college-student-mobile

Easily Recover PDF Files

Expore 6 easy methods to recover lost PDF files, including legal documents, contracts, reports, academic PDF etc.

Lost Academic PDFs on SSD Drives

"My laptop graphic card is malfuntioning. After I have my laptop (with SSD drives) fixed , I lost my PDF files of my academic reports. How to recover lost PDF files due to unknown reasons?"

quote-author
Sara College Student
project-manager-mobile

Easily Recover PDF Files

Expore 6 easy methods to recover lost PDF files, including legal documents, contracts, reports, academic PDF etc.

Scanned Contract PDF Missing/div>

"I have some scanned PDF files of business contracts stored in my computer. All of a sudden one day, I cannot see the files in that folder. What can I do?"

quote-author
Malik Johnson – Project Manager
lawyer-mobile

Easily Recover PDF Files

Expore 6 easy methods to recover lost PDF files, including legal documents, contracts, reports, academic PDF etc.

Accidental Formation of USB

"I accidenttaly formatted my USB drive. I lost my data in the USB, including some legal PDFs, court videos, and photos etc. Is it possible to retrieve the lost data?"

quote-author
Ella Lawyer
financial-analyst-mobile

Easily Recover PDF Files

Expore 6 easy methods to recover lost PDF files, including legal documents, contracts, reports, academic PDF etc.

Lost Finacial Analysis PDFs

"I am a finance guy. I was working on my financial analysis PDF report. When the work is done, I forgot to click the save button and I lost a lot of the PDF content. How to recover unsaved PDF files?"

quote-author
Tom Financial Analyst
architecture-manager-mobile

Easily Recover PDF Files

Expore 6 easy methods to recover lost PDF files, including legal documents, contracts, reports, academic PDF etc.

Lost CAD PDF due to virus

"My computer was infected with virus last few days. Some of my CAD PDF files were lost, and some PDF files were corrupted. What to do?"

quote-author
Alora Architecture Manager

Common Causes of PDF File Loss

PDF Unsaved

PDF Unsaved

Sometimes PDF files are not saved before unintended closing or sudden power out.

Accidentally Deleted PDF File

Accidentally Deleted PDF File

PDF files may be lost due to accidental deletion or unintended drive formation.

Lost PDF due to virus

Lost PDF due to virus

Virus or malware infection may lead to PDF files loss or corruption.

File Transfer Problems

File Transfer Problems

PDF files might be lost or corrupted during transfer or downloading process if the process is interrupted.

How to Recover PDF Files?

These are some proved methods to recover lost PDF files. Success recovery of some free methods are not guaranteed due to function limitations.
Recoverit is always ready to help when other methods failed.

1. Use Recoverit
2. Recycle bin
3. File History
4. PDF Auto-Recover
5. Temp File Folder
6. Command Prompt
Use Recoverit
How-to Steps:

Step 1: Launch Recoverit. Select the drive where your PDF was stored. Click Scan

Step 2: Wait for the scan. Preview the found PDF files by clicking on them.

Step 3: Select the PDF you want to recover. Click Recover.

Pros
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The recovery process is easy and intuitive.

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The success rate is as high as 99.5%.

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The recovery process is private and secure.

Cons
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Software installation is needed.

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Sometimes deep scan is a little long.

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Recoverit PDF File Recovery
Best Companion for PDF Recovery
Recycle Bin
How-to Steps:

Step 1: Open the Recycle Bin by double–clicking its icon on your desktop. Look for your PDF file.

Step 2: Right–click the file and select "Restore".

Step 3: The PDF will return to its original location. Save a copy of the recovered file to avoid losing it again.

Pros:
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No need to install software.

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This method is totally free.

Cons:
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It cannot recover permanently deleted PDFs.

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Only applicable for files still in recycle bin.

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Recoverit PDF File Recovery
Best Companion for PDF Recovery
File History
How-to Steps:

Step 1: Open Control Panel from the Start menu. Select System and Security. Click File History. Click Restore personal files

Step 2: Browse to find your PDF by navigating through folders. Use the arrows at the bottom to move between different backup dates

Step 3: Select the PDF you want to recover. Click the green restore button. If your system is Mac, use time machine.

Pros:
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No need to install software.

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This method is totally free.

Cons:
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To use this method, you must have File History turned on in PC.

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If you turned it off previously, PDF recovery is not possible.

recoverit-square
Recoverit PDF File Recovery
Best Companion for PDF Recovery
PDF Auto-Recovery
How-to Steps:

Step 1: Open Adobe Acrobat Reader

Step 2: When prompted to recover the auto-save file, select Yes.

