How To Recover Deleted Files on Windows 11 in 2026?

In Windows 11, “deleted” doesn’t always mean “gone.” 

Windows offers several built-in features and external tools/software that can help to recover deleted files.

Regardless of your location, the moment you realise your file is missing, stop saving new files to the storage. Once the free space is overwritten, the data becomes unrecoverable. This guide will walk you through the top, proven ways to answer: how to recover deleted files on Windows 11 in 2026? 

What are the Top Methods to Recover Deleted Files on Windows?

Struggling to recover your deleted files on Windows 11? Here are the top file recover Windows methods, listed from simplest to most advanced.

Method	Best For	How to Use
Recycle Bin	Recently deleted files	Select files from the recycle bin, right-click and click “restore.”
Undo	Instant undo	Press Ctrl + Z or right-click on the same folder and click Undo
Windows File History	Previously backed up files	Type “Restore your files with file history” in the search bar, browse for versions and click restore
Windows File Recovery	Formatted Drives	Use the Command Line winfr command
Older Backup/ After Upgrade	System crash/ post upgrade loss	Use File History, Restore Points, or Cloud Backups (OneDrive)
Data Recovery Software	Permanently deleted	Install software (e.g., Notchox), scan and recover

Method 1: How to Retrieve Deleted Documents from Recycle Bin?

Recycle bin is a special space (temporary storage) in your computer that stores all the deleted files. It remains there, taking up space, until you empty the recycle bin. Here’s how to recover recently deleted files on Windows from the recycle bin:

Step 1: Open the Recycle Bin from the desktop on your computer.

Step 2: Search for the file you want to restore from the Recycle Bin.

Step 3: Right-click and click “Restore.”

Step 4: The file will be restored to its original location.

Note: Files removed from external drives or network locations often bypass the Recycle Bin and are permanently deleted immediately.

Method 2: Can you Recover Deleted Files on Windows 11 using Ctrl + Z (Undo)?

If you accidentally recently deleted the file, and are wondering how to restore files, “Undo Delete” is the best way to recover your file, provided you haven’t done any operation (moving, copying, pasting, etc) after the file deletion. Simply, press Ctrl + Z in the folder, or follow these steps to Undo Delete:

Step 1: Go to the folder from which the file has been deleted.

Step 2: Right-click and select “Undo Delete.”

Step 3: The deleted file is restored in the same folder.

Method 3: Steps to Restore Your Files with the File History

File History is an integrated backup system offered by Windows. It came with Windows 8, designed to replace previous backup models. The File History automatically backs up all your libraries, including default and custom libraries that you created, allowing you to restore previous versions.

Let’s see how to recover deleted files on Windows using File History.

Step 1: Type “File History” in the search bar and press Enter.

Step 2: On the left side panel, choose “Restore personal files.”

Step 3: Go to the folder that once stored deleted files. You can navigate to different versions using the left and right navigation buttons.

Step 4: Select the files you want to recover. Click on the green Restore button. The files will be restored to the original location.

Tip: If you want to restore to a different location, right-click on the restore button and click Restore to. Then choose the desired location.

Method 4: File Recovery Using Windows File Recovery Tool

Windows File Recovery is the free official command-line recovery tool developed by Microsoft. It can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store. This is used to restore files that are no longer present in the local storage device and cannot be restored from the recycle bin.

Note: Windows does not allow restoring to the same partition, as it poses a risk of corrupting your data.

Here are the steps on how to recover deleted files on Windows using the Windows File Recovery tool:

Step 1: Install the Windows File Recovery from the Microsoft Store.

Step 2: When opened, a command-line interface opens. Enter the prompt in the following format: winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/mode] [/switches] and press Enter.

(for example, Winfr C: E: /regular /n \Users\Public\Project1 to recover all files in the folder.)

Step 3: If prompted to confirm, press Y.

How to Recover Deleted Files After an Upgrade?

Updating Windows is required to access new features and maintain compatibility with modern hardware. If files can’t be discovered after upgrading Windows, here are the steps to locate the files:

Method 1: Look for the Files Using Search

Here’s how to find deleted files on Windows. Follow the steps to search for the file on the device:

1. Open the File Explorer on your computer.
2. Navigate to This PC from the left side panel.

   

3. In the Search text box in the top right corner of the window, enter the lost file name.

   

Search Toubleshooter

If the file can’t be accessed by searching, there might be a problem with the search. Use the search troubleshooter to fix it.

1. Open settings and search Windows Search Settings.

   

2. Click on Advanced indexing options.

   

3. Click Troubleshoot Search and Indexing in the troubleshooting section.

   

4. Check the problems you notice and click next.

   

5. Troubleshooting will begin. The problems found will be listed. Once done, click Close.

   

Hidden Files

Hidden Files in Windows are intentionally hidden files from view in the File Explorer to prevent accidental deletion/modification of critical data. They include files that are not needed daily by the user, such as system files, configuration files, temporary files, etc., but are essential for the operating system. Users can also set the files as hidden using the “hidden” attribute if needed. To show those hidden files:

1. Open Settings on your computer and go to System.

   

2. Navigate to the For developers settings.

   

3. In the File Explorer options, make sure to check Show hidden files, folders, and drives.

   

Method 2: Recover Deleted Files from an Older Backup

To restore files from a pre-Windows 11 backup created on an external storage device, follow:

1. Connect the external storage that contains the backup.
2. Open the Control Panel.

   

3. Under System and Security, click Backup and Restore (Windows 7).

   

4. In the ” Backup and restore your files” window, click Select another backup to restore files from.

   

5. A Restore Files (Advanced) window opens up. Choose the external storage that contains the backup and click Next.

   

6. Follow the wizard to restore files from the external saved backup.

Note: The files can be recovered from OneDrive if previously saved on OneDrive.

