How to Recover Deleted .lnk Files on Windows 10

Theo Lucia updated Jul 07, 26

5 min(s)

TL;DR:

Recreating a missing .lnk file directly from the original application or document is the fastest solution on Windows 10, but permanently deleted shortcuts can also be restored using File History backups or recovery scans.
● Shortcut recovery only restores the small pointer file, meaning the shortcut will fail to open or display a broken icon if the original target application or document was also deleted or moved.
● Stop saving new files to the drive immediately if the shortcut was permanently removed using Shift + Delete, and utilize software like Recoverit Data Recovery to scan before overwritten sectors prevent restoration.

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Deleted .lnk files on Windows 10 can often be recovered from the Recycle Bin, a previous backup, or file recovery software if the shortcut was permanently deleted. Windows shortcut file recovery works best before new data overwrites the original location. If the shortcut pointed to a missing app or file, recreating the shortcut may be faster than recovery.

Use the steps below to recover deleted .lnk files on Windows 10.

Step 1
Check the Recycle Bin first. Open Recycle Bin, search for the deleted .lnk file by name, right-click the item, and select Restore. The shortcut returns to the original folder.
Step 2
Search for another copy of the shortcut. Use Windows Search and look for *.lnk. Check the Desktop, Start Menu folders, and taskbar-related locations where duplicate shortcuts may still exist.
Step 3
Restore from File History or backup. If File History, OneDrive, or another backup tool was enabled, open the folder where the shortcut was stored and restore an earlier version.
Step 4
Use file recovery software for permanent deletion. Scan the drive where the .lnk file was deleted. Filter results by file type or filename to recover deleted .lnk files before overwritten sectors reduce success.
Step 5
Recreate the shortcut if the target file still exists. Right-click the original program, folder, or document, select Send to > Desktop (create shortcut), or create a new shortcut manually.

Common Issues and Fixes

Shortcut is not in Recycle Bin — Likely cause: the .lnk file was permanently deleted with Shift + Delete or removed by cleanup software. Fix: stop saving new files to the drive and run a recovery scan as early as possible.
Recovered .lnk file does not open — Likely cause: the target path changed, the app was removed, or the linked file was also deleted. Fix: open shortcut Properties and correct the target path, or recover the original target file too.
No scan results for .lnk files — Likely cause: the drive was heavily used after deletion and the shortcut data may have been overwritten. Fix: stop using the drive and run a deeper scan by file type or original folder location.
Shortcut returns but shows a broken icon — Likely cause: icon cache corruption, a changed target path, or a missing target application. Fix: rebuild the shortcut, refresh the icon cache, or reinstall the related program.
Start Menu shortcut is missing only from one account — Likely cause: the shortcut was stored in a user-specific profile folder. Fix: check both the current user Start Menu and the public Start Menu folders.

Quick tips for Windows shortcut file recovery:

.lnk files are small shortcut files, not the actual documents, photos, or programs. Recovery of the shortcut does not restore the original target if the target is gone.
Desktop cleanup tools, antivirus quarantine, and profile resets can remove shortcuts without deleting the original files.
Pinned taskbar items may need to be pinned again even after deleted .lnk files are restored successfully.
If the original file still exists, recreating the shortcut is usually quicker than full Windows shortcut file recovery.

💡Protip:

If only the shortcut was deleted and the original file or app still exists, recreating the shortcut is usually faster than recovery. Use file recovery only when the .lnk file was permanently deleted or the original target file is also missing.