How to Retrieve Deleted Files from Recycle Bin

Have you just accidentally deleted an important file and emptied the Recycle Bin? As frustrating as this can be, don’t worry. As long as you take quick action, there are many ways to regain it.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to restore files deleted from Recycle Bin using simple and easy-to-follow techniques. Let’s get right into the details!

Table of contents
About Recycle Bin
What are the Limitations of the Recycle Bin?
Can I Recover Files from the Recycle Bin?
How to Solve the Problem that Deleted File Is Not in the Recycle Bin (Not Using Shift + Delete)
Final Thoughts
FAQs

About Recycle Bin

It is a built-in feature on Microsoft Windows systems that stores temporarily deleted items. When you remove something using the right-click menu or the "deleted" key, it doesn't disappear right away. Instead, it goes to the Recycle Bin, which stays until you decide to empty it or restore the file.

What are the Limitations of the Recycle Bin?

Although the Recycle Bin is great for keeping deleted files, it has limitations. These include the following:

  1. Capacity and Time Limits

    By default, it takes up a certain percentage of your hard drive space and saves it for 30 days. When it gets full and reaches the deadline, older files are automatically deleted to make room for new ones. Also, when the size of the file you delete exceeds this limit, then it will not be put into the Recycle Bin.

    This can be a problem if you need to recover an old file after it has been full for a while.

  2. Permanent Deletion

    Once you empty the Recycle Bin, the files are considered permanently deleted. However, they're not truly gone from your computer right away. The space they previously occupied is just marked as available for new data.

    In other words, if you're wondering how to recover files that were deleted from Recycle Bin, it's possible. However, it becomes more difficult the longer you wait or as new data overwrites them.

  3. Files Deleted Using Shift + Delete

    If you use Shift + Delete or delete files from external drives like memory cards or USBs, those files don't go to the Recycle Bin.

    If you have lost data due to this, then click here to learn how to recover deleted files from Windows 11 or 10.

Can I Recover Files from the Recycle Bin?

Yes, but it depends on whether or not the bin has been emptied. Let's look at the two common scenarios:

  1. Before Emptying the Recycle Bin

    The recovery process is straightforward if you haven't emptied the Recycle Bin yet. The files are still stored there and are easily accessible. All you need to do is open the Recycle Bin, find the file, and restore it to its original folder.

  2. After Emptying the Recycle Bin

    Things get a little trickier here once the Recycle Bin has been emptied. When you empty it, the files are no longer visible, but the actual data is still hanging somewhere on your computer (at least for a while) until it gets overwritten by new files.

    This means that you can still get back files deleted from the recycle bin; you just need a backup or professional recovery software. This is because the operating system no longer keeps track of where these items are stored.

How to Take Deleted Files from Recycle Bin

If you've mistakenly deleted important something and didn't empty the Bin or use Shift + Delete keys, don't panic; there are several ways to get them back.

Option 1: Use the Undo Option

✅ Applicable Situations:

It's a quick fix if you discover the mistake immediately after deleting the file and have not yet taken further action (like pasting, copying, or restarting the computer).

📑 Ways:

Option 2: Recovery Directly from the Recycle Bin

✅ When Is It Usefulness:

If you've deleted a file and performed other commands on the computer but haven't emptied the Recycle Bin, getting it back is simple. The Recycle Bin temporarily stores deleted items, giving you a solution on how to retrieve deleted files from Recycle Bin easily.

📜 Detailed Steps:

  1. Double-click the "Recycle Bin" icon on the computer desktop to open it. If the icon isn't there, you can search for "Recycle Bin" in the Start menu.
  2. Scroll through the list of items or use the search bar at the top-right corner to quickly find the file by its name.
  3. Once you find the file, click on it to select it. If you want to restore multiple items, hold down the "Ctrl" key while clicking on the files.
  4. Right-click on the selected data and select "Restore" from the menu. This will return them to the original folder before they are deleted.
  5. Go to the folder where the file was originally stored, and you should see it there.

If you're not sure where the file was originally located, right-click on it in the Recycle Bin before recovering and select Properties to see its original path.

Option 3: Use the Command Prompt

✅ When to Use:

When you meet the requirements of Option 2, you have certain skills and enjoy exploring new solutions.

📜 Step-by-Step for Recycle Bin How to Restore Deleted Files:

  1. Press the "Win + R" keys, type "cmd" in the dialog box, and click "OK."
  2. Type "cd\" and press Enter.
  3. Type "cd $Recycle.bin" and press Enter.
  4. Type "dir /s" and press Enter.
  5. Browse the list of files that appear and select the ones you need based on the time.
  6. Type "move <name> <path>" and press Enter. Here, you need to replace "<name>" with the actual file name and "<path>" with the path where you want to save the deleted files.

How to Restore Files Deleted from Recycle Bin

Have you mistakenly emptied your Recycle Bin and thought all the important files you deleted would be lost forever? Don't panic – there are still ways to find them. In this section, we'll outline different methods. Let's get right into the details!

Method 1: Use Recycle Bin Recovery Software

✅ When Is It Useful:

This is the best solution when you don't have a backup. It works by scanning your hard disk for deleted items that have not been overwritten.

Option A: Try FileRescuer

It's simple to use and free, making FileRescuer a good option for users who want to know how to recover things deleted from Recycle Bin.