Step 3: Save the recovered file in a secure location.

Pros:
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No need to install software.

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This method is totally free.

Cons:
red warning

It cannot recover permanently deleted PDFs.

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Deleted PDF retention time is limited, usually 30 days.

recoverit-square
Recoverit PDF File Recovery
Best Companion for PDF Recovery
Temp File Folder
How-to Steps:

Step 1: Locate the file path of PDF temporary files. The following are the paths to Adobe PDF temporary files.

Step 2: Find and identify the temporary files of the unsaved PDF.

Step 3: Copy the temporary files to a secure location and change their file extensions to ".pdf".

Pros:
green-right

No need to install software.

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This method is totally free.

Cons:
red warning

It cannot recover permanently deleted PDFs.

red warning

Deleted PDF retention time is limited, usually 30 days.

recoverit-square
Recoverit PDF File Recovery
Best Companion for PDF Recovery
Command Prompt
How-to Steps:

Step 1: Press Win+X and select "Command Prompt (Admin)". Type "chkdsk X: /f" (replace X with your drive letter) and press Enter. Type Y if prompted to schedule a disk check, then restart your computer.

Step 2: After a restart, open Command Prompt again as an administrator. Type "attrib -h -r -s /s /d X:.pdf" (replace X with drive letter).

Step 3: Wait for the command to finish running. Look for recovered PDF files on your drive.

Pros:
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This method is free.

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No need to install software.

Cons:
red warning

This method is for advanced users with knowladge about CHKDSK.

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Success recovery rate is not high.

recoverit-square
Recoverit PDF File Recovery
Best Companion for PDF Recovery

Keys for Increasing PDF File Recovery Success

There are some proven tips for PDF file recovery. Following these tips can help increase PDF file recovery success.
However, ignoring these tips may lead to permannent PDF data loss.

Reliable

Choose a Reliable Recovery Tool

Choose a Reliable Recovery Tool

Select a reliable PDF recovery software like Recoverit (21 years' experience). Professional tools provide better success rates with advanced file analysis and recovery methods.

Reliable

Stop Using the Device

Stop Using the Device

As soon as you realize you have PDF data lost, stop using the affected device (PC, USB, hard drives etc). Continued use can overwrite lost files, making them unrecoverable.

Reliable

Create a Byte-to-Byte Image

Create a Byte-to-Byte Image

If possible, create a byte-to-byte image of the drive before attempting recovery to protect the original drive from further damage.

Recoverit: One-stop Tool to Recover PDF Files from Different Storage

Recoverit supports to recover lost PDF files from 2000+ different storage devices, including PC, cloud storage, external hard drives, SD cards and USB drives etc.
Recoverit is also compatible with different file systems (APFS (Encrypted)/ExFAT/FAT16/FAT32/HFS+/Encrypted HFS/HFSX/NTFS/ReFS/Raid/RAW/BTRFS/XFS/BFS under
the Linux OS/ext4 under the Linux OS) and operating systems (Win, Mac & Linux).

Recover Lost PDF from PC

Recover Lost PDF from PC

Recoverit supports to recover lost or deleted PDF files from PC. Supported systems include Win, Mac, Linux and NAS.

Recover PDF Files from Cloud Storage

Recover PDF Files from Cloud Storage

Many people now use cloud storage to store and share PDF files. Recoverit supports to recover deleted or lost PDF from cloud storage, including Google Drive, iCloud, OneDrive etc.

Recover PDF from external drives / SD Cards

Recover PDF from external drives / SD Cards

External hard drives, USB and SD cards are often used to store PDF files. Sometimes PDF may be lost from external devices due to several reasons. Recoverit can help retrieve lost PDF files.

Leading PDF Recovery Tool for Each PDF File in Different Area

Whether you lose legal documents, academic papers, contracts, financial reports or project PDFs,
You can always count Recoverit to recover your lost PDFs.

Legal Documents

Whether you lost your court PDF documents or legal PDFs, Recoverit can help recover lost or deleted PDF easiy.

Academic Papers

Recoverit can help you recover your lost academic papers, certificates and other PDF files.

Contracts

With Recoverit, you can easily recover lost contract PDFs, PDF texts, PDF images and so on.

Financial Reports

When your fiancial reports, audit PDFs, market analysis PDFs or other files are lost, you can always count on Recoverit to recover all lost PDF files.

