How to Recover Files from Formatted Hard Drive in Windows 11

It’s a nightmare when you have to format or mistakenly formatted a hard drive in Windows 11, because all of sudden, the hard drive is empty, causing all files loss. However, the good news is that there are workable ways how to recover data from a formatted hard drive on Windows 11 PC. In today's article, we will give you a full guide on how to do the data recovery from the formatted hard drive task.

Method 1: Restore files from Formatted Hard Drive in Windows 11 with software

If you somehow have a formatted hard disk and want to get back the erased files, you can do it using Windows 11 unformatted hard drive software like iBeesoft Data Recovery. It's a professional recovery tool and can help you find more than a thousand file formats (videos, pictures, audio files, documents, emails).

You can retrieve files from external hard drive local HDD/SSD, USB flash drive, memory card, digital camera, etc., using this tool. The format recovery software is not only compatible with Windows 11 but also with other older Windows versions.

Here are the steps of how you can recover files from formatted hard disk in Windows 11 with the unformatted software:

1. Download the formatted disk recovery software in Windows 11

Click the Download button to get the trial version of the unformatted software installed on your computer. It’s fully compatible with Windows 11. After then, launch it right away.

2. Select the hard drive to scan

In the first window, you need to choose from the option list of the hard drives. Just click the "Scan" button beside the formatted hard drive, letting the software begin to look for the erased data.

3. Preview the found files one by one

Once the scanning is complete, you will get a prompt window that will show the directory (left panel). You just need to find the right location for the files and check their details (right panel).

4. Recover data from formatted hard disk in Windows 11

Look for the files that you want to get back and simply select them and click the "Recover" option. The files will be saved on your computer.

Method 2. Unformat Hard Drive in Windows 11 by Perform System Restore

The second method in this list is System Restore. You can easily get back all your erased files by performing a System Restore on your computer. Here is the step by step instructions below:

1. Open your Windows 11 and press two keys together (Windows + R). You can click on the Windows menu and go to the run search bar.
2. In the "search bar", type "rstrui.exe" and hit enter. It will lead you to the system restore window.
3. Choose a restore point from where you want to start restoring and then click on the "Next".
4. Then hit the scan button to look for deleted files.
5. The system will look at whether the drive is safe or not, and then you can simply click on the next.
6. Once the process is done, you can save all your formatted files on your hard drive, or you can transfer them to an external disk.

Method 3. Recover files from formatted hard drive on Windows 11 using File History

To make sure that your important files don't get deleted, you need to take a backup of your files. This way, you can get your deleted files back using Windows backup file history even if you have already formatted your hard disk.

Here is how you can do it:

1. Open the "control panel" on your Windows 11.
2. Choose Update & Security.
3. From there, click on the "Restore your files with File History" option below the "File History".
4. Select the files you want to get from the current backup.
5. Once you have selected all the necessary files simply click on the "Restore" option and save your lost files to their original location.
6. You can also save your files in a different location or transfer them to an external disk.

Method 4: How to Recover Data from Formatted Hard Disk in Windows 11 Using CMD

This last option is a bit tricky one but one of the most effective ways to recover deleted files from hard drive. Using prompt commands, you can easily restore a formatted hard disk in Windows 11.

Let's take a look at the instructions:

1. Open your laptop and then click on the Windows menu.
2. Go to the search bar and type Command Prompt.
3. Once the application shows up, double click on it or right-click > Run As Administrator.
4. Command prompt window will open up, there you need to write (chkdsk C: /f") and then hit enter.

(Note: if you want to recover any other disk or external hard drive, you can do so by typing that disk instead of "C".)

5. The system will automatically check for the deleted files.
6. After that write the command block to save your files. (ATTRIB -H -R -S /S /DC:*.*")
7. That's it. Close the command window and enjoy using your deleted files.

Recover permanently deleted files in Windows 11 can be very problematic. It's better to have a backup of your files. Sometimes a hard disk gets broken, and then you have to format it or replace it. But before you do that, make sure to keep a backup of all your files. You can also move your files to another hard drive or an SD card.

FAQ:

Is it possible to recover deleted files from a formatted hard drive?

A: Yes! You can easily get your lost photos, video, and other files from a formatted hard drive with the above-mentioned ways. However, the best option should be using iBeesoft Data Recovery to restore data from a formatted hard drive in Windows 11.

1. Download and install the data recovery software for Windows 11.
2. Click the "go to setting" to select only the desired file types to extract data
3. Select the formatted hard drive and click "Scan" to let the software scan for recoverable files.
4. Select needed files and click "Recover" to save them on your computer.

Can I recover a file that has been lost for more than a month?

A: It depends. The sooner you can recover your lost files, the better. Usually, when you delete something permanently from your drive, the data stays there for some time. If you continued to use the hard disk, the deleted file might be replaced. So you may not be able to undelete it after a month after the deletion.

How can I recover my lost data from my hard drive?

A: If you're using Windows 11, you can easily resume your lost files using the Windows 11 unformat hard drive software – iBeesoft Data Recovery.

Is it possible to retrieve all the lost files from a formatted hard drive?

A: The answer to that is yes and no. When you are trying to get your deleted data back, all the data has to be there in your hard drive somewhere to recover it. However, full recovery depends on the file's size and the time of its deletion. If you are unable to undelete your lost data, chances are they have been overwritten by other files already.