  1. Download the FileRescuer and install it on your system.
  2. After installation, open it. On the main screen, scroll down to find "Recycle Bin" and select it. Finally, click "Search for Lost Files."
  3. Once the scan is complete, you'll see a list of recoverable files. At this time, please click the corresponding volume in the sidebar according to the volume where the deleted files were previously located, and then click "Recycle Bin" to view the items found.
  4. Click the checkbox next to the files you wish to regain.
  5. Click the "Recover" button to choose a location to save your deleted file.
Option B: Windows File Recovery

It is a free tool developed by Microsoft. While Windows File Recovery may not be as user-friendly as some 3rd-party software tools, it's a powerful option for people familiar with command-line tools. Because no one is more familiar with how their system handles deleted files than Microsoft.

Step-by-Step Guide to How to Restore Something Deleted from Recycle Bin:

  1. Open the Microsoft Store on your Windows computer. Search for "Windows File Recovery" and click Get to download and install the app.
  2. After running it, type in the following command – winfr <source-drive>: <destination-drive>: /<mode> /n <file type>.
    Replace <source-drive> with the drive letter where the files were deleted from and <destination-drive> with the volume letter where you want to save the recovered files.
    Select the <mode> (regular or extensive): Regular mode (for common file recovery) and Extended mode (for more complex situations).
    Replace <file type> as your delete ones like *.jpg.
  3. Type "Y" and Enter to scan for the deleted items.
  4. Once the recovery process is complete, go to the specified destination drive to find the recovered files.

Method 2: From Your Backups

✅ When to Use:

It must be enabled File History and select this item before removing, if not, you won't have any copies on how to get back files deleted from Recycle Bin using it.

📜 Steps:

  1. Press the "Windows" key, type "Control Panel" in the search box, and click Enter.
  2. From the Control Panel, click on "System and Security" and then on "File History" from the available options.
  3. Click "Restore Personal Files" on the left side of the window.
  4. Browse through the backup versions to find the files or folder you want to recover.
  5. Once found, select them and click the "Restore" button at the bottom of the window.

Tip: If you have created a system backup before, you can also click here to view detailed steps to extract files from the Windows backup.

Method 3: Use OneDrive

✅ When Is It Useful:

When you enable OneDrive sync or the file is in the OneDrive folder, even if you empty the local Recycle Bin, the backup of the deleted item will also be kept in the cloud storage for a period of time.

📜 Guide:

  1. Log in to OneDrive.
  2. Browse the files in your cloud storage and find the one you deleted.
  3. Select it and click "Download" at the top of the page.

Method 4: Try Data Recovery Services

✅ Applicable Situations:

When the above solution about how to recover files that were deleted from Recycle Bin does not work and these data are important to you, then you can consider this option. They will use advanced technology to diagnose the problem and perform a Recycle Bin recovery to ensure that they can help you salvage the data to the greatest extent possible. However, this is usually expensive, and you must send the hard drive to a service center.

☎️ How to Contact:

You can find a data recovery service provider near you by searching. After obtaining the contact information, you can communicate with their service staff and decide whether you need this service.

How to Solve the Problem that Deleted File Is Not in the Recycle Bin (Not Using Shift + Delete)

The recycle bin can effectively prevent accidental deletion, but when it malfunctions, it can lead to disasters. If you find that deleted files do not appear in the recycle bin, here are solutions to help you troubleshoot.

Method #1: Check the "Don't Move Files to the Recycle Bin. Remove Files Immediately When Deleted" Option.

When incorrect settings cause this option to be selected, it prevents files from being sent to the Recycle Bin. For this reason, you should first check it by following the steps below.

  1. After right-clicking the "Recycle Bin" icon on the desktop, select "Properties."
  2. Ensure this option is unchecked in the Properties window.
  3. Click "OK" to save your changes.

Method #2: Check the Maximum Size of Files That Can Be Stored in the Recycle Bin

Did you delete a large file but find it is not showing up in the Recycle Bin? This is because the Recycle Bin's capacity has exceeded its maximum. You can customize it by following the steps below.

  1. In the Recycle Bin Properties window, check the maximum size allocated under the size of the Recycle Bin.
  2. If you need more space, click each volume in turn and set the size under the "Custom Size" option.

Method #3: Use the CMD to Repair a Damaged Recycle Bin

When the Recycle Bin malfunctions, the files you deleted may also not appear. Here are ways to fix this error.

  1. Press Windows +S and type "Command Prompt." Next, select Run as Administrator.
  2. Type in "rd /s /q C: \$Recycle.Bin" to delete and recreate the Recycle Bin folder.
  3. Restart your computer to complete the process.

Method #4: Check the Registry Settings

Sometimes, incorrect registry settings can cause files to bypass the Recycle Bin. Follow the steps below to do this:

  1. Press "Windows + R" and type "regedit." Finally, click OK.
  2. From the open window, go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWARE > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Explorer > DeskTop > NameSpace.
  3. Look for a value named "NODRIVE_RECYCLE." If the file exists, delete it.
  4. Close it and restart your computer.

Method #5: Check the Frequency of Automatic Emptying

The reason your deleted files are not showing may be because your Recycle Bin is set to empty automatically. Follow the steps below to resolve this:

  1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
  2. Go to System and then Storage.
  3. Locate Storage Sense and click on it.
  4. Check the settings for automatic deletion and adjust them if necessary. Ensure it is not set to empty the Recycle Bin too frequently.

Final Thoughts

Deleting something in our computer is something we do quite often, but knowing how to retrieve deleted files from Recycle Bin can be useful, especially after you have emptied the Recycle Bin. In this article, we have introduced recovery scenarios for different situations and troubleshooting tips when deleted items are not showing in the Recycle Bin. With their help, you can avoid important data loss and minimize the risk of it.

FAQs

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