Best 10 Methods for Recovering Deleted Files on Windows 11

Have you recently lost or deleted some important files on your Windows 11 PC? Or has the loss occurred a while ago and you're still having trouble recovering your files?

It's perfectly normal to feel upset, but luckily there's no need to! If you're looking for ways to recover deleted files on your Windows 11, you are in the right place. With this guide, you can recover your deleted files in most all data loss scenarios!

Reasons Why You Lose Data on Windows 11

There are many other reasons for data loss, so take a look at the index table below to identify your data loss situation so you can efficiently and effectively recover your deleted files.

10 Top Methods You Can Use to Recover Deleted Files on Windows 11

Now that we have covered the basics, let's look at the best methods for recovering your files.

Method 1: Recover Deleted Files From Recycle Bin

If your files aren't permanently deleted, they can be found and restored quickly from the Recycle Bin. The process is pretty simple, as long as you follow a couple of steps:

1. Open the Recycle bin on your desktop.
2. Search for the deleted files manually or by typing the Image name into the Search Bar in the top right corner.

   

3. Once you've found the missing files, select and double-click on them.
4. Click on Restore.

   

Your files will be restored to their previous location.

Method 2: Undelete Files on Windows 11 Using Undo Delete

If you've recently deleted a file you want to restore, you can quickly undelete it. It's by far the easiest and simplest way to recover a deleted file if it has not been permanently deleted.

All you have to do to undelete your files is to:

1. Enter the folder from which the file got deleted.
2. Press Ctrl+Z on your keyboard to undelete the file automatically. You can also right-click anywhere within the folder and click on Undo Delete.

   

It doesn't get easier than that!

Method 3: Uncover Hidden Files Using ATTRIB

Sometimes, the files we think have been deleted haven't been deleted at all but are just hidden. That can happen when a PC has been attacked by a computer virus or if a user account has hidden specific files from another one.

Another reason why files become hidden is software corruption. Software bugs, incomplete installations and other causes can lead to changes in the code and data of one's software or computer system, affecting the file system structure on your storage.

In this case, you can find your files by using the ATTRIB feature in Windows Terminal. ATTRIB, short for attributes, is a command you can execute within the terminal to display hidden attributes of the lost files, helping you locate them.

To uncover hidden files using ATTRIB, you'll have to:

1. Go to the search box found in the taskbar, type in Terminal, and press Enter.
2. Once in Windows Terminal, type the following command: attrib -h -r -s /s /d C:\. The C is a placeholder partition. Select the one in which you suspect your file is hidden.

   

3. Press Enter. The hidden files will become visible in the partition you chose.
   atttrib > attribute
   -r > removes the read-only attribute
   -s > removes the system attribute
   /s > searches subfolders
   /d > includes directories
   *.*> Image name and extension
   

Method 4: Restore Deleted Windows 11 Files Using CHKDSK

Another solution for getting back your deleted files is using the CHKDSK command in Command Prompt. It's basically a built-in Windows application that lets the users execute certain commands and administrative functions.

While it does not directly restore your files, it can scan your hard drive, repairing file system errors. Since the file system manages how files are stored and retrieved on your hard drive, repairing it can help you recover lost files if they got deleted due to file system errors.

To access Command Prompt and restore deleted files using CHKDSK, perform the following steps:

1. Type Command Prompt in the search box located in the taskbar and press Enter on your keyboard.
2. Type in the following command, where you'll replace ‘volume' with the name of the partition where the file got deleted from:
chkdsk volume: /r



3. Press Enter on your keyboard and wait for the command prompt to scan and repair the partition you chose.

Your files should be restored back to their original location.

Method 5: Restore Permanently Deleted Files on Windows 11 Using File History

One of the many ways you can recover deleted files on your Windows 11 is by using its built-in feature file history. It automatically backs up your files to a network location or an external drive.

It's important to note that to recover files using backups, you must have the automatic backup with file history already enabled.

If you have file history set up, you can restore your deleted files in a few steps:

1. Connect the external storage device containing your backup using a USB cable.
2. Type Control Panel in the search box located in the taskbar.
3. From there, find and click on System & Security.

   

4. Navigate to and click on File History.

   

5. Find and click on Restore personal files, found in the left sidebar.

   

6. Select the file or multiple files you want to recover and click on the green Restore icon.

   

It's as easy as that.

Method 6: Recover Deleted Files on Windows 11 Using Wondershare Recoverit

No matter how the files you're trying to retrieve were deleted, you can always rely on recovery tools. They are easy to use and will finish the job in no time. One such tool is Wondershare Recoverit.

It's a reliable and reputable data recovery software that allows you to restore deleted files on many versions of Windows, including Windows 11. It offers free versions, making data recovery accessible to anyone.

To recover deleted files on Windows 11 using Wondershare Recoverit, simply:

1. Download and install the app on Windows 11, then launch it.
2. Select the location where the deleted files were last seen.

   

3. Click on Scan and wait a bit for the app to scan the file location. The duration of the scan will depend on the storage size in question.

