How to recover permanently deleted files from pc

​When a file is permanently deleted from your PC—whether through Shift + Delete, emptied Recycle Bin, or formatting—it can feel like it’s lost forever. But in reality, the data often still resides on your hard drive, just marked as available space. Until it’s overwritten by new data, recovery is possible using a range of built-in tools, third-party software, cloud backups, and professional methods. 

To understand recovery, it’s important to know what “permanently deleted” actually means. When you delete a file:

Soft deletion: Sending a file to the Recycle Bin just marks it for deletion.

Hard deletion: Using Shift + Delete, emptying the Recycle Bin, or formatting a drive removes references to the file, but not the data itself.

The file’s contents still exist on your hard drive until they are overwritten by new data. That’s why recovery is possible—if you act quickly and avoid writing new data to the disk.

Common Reasons Files Are Permanently Deleted

Permanently deleted files can result from various scenarios:

Human error: Accidental use of Shift + Delete or clearing the Recycle Bin.

Formatted drives: Quick formatting of USBs, external drives, or internal partitions.

System crashes: Operating system errors that corrupt or erase files.

Virus or malware: Malicious programs may delete files or render them inaccessible.

Third-party cleaner apps: Some tools delete files beyond recovery unless intercepted early.

Regardless of the cause, different methods can help recover your files.

Preliminary Steps Before Recovery

Stop Using the Drive Immediately

Any new data written to the disk could overwrite the deleted files, making them unrecoverable.

Identify the Deletion Context

Was the file deleted from the desktop, an external device, or a system folder? Knowing this helps target the recovery effort.

Avoid Installing Recovery Software on the Affected Drive

To preserve deleted data, install recovery tools on a separate drive or partition.

Method 1: Restore from File History (Windows Backup)

If File History was enabled before deletion, this is the easiest way to recover deleted files.

Steps:

Open the folder where the file was previously located.

Right-click and choose Restore previous versions.

A list of available versions will appear.

Select one, then click Restore.

Alternatively:

Go to Control Panel > System and Security > File History.

Click Restore personal files.

Browse to the desired file and restore it.

File History is effective for retrieving files modified or deleted after being backed up.

Method 2: Use Windows Previous Versions

Windows creates restore points that sometimes include copies of files.

Steps:

Navigate to the folder that contained the deleted file.

Right-click the folder > Properties.

Open the Previous Versions tab.

Select a version before the deletion occurred.

Click Open to preview and Restore to recover.

This method is only effective if System Protection or Restore Points were enabled.

Method 3: Recover from OneDrive, Google Drive, or Other Cloud Backups

If you save files to a cloud storage service, they may be recoverable from the cloud’s own trash or version history.

OneDrive:

Go to onedrive.live.com

Log in and open the Recycle Bin.

Select the deleted file and click Restore.

Google Drive:

Go to drive.google.com

Open the Trash section.

Right-click the file > Restore.

Other cloud platforms like Dropbox and iCloud offer similar recovery features, including file versioning and trash recovery.

Method 4: Use Data Recovery Software

Panda Assistant

When a file is permanently deleted, it isn’t immediately erased from your hard drive. Instead, the space it occupied is marked as available for reuse. Until it’s overwritten by new data, Panda Assistant can locate and recover these invisible files using advanced scanning algorithms.

Getting started is simple. Launch Panda Assistant and select the drive where your deleted files were originally stored. The software offers both quick and deep scans to ensure nothing is missed. You can filter results by file type—such as documents, photos, videos, or emails—and preview them before recovery. Once you’ve selected the files you want to restore, Panda Assistant lets you recover them to a safe location with just a few clicks.

Panda Assistant supports recovery from internal hard drives, USB flash drives, SD cards, and external storage devices. It also works seamlessly across various Windows versions and file systems, including FAT32, NTFS, and exFAT.

Method 5: Recover Files from a Formatted Drive

Formatting a drive doesn’t necessarily erase the data—it just resets the file system. You can still recover files using the same recovery software mentioned above.

Choose the formatted drive in your recovery software.

Use Deep Scan to search the raw data.

Recover and save files to a different location.

Be cautious—if you performed a full format (not quick), data is more likely to be overwritten and less recoverable.

Method 6: Check Temporary or Auto-Saved Files

Many applications, like Microsoft Office, Adobe, and Notepad++, create auto-saves or temporary files.

For Word, Excel, and PowerPoint:

Open the app.

Go to File > Info > Manage Document > Recover Unsaved Documents.

For Notepad++:

Look under C:\Users\[YourName]\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++\backup.

General temp folder:

Press Win + R, type %temp%, and press Enter.

Search for recently modified files or folders.

Sometimes, these autosaves contain recent versions of your work.

Method 7: Use Windows Command Prompt

For advanced users, CMD can help check and recover deleted files, especially from USBs and external drives.

Steps:

Open Command Prompt as Administrator.

Type:

bash

CopyEdit

chkdsk E: /f

(Replace E: with your drive letter.)

If prompted, press Y and Enter.

You can also try:

bash

CopyEdit

attrib -h -r -s /s /d E:\*.*

This command unhides hidden and system files from the drive. While not a guaranteed method, it can help reveal files that have been hidden or lost due to corruption.

Method 8: Contact Professional Data Recovery Services

When software fails—due to physical damage, drive corruption, or overwritten data—professional recovery services are the last resort.

Common providers include:

Seagate Recovery Services

Ontrack Data Recovery

SalvageData

DriveSavers

These services use clean-room technology to physically access your drive and retrieve data.

Things to know:

Cost can range from $300 to $2.000+

Turnaround time varies from days to weeks

Success rate depends on damage extent

Always request a free evaluation first before committing.

Prevent Future Data Loss

Once your files are recovered, take proactive steps to avoid repeat incidents.

1. Enable File History or Backup Solutions

Set up File History to regularly back up documents.

Use external drives for weekly or monthly full backups.

Consider third-party tools like Acronis, Macrium Reflect, or Paragon.

2. Use Cloud Storage

Store key documents in Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, or another cloud platform with automatic sync and version control.

3. Create Restore Points

Enable System Restore and create restore points before major updates or software installations.

4. Use a Dedicated Recovery Partition

Many OEMs include recovery partitions that let you restore the OS while preserving files. Don’t delete or overwrite these partitions.

5. Be Careful with Shift + Delete

Avoid using Shift + Delete unless absolutely necessary. It bypasses the Recycle Bin and can make recovery harder.

Troubleshooting Recovery Problems

Sometimes, even after trying everything, recovery fails. Here are a few troubleshooting tips:

File is corrupted: Try using file repair tools like Stellar Repair or Hetman File Repair.

File won’t open: The structure may be damaged. Recover a different version or use viewer software.

File recovers but shows 0 bytes: It’s likely overwritten—deep scanning might help.

Recovered file is a duplicate: Rename it or compare content with older versions.

Always try to preview files before recovering to avoid saving unusable data.

Permanently deleting files on your PC doesn’t necessarily mean they’re gone forever. With the right tools and techniques, you can often recover lost data even from formatted drives or after system crashes. The key is to act quickly, avoid further data writes, and choose the recovery method that fits your situation best.