Recovering permanently deleted photos​ windows

Losing important photos can be distressing, especially if they’ve been permanently deleted from your Windows computer. Whether you accidentally pressed “Delete” or cleared out your Recycle Bin, there may still be hope for recovery. In this guide, we will explore various techniques and tools that can help you recover permanently deleted photos on Windows, even if you’ve emptied the Recycle Bin or used Shift + Delete.

Before diving into recovery methods, it’s essential to understand how file deletion works in Windows. When you delete a file, whether it’s a photo, document, or any other type of file, it doesn’t immediately vanish from your computer. Instead, Windows removes the file’s entry from the File Allocation Table (FAT) or Master File Table (MFT), marking the space as available for new data.

As long as the space where the deleted photo was stored hasn’t been overwritten by new data, the file remains recoverable. This is why it’s crucial to act quickly after deleting photos to maximize your chances of successful recovery.

Method 1: Check the Recycle Bin

One of the first places to look for deleted photos is the Recycle Bin. When you delete a file using the “Delete” button, it’s typically moved to the Recycle Bin, where it remains until you empty it.

Open the Recycle Bin:

Double-click the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop or open it from File Explorer by selecting it from the left pane.

Search for the Deleted Photos:

Browse through the files in the Recycle Bin. You can also use the search bar in the top-right corner to quickly locate the photos by name or file type (e.g., JPG, PNG).

Restore the Deleted Photos:

If you find the photos you want to recover, right-click on the file(s) and select “Restore.” The photos will be returned to their original location on your hard drive.

If You’ve Already Emptied the Recycle Bin:

If you’ve emptied the Recycle Bin and still need to recover photos, don’t worry—there are other methods you can try.

Method 2: Use File History (Windows Backup)

If you regularly back up your files using Windows File History, you may be able to restore deleted photos from a previous backup. This method is useful if you have set up File History to automatically save copies of your files.

Open File Explorer:

Press Win + E to open File Explorer and navigate to the folder where the deleted photos were stored.

Access Previous Versions:

Right-click on the folder and select “Restore previous versions.”

Select a Backup Version:

You’ll see a list of available previous versions of the folder. Choose a version that predates the photo deletion and click “Restore.”

Preview and Restore:

Before restoring, you can preview the files to ensure the photos you want to recover are present. Once confirmed, click “Restore” to recover the photos.

If you haven’t set up File History or don’t have backups, you can proceed to the next method.

Method 3: Use a Data Recovery Software

If the photos are not in the Recycle Bin and you don’t have a backup, data recovery software is your best bet. These programs scan your hard drive for deleted files and attempt to recover them. One such tool is Panda Data Recovery, which specializes in recovering lost files.

Steps for Using Data Recovery Software:

Download and Install Panda Data Recovery:

Visit the official Panda Data Recovery website and download the software. Install it on a drive that is not the one from which you want to recover the photos. Installing it on the same drive may overwrite the deleted files.

Scan for Deleted Files:

Launch the data recovery software and select the drive or folder where your photos were located. The software will begin scanning the drive for deleted files.

Filter and Search for Photos:

Once the scan is complete, you’ll be presented with a list of recoverable files. Use the search feature to filter the results by file type (e.g., JPG, PNG, BMP). This will help you find your deleted photos more easily.

Preview and Recover Photos:

Many data recovery tools, including Panda Data Recovery, allow you to preview files before restoring them. Once you find the photos you want to recover, select them and click “Restore.” Choose a different location to save the recovered files to avoid overwriting any remaining data.

Panda Assistant is a comprehensive data recovery tool designed to help users recover lost or deleted files from various storage devices, including hard drives, USB drives, SD cards, and memory cards. This software provides an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, making it suitable for both novice and advanced users.

With Panda Assistant, you can recover a wide range of file types, including photos, documents, videos, and audio files. The program offers powerful scanning capabilities that can detect and recover files that have been accidentally deleted, formatted, or lost due to system crashes or virus attacks. It also supports recovery from drives with corrupted or damaged file systems.

One of the key features of Panda Assistant is its ability to perform deep scans, which helps identify files that are not visible through standard recovery methods. Additionally, Panda Assistant supports previewing recoverable files before finalizing the restoration process, ensuring that you only recover what you need.

Method 4: Use Windows System Restore (for System Files)

While System Restore is typically used to roll back your operating system to a previous state, it can sometimes be used to recover system files that have been accidentally deleted. However, this method doesn’t work for personal files like photos unless the system restore point was created while those photos existed.

Open System Restore:

Press Win + S to open the search bar, type “System Restore,” and select “Create a restore point.”

Restore the System:

In the “System Properties” window, click on the “System Restore” button. Choose a restore point from before the photos were deleted, and follow the prompts to restore the system.

Check for Recovered Files:

After the system restore is complete, check your Photos folder or other locations where the photos were stored.

Note: System Restore will not affect personal files in most cases, but it’s still a good idea to back up your data before proceeding.

Method 5: Use Command Prompt (for Advanced Users)

If you’re comfortable using the Command Prompt, you can attempt to recover deleted photos using the chkdsk command. This tool is designed to find and fix errors on a hard drive, but it may also help recover files that have been deleted.

Open Command Prompt:

Press Win + X and select “Command Prompt (Admin)” to open an elevated Command Prompt window.

Run the chkdsk Command:

Type the following command and press Enter:

bash

chkdsk X: /f

Replace “X” with the letter of the drive where the photos were stored. The /f flag tells the system to fix any errors it finds.

Recover Deleted Files:

After running the command, check your drive for any recovered files. These files may not appear in their original folder, so you might need to search the drive manually.

Method 6: Check Cloud Backups (OneDrive, Google Photos, etc.)

If you use cloud services like OneDrive or Google Photos, your photos may be safely stored online. Many people automatically sync their photos with cloud storage, so it’s worth checking there for any backup copies.

Log into Your Cloud Account:

Open the OneDrive or Google Photos website and sign in with the account used for backup.

Search for the Deleted Photos:

Look through your cloud storage for any photos that might have been backed up before they were deleted from your local machine.

Restore the Photos:

If you find your deleted photos, you can download them back to your computer or restore them to their original location.

Precautionary Measures for the Future

While it’s good to know how to recover permanently deleted photos, prevention is always better than recovery. Here are some precautions you can take:

Regular Backups:

Use built-in tools like Windows File History or third-party software to regularly back up your photos and other important files.

Cloud Backup:

Use cloud services like OneDrive, Google Photos, or Dropbox to automatically sync your photos and provide an additional layer of backup.

Data Recovery Software:

Keep a data recovery tool, like Panda Data Recovery, installed on your computer. This way, if you accidentally delete something, you can attempt recovery as soon as possible.