By the end of this article, you will learn-
- How to Recover Deleted files effectively.
- How to Set up preventive measures to prevent similar situations in the future.
You can recover deleted folders using the Recycle Bin. However, If you emptied your Recycle Bin or accidentally deleted your folder using the Shift + Delete shortcut then you may have an issue. But you need not worry, In this article, we are here to teach you how to recover deleted folders. You can do so using 5 different methods-
How to Restore Deleted Folders?
- Recover Deleted Folders from Windows via Recycle Bin
- Retrieve Folders by restoring the Previous Version
- Recover Deleted Folders using the Yodot File Recovery tool
- Recover deleted files from Windows Backup
- Restore Files using File History
1. Recover Deleted Folders from Windows via Recycle Bin
In Windows, a Recycle Bin acts as an interim container for deleted files and folders. After deleting a folder, It ends up in the Recycle Bin. You can use Recycle Bin to recover deleted files and folders by following the instructions below-
Note: This method will not work if the deleted file was permanently deleted using the Shift+Delete command or if the Recycle Bin was emptied with the file in it.
- Launch Recycle Bin and select the deleted folders that you want to recover.
- Right-click on the deleted folder and select Restore.
2. Retrieve deleted File by restoring the Previous Versions
When Enabled to do so, Windows will automatically create copies of folders as part of the system restore points. The copies that Windows creates are called previous versions. Let's see how to recover deleted folders in PC by previous versions using the steps given below:
- Open File Explorer and go to the folder in which you want to recover.
- Next, Right-click on the folder and click on Restore Previous Versions.
- From the list, choose the versions you want to restore.
- Once you choose the versions, click on Restore for deleted folder recovery.
If the above methods are not helping you, do not worry. There is a solution for every problem i.e., a file recovery software like Yodot. With the help of this software, you can recover lost folders easily. The tool is specially built for recovering lost/deleted folders, download and try the tool now.
3. Recover Deleted Folders Using The Yodot File Recovery Tool
When you do not have a backup, professional data recovery software is the safest option when it comes to file recovery. It works around the operating system to recover files even after they have been permanently deleted.
- Download Yodot File Recovery Software and install it on your PC.
- Launch the tool, on the main window, you can see two options which are “Deleted File Recovery” and “Lost File Recovery”.
- Click on Deleted File Recovery select the drive where you want to recover lost folders and click Next.
- The tool starts the scanning process and displays all the scanned folders.
- Select the folder that you want to recover and click “Next”.
- Preview the files using the Preview option.
- Save the recovered folders in the location of your choice.
4. Restore Using Windows Backup
If you have a Windows backup, then you could easily use it to recover your deleted folder. While there are chances that the folder you lost has a lot of updated information that the backup file does not, it is still better than nothing. In order to recover your deleted folder using your Windows Backup please follow the instructions below-
- Type Control Panel on the search bar and hit Enter.
- Using the search bar, locate and click on Backup and Restore(Windows 7) and select the Restore My Files option.
- To see the Contents of the backup click on Browse for folders.
- Select the folder that you want to recover and click on Add folder.
- Choose Next select the location to restore the folder and click on Restore.
5. File History
File History is a Windows feature that stores individual file backups and can help users restore deleted folders on Windows. Follow the steps provided below to recover deleted folders using File History:
- Type Restore Files in the search box you will witness a list of options.
- Click on the File History option, and look for the container folder - the folder that has the old address of the lost data.
- Now, you can see the File History Records and click on the Restore option.
To Conclude
Accidents happen, in such scenarios, and damage control is our best option maintaining a healthy backup file may require a little effort, but will definitely pay off in the long run. We hope that you were able to recover your folder using the methods mentioned in this article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is possible to recover deleted folders. However, the recovery method will vary depending on the situation.
The most common cause is accidental deletion However, It is not only responsible for data loss. There are some other factors, a few of them are listed below:
- Losing Folders due to Virus: If the folder in which you have stored important files is attacked by the virus then there may be a possibility of losing it.
- Recycle Bin Bypass: If you delete a small-sized folder, you can recover it from Recycle Bin using the restore option. But deletion of large-sized folders bypass the Recycle Bin and you cannot find any other option on your computer to restore them.
- Deleting Folders from an External Device: If you delete any folder saved in your external device, then it does not get stored in the Recycle Bin and hence results in data loss.
- Accidental Formatting: Accidental formatting leads to not only folder loss but also entire data present in your hard drive.
- Deletion of Files by Third-Party Tool: In some cases, the third-party applications i.e. Antivirus software, which you use to protect your computer may also delete the folder. It may delete the folder without giving a warning if it detects any virus in it.
Here are a few tips to prevent data loss on Windows-
- Take the backup of important folders in order to prevent data loss.
- Download any good antivirus software to scan the virus.
- Do not install the application onto the drive from where you lost the folder.
- Stop using your computer once you realize that you have lost the folder.
- Do not save the recovered folder in the same location as where you are recovering.