   

4. When the scan is finished, you can preview the deleted files and select the ones you need.
5. Once you've selected the deleted files, click on Recover.

   

6. Choose where you want your recovered files to be saved and click on Recover again.

   

The newly recovered files will be placed in your chosen path.

Method 7: Recover Deleted Files Using Windows File Recovery Tool

If you aren't interested in using third-party recovery apps, Microsoft has created the Windows File Recovery App.

Just as the name suggests, it is a file recovery tool that enables Windows users to recover permanently deleted files without worrying about compatibility issues.

Free and easily downloadable from the Microsoft store, it is there to assist you in various file loss scenarios.

Although it does not support many file formats, it is worth taking a look at how you can recover deleted files using the Windows File Recovery tool:

1. In the search box found in the taskbar, type Microsoft Store and press Enter on your keyboard. You'll see the store window pop up.
2. In the Microsoft Store search box, type Windows File Recovery and press Enter.

   

3. Click on Install.
4. After the app has been installed, back in your taskbar search box, type Windows File Recovery to enter the app.
5. Confirm to Run as Administrator by clicking Yes. You'll enter a cmd that looks like this:

   

6. Begin by typing in the following command: winfr g: f: /regular /n foldername\ .file extension.
   

   Note: ‘.' is a placeholder .or the partition where the data loss occurred. Type in the name of the partition you need. The same goes for ‘f'; it is the path to which you want to recover your file, so choose the one you need. Instead of ‘foldername' type in the name of the folder from which your file got deleted. Finally, instead of ‘file extension' type the particular extension relating to your deleted file.
7. When asked whether or not to continue, press Enter.
8. The tool will ask if you want to View recovered file. Press Enter again.

The recovered file will appear in the destination you specified.

Method 8: Recover Deleted Files Using an Old Windows Backup

The great thing about Windows systems is that they have a built-in backup feature. It lets you create backups on your computer, which you can access if you run into any kind of trouble.

They are especially handy when it comes to data loss. However, this only works if you've previously backed up your files.

To recover deleted files by using an old Windows backup, just:

1. Go to the search box located in the taskbar and type in ‘Control Panel'.
2. In the control panel, select System & Security.

   

3. Navigate to and click on Backup and Restore (Windows 7).

   

4. Under Restore, click on Restore my files.
5. From the list of backups that will appear, select the one that contains your file based on the dates and names of the backups.
6. Click on Restore.

And that's all there is to it!

Method 9: Recover Deleted Files on Windows 11 From OneDrive

Recovering deleted files on Windows 11 is a piece of cake if you have already backed up your files on OneDrive.

It's an online cloud storage service developed by Microsoft that allows you to store and organize your files safely. It is particularly useful if files from your PC get permanently deleted and you want to recover them.

To recover deleted files on Windows 11 from OneDrive, all you have to do is:

1. Open the OneDrive website in your browser of choice.
2. Sign in to your Microsoft account.

   

3. Navigate to the folder where you've previously backed up your files.
4. Once you've found the files you want to recover, tick the checkbox next to each file you need.
5. When you've selected all the necessary files, click the Download button or right-click the files and select Download.

   

6. Choose a path to which you want to save your files and click on Save/Download.

Method 10: Recover Files via Wondershare Ubackit

Another great way to bring back deleted files is to recover them from Wondershare Ubackit. It's a backup manager that allows you to safely backup and store files, partitions, hard disks, etc.

By downloading Wondershare Ubackit, you can ensure that all of your essential or deleted data is recoverable on the off chance your system gets corrupted or files deleted.

If you have Ubackit installed, all you need to do to recover your files is:

1. Launch Wondershare Ubackit.
2. In the left sidebar, click on Restore. You'll see a list of all of your backups.

   

3. Find and select the files you want to recover. You can preview the files in question and choose one of the different versions of the file backups according to the timestamps under the Image name.
4. Once you've selected the files you want to recover, click on Restore.

   

5. Click on Change and choose the location where you want the files to be restored to.

   

6. Wait for Ubackit to finish extracting your data.

When it's finished, Ubackit will display a popup window of your restored files in the selected location.

Conclusion

Recovering deleted files can be simple or a bit more complicated, depending on how the data loss occurred. If you're facing a recent data loss, you can easily retrieve your deleted files from the Recycle Bin or using the Undo Delete function. However, the recovery process may take longer if you haven't recently or accidentally deleted your files.

Thankfully, backups can help you no matter how and when your files were deleted. Wondershare Ubackit and OneDrive store and protect your files, making them accessible whenever you need them. Old Windows backups and file history, both native Windows solutions, also allow you to retrieve your files easily.

Recovery tools like Wondershare Recoverit and Windows Recovery Tool are always there to meet your data recovery needs.

If you feel you are up to the task, you can attempt to recover deleted or uncover hidden files using CHKDSK and ATTRIB.

Go ahead and start recovering your deleted data – the files are out there waiting for you!