How to Recover Deleted Files in Windows 11 (Recycle Bin, File History, Previous Versions)

You deleted a file or folder by accident and need it back.

Why: A deleted file usually isn’t gone right away. Windows keeps it in the Recycle Bin first, and if you’ve set up File History you also have older saved copies. Work through these in order — the easiest is most likely to succeed if you act soon.

Fix 1: Restore from the Recycle Bin

1. Open the Recycle Bin (double-click its desktop icon). No icon? Go to Settings > Personalization > Themes > Desktop icon settings, tick Recycle Bin and click OK.
2. Find your file — you can sort by Date Deleted to find recent items.
3. Right-click it and choose Restore. The file returns to the folder it was deleted from.

Emptied the Recycle Bin already? Move on to Fix 2.

Fix 2: Restore a previous version of the folder

If you had File History turned on, Windows keeps earlier copies:

1. Open File Explorer and go to the folder that used to contain the file.
2. Right-click the folder name and choose Restore previous versions.
3. On the Previous Versions tab, pick a version from before the file was deleted. Click Open to preview it, or Restore to put it back.

Restore replaces the current contents and can’t be undone, so preview first or use the Restore to… option to save a copy elsewhere.

Fix 3: Recover from File History or Windows File Recovery

• File History: Open the folder, then on the toolbar select See more (…) > Restore previous versions, or open File History from the Start menu, browse to the file and click the green Restore button.
• Last resort: Install Windows File Recovery from the Microsoft Store. It’s a command-line tool that scans the drive for files no longer in the Recycle Bin. The basic syntax is winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/mode] [/switches] — the source and destination drives must be different.

FAQ

Files I delete from a USB drive don’t go to the Recycle Bin — why? Removable and network drives skip the Recycle Bin, so deletes there are permanent. Try Restore previous versions or Windows File Recovery.

It’s been weeks — can I still recover the file? Maybe. The Recycle Bin holds files until it fills up, and File History keeps versions for as long as space allows. The sooner you try, the better the odds. Stop using the drive to avoid overwriting the data.

Do I need File History set up beforehand? Yes — it only protects files if it was turned on before deletion. Set it up now under Control Panel > System and Security > File History so you’re covered next time.

Sources: Microsoft Support — Backup and restore with File History, Microsoft Support — Windows File Recovery