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How to Recover Deleted Files in Windows 7

If you accidentally deleted a file or folder on your Windows 7 PC, fret not--you can easily recover it from your Recycle Bin! If, however, you have since emptied your Recycle Bin, you may have to restore a previous version of your file...

Part 1 of 4:

Recovering from the Recycle Bin

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    Double-click "Recycle Bin". This program should be on your desktop.
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    Right-click your deleted file.
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    Click Restore.
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    Exit Recycle Bin. Your deleted file should now be on your desktop!
Part 2 of 4:

Restoring Files Using a Backup

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    Click ⊞ Win. Windows 7 automatically saves versions of your files from previous backups; if you recently deleted your files, you may be able to restore them using a backup.
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    Click Control Panel.
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    Click System and Maintenance.
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    Click Backup and Restore.
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    Click Restore my files.
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    Click the file(s) you wish to restore. You can search through your backed up files in three ways:[1]
    1. Click Search to type in a file's name.
    2. Click Browse for Files to manually click through destination folders.
    3. Click Browse for Folders to manually search for folders specifically.
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    Click Next.
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    Click a restore destination. You can restore to the original destination (default) or you can click the radio button next to "In the following location" and then browse for a restoration point.
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    Click View Restored Files.
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    Click Finish. Your files should now be restored!
Part 3 of 4:

Restoring Files from a Previous Version

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    Double-click "My Computer". If this app isn't on your desktop, click ⊞ Win and then click "My Computer" on the right side of the menu.
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    Double-click the file's old location. For example, if it was in the "Music" folder, double-click that.
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    Right-click the file's specific location. For example, if the file lived in the "iTunes" subfolder, you would right-click "iTunes".
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    Click Restore previous versions.
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    Click a restore point.
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    Click OK. If you have File History enabled, your file should restore to your desktop![2]
Part 4 of 4:

Using the Recuva App

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    Open the Recuva website. Recuva is a free app that scans your hard drive for deleted files; since files don't actually disappear completely from your drive when you delete them, there's a chance you'll be able to recover the file.
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    Click Free Download.
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    Click a download link.
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    Wait for your download to finish. In the meantime, make sure you have the file's download destination folder (e.g., your desktop) open.
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    Double-click the Recuva setup. If prompted, you will have to confirm that you want to allow Recuva to access your computer.
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    Click "No thanks, I don't need CCleaner".
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    Click Install.
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    Click Run Recuva. If you don't want to view the release notes, you can click the checkbox next to "View Release Notes" below the Install button.
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    Click Next.
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    Select a file type. If you aren't sure which type of document you need, click the radio button next to "All Files".
    1. An All Files scan will take a long time to complete.
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    Click Next.
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    Select a file location. If you don't know where to start, click the radio button next to "I'm not sure".
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    Click Next.
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    Click "Start". If this is your second scan with Recuva, also click the box next to "Enable Deep Scan".
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    Click the boxes next to files you wish to recover.
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    Click Recover.
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    Click a restore point. For example, you might click "Desktop".
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    Click OK. Your file(s) will begin restoring!

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