Recover recently deleted files

What you will achieve

Recover recently deleted files from Recycle Bin, OneDrive, or File History before they are overwritten or purged.

1) Check Recycle Bin first

1. Open Recycle Bin from the desktop or File Explorer sidebar.
2. Sort by Date deleted, right-click the file → Restore.
3. Files deleted from removable drives or via Shift + Delete skip the Recycle Bin — go to step 2.

2) OneDrive and cloud recycle bin

1. Open onedrive.com → Recycle bin in the left pane.
2. Select files → Restore. Personal accounts typically keep deleted items 30 days.
3. For version history: right-click the file in OneDrive (even if empty locally) → Version history.

3) File History (if enabled)

1. Right-click the folder where the file lived → Restore previous versions or Show more options → Restore previous versions.
2. Or Settings → System → Storage → Advanced storage settings → Backup options → Restore files with File History.
3. Browse by date, preview, and restore the correct version.

4) When files are truly gone

1. Stop writing to the disk immediately — new data overwrites deleted clusters.
2. Use a reputable recovery tool from another drive or USB boot media — success is not guaranteed on SSDs with TRIM enabled.

5) Previous Versions shortcut

1. Right-click parent folder → Restore previous versions even when Recycle Bin is empty if shadow copies exist.

6) Windows File Recovery tool

winfr C: D: /regular /n *.docx

Microsoft's CLI recovery tool — install from Store; recover to different drive than source.

7) Cloud recycle retention

1. Microsoft 365 subscribers may have longer OneDrive retention — check admin centre for tenant policies vs personal 30-day default.

8) Shadow copies before recovery tools

1. Check Previous Versions on parent folder before third-party recovery — faster and non-destructive.
2. Recovery tools install to same disk risk overwriting deleted clusters — run from USB when possible.

Verification checklist

Practice restore on copy of file not sole copy — confirms process without gambling only version of contract or photo set.

1. Reboot once after changes that affect services, drivers, or firmware.
2. Confirm the original problem is resolved under normal daily use, not only immediately after the fix.
3. Note date, Windows version (Settings → System → About), and what changed in your personal runbook for next time.

Quick reference paths

• Recycle Bin
• $Recycle.Bin on each drive
• File History control panel
• Admin tools: press Win + X for Terminal (Admin), Device Manager, and Computer Management.

For NTFS drives, avoid installing recovery software onto the same partition you are scanning — use portable tools on USB where possible.

Related guides

• Create a Windows system image backup
• OneDrive backup for Desktop/Documents