Project PDF

Recover also supports to recover all lost project PDF files, including CAD PDF, scanned PDF, architecture PDFs etc.

Outstanding Highlights of Recoverit PDF Recovery Tool

Recover All Formats of PDF Files
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Recover All Formats of PDF Files
Recoverit can recover all formats of PDF files, including pdf, pdf/a, xps etc. As well as the content of PDF: texts, graphics, images, tables etc.
Leading 99.5% Success Rate
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Backed by extensive testing and data, Recoverit delivers a leading 99.5% recover success rate - making it one of the most reliable recovery software.
Full Platform Compatibility
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Leading 99.2% Success Rate
Recoverit works seamlessly across Windows, Mac, Linux and NAS. No matter where your lost PDF files are, you can instanly start the PDF recovery process without worrying about compatibility.
100% Private & Secure
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Recoverit uses strong encryption to safeguard your data during recovery process. Your data will not be stored. Your data remains 100% private and secure.
Quick Scan
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quick-scan
Quick scan and deep scan modes are both supported for your PDF recovery. Besides, you can recover files during scanning.
Unlimited Batch Recovering
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Unlimited Batch Processing
Recoverit supports to recover unlimited PDF files in bluk or batch - no matter the size or quantity. Perfect for professionals and organizations managing large document volumes.

Comparison with Other Recovery Tools

Explore why Recoverit Outperforms other PDF data recovery tools.

Recovery Tool Recoverit Disk Drill EaseUs MiniTool Power
Supported Formats 1000+ 400+ 1000+ 50+
Bad Sectors Recovery right right right right
Disk Image Recovery right right fault fault
SCSI/SATA/PATA/IDE/USB/PCIe Support right right fault right
BitLocker/T2/M1~M4 Encrypted Drive Recovery right fault fault fault
2 Licenses Supported 2 licenses provided in 1 purchase 1 license in 1 purchase 1 license in 1 purchase 1 license in 1 purchase
Starting Price $64.99 $89.00 $69.95 $69.00
Versions for Win
1 month (2 PCs): $64.99
1 year (2 PCs): $74.99
Perpetual (2 PCs): $134.99
Pro (1 PCs): $89.00
Enterprise (1 PCs): $499.00
1 month (1 PCs): $69.95
1 year (1 PCs): $99.95
Perpetual: (1 PCs) $149.95
1 month (1 PCs): $69.00
1 year (1 PCs): $89.00
Perpetual (1 PCs): $99.00
Versions for Mac
1 month (2 Macs): $84.99
1 year (2 Macs): $94.99
Perpetual (2 Macs): $144.99
Pro (1 Mac): $89.00
Enterprise (1 Mac): $499.00
1 month (1 Mac): $89.95
1 year (1 Mac): $119.95
Perpetual (1 Mac): $169.95
1 month (1 Mac): $69.99
1 year (1 Mac): $89.99
Perpetual (1 Mac): $99.99

FAQs about PDF Files Recovery

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How long can I still recover a deleted PDF file?

You can often recover deleted PDF files within days or weeks of deletion, depending on drive usage. The less you use your device after deletion, the better your chances to undelete PDF documents. Recovery becomes harder over time as new data may overwrite the file space. On rarely used drives, files might be recoverable months after deletion. On heavily used systems, the window may be just hours. This is why immediate action improves success rates dramatically.
Yes, you can sometimes recover lost PDF files even after formatting, though chances decrease. Professional recovery software like Recoverit may help retrieve deleted PDF files by scanning deeper into your drive structure. Act quickly and avoid writing new data to the formatted drive. Quick format operations don't fully erase data and leave more chance for recovery than full formats. For best results, stop using the drive right after formatting and use specialized recovery tools designed for formatted drives.
Many of these methods work differently on phones. To recover a deleted PDF document on mobile devices, check your phone's trash folder first. Cloud storage recovery and specialized mobile recovery apps offer the best chances to recover the deleted PDF files from phones and tablets. Android and iOS have different recovery options. Android may allow file recovery with special apps, while iOS works best through iCloud recovery or iTunes backups. Always check your device's built-in backup options before trying third-party solutions.
Yes, you can often recover unsaved Acrobat file even if you never saved it. Adobe creates temporary files while you work. The autosave feature also makes copies. Use an Adobe PDF repair tool or check temp folders to find these files after a crash.
Yes, most of these methods work after a full computer crash too. When you restart, look for the Document Recovery window. Or check temp folders to recover unsaved PDF in Adobe. Cloud backups are especially helpful for full system crashes as they store files away from your computer.