted Files on Mac?

Like Windows, Mac is also having a trash folder for the deleted files. Before moving ahead to use any tool or software just check the deleted files or folders in the trash box.

Recover Deleted Files from Trash Folder

If it is available then open the trash folder. Now drag and drop the deleted files or folders that you need to restore.

Stellar Phoenix Mac data recovery software

If not found in the trash, go with the download of stellar phoenix Mac data recovery software.

  • Download stellar phoenix Mac data recovery software and install it in your Mac.

Download stellar phoenix Mac data recovery software and install it in your Mac.

  • Open stellar phoenix Mac data recovery icon present on your desktop screen. You will have specific options, select start new scan option.

Open stellar phoenix Mac data recovery icon present on your desktop screen. You will have specific options, select start new scan option.

  • On the next screen, select the drive options given on the window. There are different category options to make your selection and search easy.

On the next screen, select the drive options given on the window. There are different category options to make your selection and search easy.

  • After finishing the scan, the pop – up window displays newly discovered files. The list of files consists of essential system files related to your primary computer’s operation, and it also contains the variant mix of many other types of files. Click on the checkboxes present on the left side of the file name and click on the Recover button to get back your lost file.

After finishing the scan, the pop – up window displays newly discovered files. The list of files consists of essential system files related to your primary computer’s operation, and it also contains the variant mix of many other types of files. Click on the checkboxes present on the left side of the file name and click on the recover button to get back your lost file.

WONDERSHARE DATA RECOVERY

Wondershare data recovery software below process guides you in recovering files from Mac and will also recover files from windows. This software helps to recover files quickly and easy way. You can download the free version of the software from online which is available separately for Windows and Mac and recover files without causing any problem or trouble with your system. With a few steps of the process, you can recover the files effectively. You can recover data such as photos, videos, audio, and other lost data. This also helps to recover data from external devices such as USB flash drive, memory stick, digital camera, SD card, and other external storage devices.

  • Download the Wondershare Data Recovery software for Mac. Once you download the software, install it in your system.

Download the Wondershare Data Recovery software for Mac. Once you download the software, install it in your system.

  • Open the software icon installed in your system and choose lost file recovery.

Open the software icon installed in your system and choose lost file recovery.

  • After completion of steps, if you did not find the file under this section then go with the below options to find your file.
  • Select the partition from which you want to select the file. If you are searching for a specific kind of file then select from below all files drop-down marked in yellow color. If you have added any drives and they are not visible on the window then click on refresh drives marked in blue color. Untick the box parallel to enable deep scan option to perform that operation. After completion of all these process taps on the scan button marked in red color.

Select the partition from which you want to select the file. If you are searching for a specific kind of file then select from below all files drop-down marked in yellow color. If you have added any drives and they are not visible on the window then click on refresh drives marked in blue color. Untick the box parallel to enable deep scan option to perform that operation. After completion of all these process taps on the scan button marked in red color.

  • After finishing of scan check the contents on the scanned partition on the window. You can see the folder options on the left side marked in blue color, and you have to untick the box. The corresponding files on the bottom middle section marked in green color, you have to tick mark the box to select it for recovery.

After finishing of scan check the contents on the scanned partition on the window. You can see the folder options on the left side marked in blue color, and you have to untick the box. The corresponding files on the bottom middle section marked in green color, you have to tick mark the box to select it for recovery.

  • After completion of the selection of your files, you can change the file name under save as button marked in brown color. You can also change the position to save the file marked in green color. Next, click on the recover button present on the top as menu options marked in red color.

After completion of the selection of your files, you can change the file name under save as button marked in brown color. You can also change the position to save the file marked in green color. Next, click on the recover button present on the top as menu options marked in red color.

  • Now, your selected files are saved in your desired drive with your desired file name.

**The same process is for the recovery of Windows OS system files with easy by downloading appropriate wondershare data recovery software.

Conclusion

I hope you have successfully recovered your deleted files. Let me know in the comment section which method worked for you? If you know some other methods to recover the deleted files then please let me know to add in this guide for the ease of users. Wanna some more DeviceTricks? Stay tuned to this space to get the latest updates on errors related to Windows, macOS, and Android. If you feel this article helpful please like, share, and follow our Facebook page.

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