Accidentally deleting files is an all-to common occurrence, which is why we’re showing you how to recover files in Windows 11.
You have two options to recover files, so even if you have emptied your Recycle Bin (where files are temporarily stored before they are completely deleted), there are still ways to find documents you may have accidentally lost.
It’s worth noting if you want to be able to recover files in Windows 11 often, then you should perform backups of your files frequently. This can be done manually using a hard drive or using the File History feature.
We’ll be covering how to recover files in Windows 11 through both your Recycle Bin and through File History, a feature that’s built-in to Windows 11.
Tools and requirements
- PC or laptop you want to recover files on
- Windows 11
Steps for how to recover files in Windows 11
- Open the Recycle Bin and find the files you want to recover, right-click on them and select Restore
- If your files aren’t in the Recycle Bin, navigate to the File History app in your control panel
- Select Restore personal files and then find the file
- Right-click on the file and select Restore
Step by step guide on how to recover files in Windows 11
1. Check Recycle Bin
(Image: © Future / Microsoft)
To begin with, open your Recycle Bin. You can either find this on your desktop or you can search for it in your taskbar.
2. Search for the file
(Image: © Future / Microsoft)
Once you’ve opened your recycle bin, find the file you’re hoping to restore. If you’ve emptied your Recycle Bin recently, you may not find it – but fear not, skip to step 4 for an alternative option.
3. Restore the file
(Image: © Future / Microsoft)
Right-click on the file you want to recover and then hit the Restore option. This will then move the file back to its original location and out of the Recycle Bin.
4. Where else to look
(Image: © Future / Microsoft)
If you couldn’t find the file in your Recycle Bin then you may be able to find it in your File History if you have it enabled. Open File History by searching for it using Windows search.
5. Using File History
(Image: © Future / Microsoft)
Once open, you’ll be able to see if you have File History turned on. If you do then select Restore personal files.
If not then you may not be able to recover the missing file without paying for more advanced data recovery.
6. Use File History to restore the file
(Image: © Future / Microsoft)
Find the file you want to restore. Right-click on it and select the Restore option. This will return it to its original location.
Final thoughts on recovering files in Windows 11
Overall, there are a couple of options for those who may have accidentally deleted a file to get it back.
If you’re wondering how to recover a file in Windows 11, then be sure to check your Recycle Bin or your File History app.
For those who don’t have File History enabled, it’s strongly encouraged that you do as it can allow you to keep ahold of precious information, images and other files when you may accidentally delete things or if your hard drive or SSD has any issues. The steps I outline here are worth trying first – hopefully they will be enough to recover your file using Windows 11’s built-in tools.
If not, you may have to pay for professional data recovery, which is an extra expense, but for irreplaceable files, it could be worth every penny.