Ways to Recover Shift-Deleted Files – A Brief Guide
When you delete a file in Windows, the actual data doesn’t vanish immediately, but your PC removes the pointer or address to the file in its system, so it stays on the storage drive.
Even if you use Shift + Delete or empty the Recycle Bin, the file still stays there until it gets overwritten by new data, and that’s why you should stop using your computer as soon as you notice a file is missing. By using the right solutions, recovering deleted files is possible, and to maximise chances, don’t mess around with the device much.
Recovering Files from the Recycle Bin
If you deleted the file normally without using the Shift + Delete keys, there’s still a chance you can recover it by following these steps.
- Go to the Recycle Bin.
- Find the file you want to recover.
- Right-click each file and choose Restore so it goes back to its original folder.
- You can also cut and paste it elsewhere, but using the Restore button is safe as it ensures you don’t overwrite other files accidentally.
Use Restore Previous Versions
If you have enabled File History, then you can follow this method to get your deleted files back.
- Go to the drive or folder where the file was deleted from.
- Right-click it and select Restore previous versions.
- Choose a version from a time before the deletion and hit the Restore button, or you can drag and drop it to another location.
- Check the restored folder to find your deleted file.
Use System Restore
This method is meant to recover system files only and doesn’t work for personal files like photos or documents. If any system file goes missing from Windows, follow these steps:
- Go to Control Panel.
- Select System and Security.
- Click on System.
- Select System Protection.
- Choose System Restore, and pick a restore point before following the prompts shown on the screen.
By using these methods, you can recover Shift-Delete files on your Windows PC without much trouble. To ensure you don’t overwrite the lost data, stop using your computer or restarting it.
