How to recover permanently deleted files?

To recover permanently deleted files, there are a variety of techniques and tools you can employ, depending on the nature of the file deletion, the type of storage device, and the specific circumstances under which the files were lost. Permanently deleted files, typically from the Recycle Bin or Trash, don’t necessarily vanish right away from your computer or storage device. In fact, data recovery is often possible unless the data has been overwritten or the storage medium has suffered physical damage.

1. File Deletion

Before jumping into the recovery methods, it’s important to understand what happens when you delete a file and why some files can be recovered even after being permanently deleted.

When you delete a file, your operating system marks the space that file occupied on the disk as available for future use. This doesn’t immediately erase the file from the storage medium, but it makes it invisible to the user and the file system. When a file is “permanently deleted” (i.e., bypassing the Recycle Bin on Windows or Trash on macOS), the system still retains the file’s data on the disk until it is overwritten by new data. This is why, in many cases, deleted files can be recovered.

However, the longer you use the device after deletion, the higher the chances that the deleted files will be overwritten by new data, making recovery more difficult or impossible.

2. What Happens After Permanent Deletion

The process of file deletion is not as straightforward as one might think. When you delete a file, the operating system (OS) performs the following actions:

File System Update: The OS removes the file’s reference from the file system index, essentially erasing the pointer that tells the system where the file was located.

Space Marked as Free: The space occupied by the deleted file is now marked as available for new files, but the data itself remains intact until overwritten.

Data Overwriting: Over time, new files will be written to the same physical location on the disk, potentially overwriting the deleted file’s data. The more you use the device, the greater the chance of this happening.

This means that when a file is deleted, it’s not actually gone from your hard drive or SSD until the data is physically overwritten. If you act quickly, you may still be able to recover the file.

3. Preventing Data Loss

While recovery is possible in many cases, it’s always best to take steps to prevent data loss in the first place. Here are some tips for minimizing the risk:

Backup Regularly: Use cloud storage or an external drive to back up important files regularly. A good backup strategy includes a combination of automatic cloud backups and local backups on external hard drives.

Use File History (Windows) or Time Machine (macOS): Both Windows and macOS have built-in backup systems. Enabling these features ensures that copies of your files are saved periodically, reducing the risk of permanent loss.

Be Careful with Deletion: Always double-check before deleting important files, especially if you are deleting them permanently. Using the “Shift + Delete” option on Windows or pressing “Command + Delete” on macOS makes it easier to accidentally remove something important.

4. Methods for Recovering Permanently Deleted Files

If you’ve already lost important data, there are a few methods you can try to recover your files. The method you choose depends on your system (Windows, macOS, or external storage) and the tools available.

A. Recovery on Windows

On Windows, files deleted from the Recycle Bin are typically considered permanently deleted, but recovery is still possible.

Check the Recycle Bin:

If you haven’t already emptied the Recycle Bin, your deleted files might still be there. Open the Recycle Bin and restore the files if possible.

File History (Windows 10/11):

Windows has a built-in feature called File History that automatically backs up your files. If you’ve been using this feature, you can restore previous versions of files, including those that were permanently deleted.

To use File History, navigate to the folder where the file was last located, right-click the folder, and select “Restore previous versions.”

System Restore:

System Restore allows you to revert your entire computer back to a previous state, which may recover deleted files. However, this process may also result in other changes to your system settings and installed programs.

To use this, search for “System Restore” in the Start menu and follow the prompts to restore your system to a previous point.

Third-Party Recovery Tools:

Panda Assistant is a versatile data recovery software designed to help users retrieve lost, deleted, or inaccessible files from various storage devices, including hard drives, USB drives, memory cards, and other external media. With an intuitive interface and powerful scanning algorithms, Panda Assistant is capable of recovering a wide range of file types, such as documents, photos, videos, and audio files, even if they have been permanently deleted or lost due to formatting or system errors.

The software offers a user-friendly experience, making it suitable for both beginners and advanced users. Panda Assistant provides several scanning modes, including quick scan and deep scan, which allow users to recover files with minimal effort. The deep scan mode is particularly effective for retrieving files that are difficult to access or have been lost for an extended period.

B. Recovery on macOS

macOS also offers methods for recovering deleted files.

Time Machine:

If you have Time Machine backups, you can restore files from a previous backup. Simply open Time Machine, browse to the folder where the file was located, and select the version you want to restore.

Third-Party Recovery Tools:

Disk Drill: Disk Drill is a comprehensive tool that can recover lost files from a variety of storage devices. It’s simple to use and provides a preview of recoverable files before performing the restoration.

Data Rescue: Another option for macOS users, Data Rescue scans your storage and retrieves deleted files. It can recover data from internal hard drives, SSDs, and external devices.

Wondershare Recoverit: This tool offers a user-friendly interface for macOS users and supports a wide range of file types. Recoverit can scan for lost data and restore it even if it’s been permanently deleted.

C. Recovery on External Drives

If your files were stored on an external drive (USB flash drive, external hard drive, SD card, etc.), the recovery process is similar, though some additional steps may be required due to the specific nature of these devices.

Stop Using the Drive:

If you’ve deleted files from an external drive, avoid using it further until the data is recovered. This is because new data written to the drive could overwrite the deleted files, making them unrecoverable.

Use Data Recovery Software:

Most of the third-party software mentioned above can be used to scan external drives for recoverable data. These programs typically allow you to scan for deleted files and recover them in the same way you would on your main computer drive.

D. Advanced Recovery Options

If basic methods don’t work, you may need to use more advanced recovery options.

Deep Scans and RAW Recovery:

Most recovery tools include an option for a deep scan or RAW recovery, which thoroughly searches your drive sector by sector for any trace of deleted files. This method can be time-consuming, but it’s often the best way to recover files that have been lost for an extended period.

Professional Data Recovery Services:

If your deleted files are critical and all attempts to recover them have failed, it may be time to consult with a professional data recovery service. These services have specialized tools and expertise to recover data from damaged or overwritten storage media. However, these services can be expensive, and there is no guarantee of success.

5. Third-Party Recovery Software Options

There are many third-party recovery tools on the market, each with its own set of features. Some popular ones include:

Recuva: A free tool with both a simple and advanced mode. Suitable for most users.

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard: A user-friendly, comprehensive tool for data recovery on both Windows and macOS.

Stellar Data Recovery: Known for its powerful scanning capabilities and high recovery rates.

Disk Drill: Another powerful recovery tool with an intuitive interface for macOS and Windows.

6. DIY Recovery Steps

Here’s a quick recap of the basic steps you should take to recover permanently deleted files:

Stop using the device to prevent overwriting.

Check backups (cloud or local).

Use built-in recovery options (File History on Windows, Time Machine on macOS).

Use third-party recovery software to scan and recover deleted files.

Consider professional recovery services if the data is critical and the software solutions fail.