Recover permanently deleted files windows 11 free

Losing important files due to accidental deletion can be a nightmare. In Windows 11. even if a file is seemingly permanently deleted, there are still several methods you can try to recover it without having to pay for expensive software.

1. Check the Recycle Bin

The first and most obvious place to look for deleted files is the Recycle Bin. When you delete a file in Windows 11. it usually goes to the Recycle Bin first. To access it, simply double – click on the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop.

Once you open the Recycle Bin, you’ll see a list of all the recently deleted files. You can right – click on the file you want to recover and select “Restore” from the context menu. The file will then be returned to its original location.

2. Use File History

File History is a built – in feature in Windows 11 that allows you to restore previous versions of files. To use it, you need to have previously enabled the File History feature.

To check if File History is enabled and access it, go to “Settings” > “Update & Security” > “Backup”. Under the “Back up using File History” section, you can see if it’s turned on. If it is, you can click on “More options” to access the File History settings.

In the File History window, you can browse through different backup points in time. You can then select the file you want to recover and click on the “Restore” button to bring it back to its original location.

File History works by regularly taking snapshots of your files and storing them on an external drive or a network location. So, if you had enabled it before deleting the file, there’s a good chance you can recover it.

3. Shadow Copies

Windows 11 also creates shadow copies of your files as part of the System Protection feature. These shadow copies can be used to recover files that have been deleted or modified.

To access shadow copies, you need to use the Previous Versions tab. Right – click on the folder where the deleted file was located and select “Properties”. In the Properties window, go to the “Previous Versions” tab.

You’ll see a list of available shadow copies. Select the version that you think contains the file you want to recover and click on “Restore”. Keep in mind that this may overwrite any changes made to the folder since the shadow copy was created.

4. Command Prompt and PowerShell Methods

Command Prompt:

The attrib command can be used to unhide and recover files. For example, if you know the file name and its original location, you can use the following command in the Command Prompt (opened as administrator):

attrib -h -r -s /s /d “C:\Path\to\Folder\*.*”

The -h option unhides the file, -r removes the read – only attribute, -s removes the system attribute, /s processes subdirectories, and /d processes directories. This can sometimes reveal and recover files that were hidden due to deletion processes.

Another useful command is the recover command. However, it’s mainly used for recovering data from damaged or defective storage media. The syntax is recover [drive:][path]filename

PowerShell:

PowerShell provides more advanced scripting capabilities for file recovery. You can use the Get – ChildItem cmdlet to search for files that might have been deleted but still exist in a hidden state. For example:

Get – ChildItem – Path “C:\Path\to\Folder” – File – Recurse – Force | Where – Object {$_.Attributes – match “Hidden”}

This command searches for hidden files in the specified folder and its subfolders. You can then use other commands to manipulate and restore these files.

5. Third – Party Free File Recovery Software (with Caution)

Panda Assistant is a powerful and user-friendly data recovery software designed to help users retrieve lost or deleted files from a variety of storage devices. Whether you’ve accidentally deleted important documents, images, videos, or formatted an SD card, hard drive, or USB drive, Panda Assistant offers a reliable solution to recover your data with ease.

One of its key features is its ability to recover files from various file systems, including NTFS, FAT, exFAT, and HFS. It supports a wide range of storage devices, such as external hard drives, USB flash drives, SD cards, memory cards, and even digital cameras. With a simple and intuitive interface, Panda Assistant is accessible to both beginners and advanced users alike.

6. Preventing Future File Deletion Accidents

To avoid losing files in the future, it’s a good idea to regularly back up your data. You can use external hard drives, cloud storage services like OneDrive or Dropbox, or a combination of both.

You can also set up file permissions to prevent accidental deletion. For example, you can mark certain files or folders as read – only for users who don’t need to modify them.

Additionally, be more careful when using the delete function. Double – check before hitting the delete button to ensure that you really want to delete the file.

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