Method 3: Enable a Windows Administrator Account

The administrator account has elevated permissions, giving full control over the operating system. If you created a new administrator account when upgrading to Windows 11, the files might still be there in the previous administrator account. To regain access, activate the old administrator account.

1. Search for and open Computer Management on your PC.

   

2. Select Local Users and Groups from the left pane and click Users.

   

3. If the administrator icon has a down arrow, it is disabled. Double-click Administrator to open the properties dialog box.

   

4. Uncheck the Account is Disabled checkbox and click Apply. This will enable the Windows Administrator account.

   

5. Sign out and sign in again using the activated Administrator account.

How Can We Restore Permanently Deleted Files Using Data Recovery Software?

To recover permanently deleted files on Windows 11, when you don’t have a backup to recover from, use data recovery software such as Notchox.

Notchox is a top data recovery software recognised for super efficiency, designed to restore files from system crashes, accidental deletion, and technical glitches. It has 99% success rate with an intuitive interface for Windows 11.

Full support for all modern Windows versions
Operating System	Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11
Architecture	32-bit or 64-bit
Processor	1 GHz
RAM	1GB minimum
Storage	250MB free space

How to Use Notchox Data Recovery Software on Windows 11?

Notchox is the best data recovery software, outshining its high success rate and Comprehensive Storage and Extension Support. Here are the steps on how can we restore permanently deleted files using Notchox data recovery software:

1. Installation

   Download the Notchox software and install it on your Windows 11. Make sure not to install the software on the same drive to prevent overwriting the data.

   To download Notchox software, visit the official site www.notchox.com. Now follow the steps and install the software.

2. Select the Drive

   Locate the drive or partition from where the data was deleted. For example, Local Disk C, USB Drive, etc.

   If restoring from an external device, make sure it is properly connected. Data recovery software will list all connected storage devices.

3. Apply Filters

   Apply a filter before the scan to narrow down the search. The filters include:

   • File type: Select specific file type, i.e., photo.
   • File extension: Filter file by specific format, such as BMP, GIF, PNG, JPEG, JPG, TIFF, PSD, Adobe EPS, etc.
   • Scan mode/depth: Choose between quick scan and deep scan.
4. Start Scan

   Execute the recovery process of the tool to scan and extract files. Click Start Scan to allow the software to scan the drive and start analyzing the file system, directory structures and data signatures.

   The scan will take from 15 to 30 minutes to complete.

5. Preview & Recovery

   Check the interim results. Notchox profiles preview before recovery to ensure integrity. Select the desired files and click Recover to finalise it to complete data recovery.

Get Common Data Recovery Queries Solved

Have data recovery queries? This section lists common Windows 11 users’ queries regarding accidental data loss, corrupted files recovery, partition recovery and more. Let’s have a look.

1. How to restore an accidentally deleted big folder in the trash bin (Windows 11)

• Stop using the computer to prevent overwriting of the data.
• Since standard tools failed, focus on Windows File Recovery and cloud backups.
• Still, if it’s not recoverable, go for professional data recovery software. Install them on a USB drive or another external storage device.

2. How to recover permanently deleted 12Gb folder tree in Windows 11?

Been trying every method to recover a deleted folder on Windows 11, you must get help from data recovery software, as it deep scans the digital storage, looks for partitions or any residual data and rebuilds the data to the original file.

3. Help me recover deleted files by shift-delete on Windows 11

Query Overview: How to find out what I just shift- deleted? The user accidentally deleted files using Shift + Delete and wants to recover them.

• Shift+Delete in Windows 11 is considered permanent deletion. It permanently removes the files/folders, bypassing the recycle bin.
• This is an irreversible action, OneDrive being the exception, if you have made a backup.
• If not, data recovery tools can help in this type of data recovery before being overwritten by new data.

4. Recovering deleted Downloads files in Windows 11

Query Overview: The user accidentally deleted all files in the downloads and now wants to recover them. This is a common mistake that many users try to undo.

• The plan to use a Mac is complicated. Windows 11 uses an NTFS file system, while Macs use APFS or HFS+.
• Try using Windows File Recovery to recover the data.
• Use a reliable data recovery tool like Notchox, which offers:
  • Deep Scan Technology
  • Pre-recovery Preview
  • Supports 1000+ Formats
  • Drive-Friendly Retrieval
  • Selective Recovery

5. Help Needed! How to recover the deleted partition in Windows 11

Query Overview: A Windows 11 user mistakenly deleted the logical partition of a 1TB hard drive and has tried tools like Minitool and EaseUS, but can’t recover. The user suggested DMDE, but doesn’t know how to do it.

• The solution is to undelete the partition, restoring it and all its data.
• Download and launch DMDE (a powerful data recovery and disk editing software). Scan for the deleted partition. Following, verify and restore the partition. 

Wrapping Up

Recovering deleted files on Windows 11 is highly achievable by acting quickly to prevent overwriting. This blog discusses all the ways to recover deleted files/folders on Windows 11. 

Start by checking the Recycle Bin or using undo (Ctrl + Z). For permanent losses, use File History or the Windows File Recovery Tool. Regular backups remain the best defence against permanent data deletion. 

For cases where these methods fail, using data recovery software is the best approach.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)