How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files Windows 11, 10, and 7?

Written By Tej Pratap Shukla

Approved By Anuraag Singh

Modified On April 23rd, 2026

Reading Time 8 Minutes Reading

Accidentally deleting an important file is one of the most stressful moments for any Windows user whether it’s a work document, a cherished photo or a critical folder. The good news? There are ways to Recover Permanently Deleted Files from Windows 11 and 10. Both offer multiple ways even after they have been emptied from the Recycle Bin or removed with (Shift + Delete) You can recover your deleted files using CMD, Other Proven Manual Ways, and also using secure Recover Software.

Here’s something that most people don’t know – when Windows deletes your file well it doesn’t actually erase your data right away. It simply marks that disk space as “available.” Now the actual file data remains on the drive until something new overwrites it. For this very reason you should remember the first rule of file recovery as soon as you realize that a file has gone missing, you must stop using your PC immediately.

Whether your files were Shift + Deleted, wiped after a system crash or you have lost due to formatting or emptied from the Recycle Bin, this easy guide covers every proven method to get your file back on both Windows 10 and Windows 11:

Windows File Recovery: This is Microsoft’s free official command line tool you can download from Microsoft Store.
File History/Backup: You can restore from a previous backup if it was configured beforehand.
Previous Versions: Built-in Windows snapshot feature to roll back individual files or folders
Secure Recovery Software: Choose best and secure software like SysTools Windows Data Recovery for deep scanning without technical commands.

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Why Files Get Permanently Deleted in Windows 11 and 10 OS?

Files get deleted accidentally or sometimes with internal or external issues like virus attack or hard drive corruption. In this case users search to recover permanently deleted files on Windows 10 because of the following situations:

Shift + Delete used accidentally
Virus attack
Recycle Bin emptied
System crash or Windows corruption
USB or SD card formatting
Hard drive bad sectors
File History or backup was never enabled

How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files Windows 11 and 10

Find below all best and 9 working methods. These methods with and without software will help you recover your permanently deleted files easily in Windows 10. You will find features like built-in tools, backups, CMD, and professional recovery software. Follow each given step carefully and restore your lost data safely.

Method 1: Use Reliable Windows Recovery Tools

Use Best Data Recovery Software for Windows this is the most safest and professional way to recover permanently deleted files Windows 10, even if:

Recycle Bin is empty
Shift + Delete was used
Files were deleted months ago
Drive is corrupted
File system is RAW
System crashed or partition disappeared

Steps:

Perform the simple steps listed here:

1. Download SysTools Software and launch on your Windows installed machine.

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Select the partition from Files deleted and click on Scan.

recover deleted files in Windows 11 and 10

Preview all retrieved files and folders.

recover shift delete files from Windows 10

Save all recovered files and folders on your Windows system.

recover permanently deleted files from Windows 10 and 11

You will easily recover old deleted data, recover from SSD, HDD, USB, SD, and Recover photos, videos, documents, emails, etc.

Recover Permanently Deleted Files Windows 10 and 11 Without Software

If you are looking the ways how to recover shift deleted or parmenantly deleted files windows 10 without using software then you can try these all manual recovery method. One important thing you can keep in mind while using these manual steps are only to fix minor issues if and also be very carefull using CMD commands as one wrong step can erase all your data.

Method 2: Recover Files from Recycle Bin (If Not Emptied)

Check if your recycle bin is not emptied then this is useful in recovering your deleted files if you only deleted them normally.

Steps to perform:

Recover Files from Recycle Bin Windows 11 and 10

Open Recycle Bin.
Select deleted files.
Right-click to Restore.

Note: You can easily recover deleted files in Windows 11 and 10 unless you find Recycle Bin was emptied.

Method 3: Restore Deleted Files Using Previous Versions

This method is based on shadow copies stored by Windows and works only when file history or restore points are enabled. Check below how you can use this method with simple steps:

Right click the folder where the file existed.
Select Restore previous versions.
Choose a version before deletion.
Click Restore.

Method 4: Recover Data Using File History

If file history or system restore points are enabled then you must check for whether the previous version folder exists or not as it only works if File History was ON before deletion.

