How to Recover Deleted Files from SSD?

Losing files from an SSD feels different from losing files from a hard drive and when it happens most of the people panic and quickly think for the solution “How to Recover Deleted Files from SSD” because they have heard one scary line that is

Well I am telling you that’s not completely true and that it is also not always completely false. Recovery is 100% possible if you have not overwritten your data no matter if you are Windows 10 or 11 user you can recover lost files on ssd.

In my recent tests and real recovery cases I have seen deleted files come back from SSDs and I have seen cases where recovery has failed completely and the only difference was not luck but was timing, SSD behavior, and hasty user actions.

In this guide you will find exactly how to recover deleted files from an SSD what you should try first and when recovery works and most importantly when you should stop wasting time.

What Happens When You Delete Files from an SSD?

Before we jump into solutions here we need to understand one thing very clearly that the SSDs don’t behave like hard drives so when you delete a file from an SSD you will witness the following:

• Your file disappears instantly
• The SSD prepares that space for cleaning
• Background processes permanently erase the data

This is done using something we called the TRIM command.

What are the outcomes from my testing?

• Files deleted minutes ago – sometimes recoverable
• Files deleted hours ago – recovery chance drops
• Files deleted days ago with SSD in use – usually gone

That is why this mostly depends on you and your actions on the SSD drive in case of any data loss you must immediately stop using your SSD to avoid any overwriting.

Immediate Steps to Recover Deleted Files from an SSD

Well the most important actions you must take after loosing your data from solid state drive is to stop using your system and rest you can find below 3 major steps you can take at earliest. You can also find our useful guide how you can recover data from failed and crashed solid state drive situations before the chances of recovery drop.

Step 1- Stop Using the SSD Immediately

This is the most important and life saving step if you want to keep recovery chances high in almost every successful recovery case I have handled the user did one thing right they stopped using the SSD immediately so you should also do the same. If you keep using the SSD

• TRIM continues working
• Garbage collection runs
• Deleted data gets wiped permanently

If you care for your data of file just do this immediately

• Quickly Shut down your system
• Not to install software on the same SSD
• Do not copy files
• And Last do not reinstall Windows

The above all the suggested steps will decide the success or failure of your SSD files so be smart and act immediately.

Step 2- Check If Data is Already Erased by TRIM

By checking this gives you a clear picture and helps you set realistic expectations also on your modern Windows systems TRIM is usually enabled by default. If you ask about my experience I will consider the following to keep in mind

• If TRIM already processed to the deleted blocks the software recovery will fail
• And If TRIM hasn’t executed yet the chances of recovery is 100% possible.

So you can not always “see” TRIM working but it has the best chance of working after a recent deletion and when there is no other SSD activity.

Step 3- Deleted File Recovery Using Software

I will be very honest here about the recovery tools it will work well If you use it at the right time and in the right way it can save your valuable data. If you overwrite the SSD completely you will lose the chances to recover anything useful.

Software recovery gives you the best results when the SSD is still healthy and the file deletion happened recently.

Software recovery works best only if it meet the certain scenarios as I mentioned below

• If Your files were deleted recently
• When the SSD is detected normally in the system
• The file system is NTFS or FAT
• You have not used SSD heavily after deletion
• TRIM may not have fully erased the deleted blocks yet

In the above cases a good recovery tool like SysTools SSD Recovery Software can scan the drive, rebuild file structure, and allow you to preview recoverable data before saving it.

What I noticed during my recent tests?

While testing software on different deletion scenarios I observed some clear patterns you can check below these common patterns

• Some small documents like Word, PDF, and text files were recovered successfully in many cases.
• Photos and videos were sometimes recovered but a few files were partially damaged
• The heavily used SSD after deletion simply Files deleted long ago did not return

So based on my experience I can say that the software is time sensitive not random.

When should you avoid using software? The most common question users have in mind but yes, it is equally important to know when software will not help you out so you don’t waste time or overwrite your data.

Avoid using recovery software if:

• The SSD is not detected
• The drive shows 0 GB capacity
• The SSD is fully encrypted
• The SSD controller has failed
• The drive was used continuously for days after deletion

In such cases you must seek a professional recovery option rather than finding a recovery option.

Important tip before running any recovery tool

• Not to install recovery software on the same SSD
• You should save recovered files to a different drive
• Stop the scan if the SSD starts behaving abnormally

Step 4- Recover Deleted Files from SSD After (Shift + Delete)

Shift + Delete scares many of you because it skips the Recycle Bin but the truth is

• Shift + Delete doesn’t instantly destroy your files
• SSD cleanup decides what happens next

Facts finding from my testing

• Shift-deleted files recovered successfully within minutes
• After system restart and heavily SSD usage – recovery completely failed

So If you have used Shift + Delete next you must

• Act immediately
• Avoid rebooting
• Use our recovery software fast

Step 5: Recover Deleted Files from SSD After Emptying Recycle Bin

Emptying your Recycle Bin on SSD behaves the same as permanent deletion so what matters majorly is how long ago it happened and whether the SSD was active afterward. Here in several real cases:

• Files are recovered when Recycle Bin was emptied accidentally and PC was shut down
• Your files are lost permanently when Windows updates ran afterward

You may also find this guide helpful: How to Restore Permanently Deleted Files from Recycle Bin?

Professional Recovery (Expectation vs Reality)

You must understand that Professional recovery is not always a magic but yes it will help you in certain cases. Based on real recovery cases you can check the condition and chances of recovery.

Professionals can repair or firmware issues, rebuild SSD mapping and extract data from memory chips but even professionals cannot bypass TRIM or encryption.

SSD Compared With HDD – Deleted File Retrieval

This is why the recovery work is time sensitive.

Best Practices to Improve Recovery Success

So backup is your real safety net because of the unpredictable chances from my experience these habits will help you a lot

• Keep SSD usage below 80%
• Avoid frequent secure erase
• Disable SSD use immediately after you loss
• Always keep backups

Final Answer: 

Here is my honest summary for you query how to recover deleted files from SSD Successfully.

• Yes deleted files can be recovered from SSD
• No recovery is not guaranteed if you heavily used SSD after detection
• Speed matters how fast you act
• TRIM decides the final outcome

If your files were deleted recently and the SSD was not used much afterward in this case recovery is absolutely possible but If TRIM already wiped your data nothing will help.

Frequently Asked Questions