Compared with Windows 10, both Windows 11 and the latest Windows 12 have significantly improved performance, security, and user experience. However, Microsoft seems to have forgotten to improve the protection of personal data. So, what should users do if they accidentally delete important files? In this article, we will detail the system's processing mechanism after data removal and the solutions applicable to different situations to help you restore deleted files in Windows 12 and Windows 11 as much as possible.
When the file system receives any file deletion instruction, it processes the item in the following steps until it completely and permanently disappears from the storage device.
The index of the deleted file is removed from the directory structure in the file system (that is, it disappears from its original location). Still, the content of its file is not affected.
💡 It should be noted here that Windows has full control over the internal hard disk, which allows it to track and manage data better. Therefore, the file's index information will also be recorded and mapped to the Recycle Bin when performing the deletion command. This is also the principle that deleted files can be recovered from the Recycle Bin. This information will be cleared when we empty or delete items from the Recycle Bin.
After understanding how the system handles the deleted item, you should know that Windows file recovery is possible. However, whether the data are recoverable or not fully depends on the way they were deleted.
| How to Delete / Where to Delete | Recoverable | How to Recover & Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| Pressing the delete key or using the menu to delete items located on a laptop or desktop. | Yes | 1. Undo Delete |
| Using the "Shift + Delete" keys, emptying the Recycle Bin, or Using the command prompt. | Yes | |
| Permanently delete files from SSD | Possible | TRIM, unique to SSDs, regularly cleans items marked as deleted to maintain their high read and write speeds. Therefore, please quickly try the solution of the above deletion method. |
| Using professional data-erasing software | No | It will fill the actual content of the deleted files with blank items to make them disappear permanently. |
| Files located on an external storage device, such as a memory card, thumb drive, player, etc. | Yes | |
| Files are affected by malicious programs | Yes | |
| Items are located on the system volume with a restore point set. | Yes | |
| Something was lost after the system update. | Yes | |
| Files located in folders like Documents, Desktop, Downloads, Pictures, or Videos and with File History enabled | Yes | |
| Data is lost by deleting a partition or volume. | Yes |
After knowing whether the file can be recovered after different deletion scenarios, you want to learn how to maximize the success rate, right? Here are some suggestions..
Sometimes, accidentally deleted files can be restored with some undo options in the computer OS. Here are some of them. Please note that they are workable only in some specific situations.
📋 Workable for: You realize it was a mistake right after the deletion and without using the Shift + Delete shortcut.
Choose one of the following methods to undelete a file in Windows 11/12. Once you've done this, the file will appear in its original location.
📋 Workable for: The file is removed by using the Delete key or menu from the computer's internal disk, and its size does not exceed the Recycle Bin limit. (This size will vary depending on the capacity of the partition; you can right-click the Recycle Bin and select "Properties" to customize it.)
Empty it? Here’s a guide on how to restore something deleted from Recycle Bin.
📋 Workable for: OneDrive sync had been set up, and the file was deleted less than 10 minutes ago.
If you have reinstalled Windows 11 or 12, you should know that a Microsoft account is needed when configuring user information. If you happen to use the same account for OneDrive, you can restore recently deleted files by logging in to OneDrive and re-downloading them.
📋 Workable for: Data loss caused by virus infection or drive failure.
Using this method requires a certain amount of luck. In addition, you need to be careful when copying commands and replacing drive letters to avoid errors and other accidents.
How to recover permanently deleted files using Command Prompt in Windows 10, 11, and 12. Click here.
The best remedy after accidentally deleting a file is to restore it using the backup. The File History and System Images in Windows PC are designed for this purpose. If you have used them before, the following details are for this type of data recovery; please choose the one that's right for you.
📋 Workable for: You had enabled File History before the file was deleted, and the directory where it is located is in the backup source.
It is mainly used to protect Windows users' personal data. When creating backups of important items, you must choose other disks to store them. Therefore, no matter how long it has been since you deleted the file, you can quickly get it back.
📋 Workable for: This method has limitations as way 1, but it is more suitable for users who want to recover deleted folders or partitions in Windows 11/12.
📋 Workable for: A system image had been created before the files were deleted and was located on the partition where the system files are located.
Although it mainly focuses on restoring the system when something goes wrong, it also works for personal data that have been deleted. Here is the guide for how to recover deleted files in Windows 11 and Windows 12 using a system image:
What should I do when the above methods cannot help me retrieve the data? In this case, you must use professional tools for help. From the first chapter, you should know that even after permanent deletion or emptying the Recycle Bin, the actual contents of the files are saved in the hard drive. Although they're invisible and unreadable, the file recovery software will gather the information together, analyzing and reorganizing it.
Why is it the preferential tool? This is because iBeesoft Data Recovery is good at repairing damaged items during the deletion process. Therefore, compared to other programs, your success rate in restoring deleted files from Windows 11/12 will be higher. Here are the detailed steps for using it.
Users who have ever tried to recover lost data on a Windows PC might be known as Recuva. Although it cannot repair corrupt photos and videos, it is still usable for handling simple file deletion. You can quickly complete the process through its built-in wizard.
Many users may not know Windows File Recovery, which is a command-line tool developed by Microsoft. Although it is not as easy to use as the above two software tools, you can follow the syntax instructions below to make it work.
When the progress reaches 100%, the file will be saved to the "Recovery_date_XXX" folder in <Destination Drive>.
When the software fails to restore permanently deleted files in Windows 11/12, the last resort is to request help from a local data recovery service. If you are willing to do so, please search the internet to find a local one.
This article covers almost all the methods for recovering deleted files in Windows 11/12. You can choose the one that suits your specific situation. Remember that the key to successful recovery is to use the proper method immediately after you realize the file is lost.
Finally, you must know that you should do some work, as mentioned in the above tips, to prevent data loss.
First, you should check the Recycle Bin immediately. If not, it is a good choice to use iBeesoft Data Recovery or Recuva to retrieve them as soon as possible if there is no backup.
Yes, after learning how the computer system processes the deleted files, there is still a chance to recover the invisible but real existing files. For this, check this guide to recover deleted files in the Recycle Bin.
Yes, you can try iBeesoft Free Data Recovery, which can save 2GB of recoverable data for free. It is pretty enough to recover multiple documents.
In this case, asking a data recovery service for help is the last resort.
This is basically impossible; even if they are recovered, you can't open them. When the Windows system is installed, a large amount of content will be written to the location where the lost files were. Namely, the new data will overwrite the sectors where the original metadata is located, damaging the metadata.
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