Steps:

Recover Data Using File History Using Control Panel

Go to the Control Panel and open File History.
Click Restore personal files.
Browse versions and restore.

Method 5: Backup & Restore (Windows 7) Works for Old Backups

If you are a older version users and want to know how to recover permanently deleted files windows 7 well let me tell you despite the name – Windows 7 this feature still exists in Windows 10 which is good for the users who made their backups manually.

Steps:

Go to Control Panel – Backup & Restore (Windows 7).
Click Restore my files.
Select backup – restore to original or new location.

Method 6: Windows File Recovery Using CMD Tool

This is Microsoft official free tool works well to recover permanently deleted files using command prompt in Windows version 11, 10 and earlier. You need to check the simple steps to restore your permanently deleted files.

Use the following methods:

Default Mode – recent deletions (NTFS)
Segment Mode – files deleted a long time ago
Signature Mode – for USB, SD Card, FAT, exFAT

Example Commands:

Default Mode: winfr C: D: /regular
Segment Mode (for older deleted files): winfr C: D: /segment
Signature Mode (for USB, SD cards): winfr E: D: /signature

This method helps you recover permanently deleted data and files in Windows 11 and 10 but for this you need to have basic CMD knowledge.

Method 7: CMD/attrib Command (For Hidden or Lost Files)

This method is useful when files are not deleted but hidden or corrupted, you must run CMD as admin and type: (attrib -h -r -s /s /d D:\*.*). Entering this will restore your hidden or lost files on USB, HDD, or SD card.

Method 8: Recover Permanently Deleted Files from OneDrive

If your files were synced it is the best suitable method for you. OneDrive allows you to keep files for 30 days for personal users and 93 days for businesses.

Steps:

Open OneDrive online.
Go to the Recycle Bin.
Restore deleted files.

Method 9: Check System Restore for Previous Versions

This is not for files however it can restore the entire system state, bringing back files stored in system folders.

Steps:

Search System Restore.
Select a restore point before deletion.
Restore the system.

Important Notes

File History must be enabled before deletion.
Windows File Recovery needs correct mode (Default, Segment, Signature).
Backup drives often delete old backups automatically when full.
Recovering files deleted months ago works only if not overwritten.
Deeper recovery requires Segment Mode for old deleted files.
The safest method is professional recovery software like SysTools.

Prevent Overwriting

Important things to keep in mind to successfully recover your permanently deleted files in Windows 10:

Don’t download anything
Don’t install new apps
Don’t copy new files
Don’t use the same drive you’re recovering from

Frequently Asked Question

Q1. Can permanently deleted files be recovered in Windows 11?

Yes, permanently deleted files in Windows 11 and 10 both can still be recovered as Windows does not remove actual data it only removes the file’s reference, your file remains on the drive until new data overwrites that space.

Q2. How to recover permanently deleted files in Windows 10 without software?

The only way to recover permanently deleted files in Windows 10 without software is if you previously enabled a backup feature like File History, Backup and Restore (Windows 7), or Restore Previous Versions. Simply open these tools and restore an earlier copy of the file or folder. Without backup Windows cannot recover the deleted data without third-party software.

Q3. Does Windows 10 have a built-in recovery tool?

Windows 10 does not include a built-in tool that can automatically recover permanently deleted files if no backup exists, but what Windows 10 offers are limited recovery options for you such as File History, Backup and Restore (Windows 7), and Restore Previous Versions. This works only if these features were enabled earlier and have saved copies of your data.

Q4. Why does Windows File Recovery not find my deleted files?

If you are using the wrong recovery mode, Windows may fail to find it as the drive is SSD with TRIM enabled, or the deleted data has already been overwritten. Also, it struggles with older deletions and fragmented files.

Q5. Can I recover files deleted months ago in Windows 10?

Yes, in such a case recovery is still possible only if the deleted files are still present on the hard drive or not overwritten by new data. If the drive was not heavily used after deletion, using deep file recovery software can often restore your files deleted months earlier with 99.9% success rate.

Conclusion

If you’re worried about how to recover permanently deleted files in Windows 10 and 11, there are multiple options available from free recovery of your permanently deleted files to professional utility tools. But the recovery success depends on how quickly you act and whether the deleted space is overwritten.