How to recover deleted files

Steps

Goal: Recover a deleted file using the simplest method first—Recycle Bin, then backup, then cloud.

• Check the Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash (Mac) before trying backup. If the file is there, restore it.
• Good: File is in the bin. Proceed to Recycle Bin or Trash.
• Bad: Not in the bin. Proceed to File History, Time Machine, or Cloud based on your setup.

Recycle Bin or Trash

Goal: Restore a file that is still in the Recycle Bin or Trash.

• Open the Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash (Mac). Find the deleted file.
• Right-click and choose Restore (Windows) or Put Back (Mac).
• Good: File returns to its original folder. Proceed to Verification.
• Bad: File is not in the bin—try backup or cloud restore.

File History (Windows)

Goal: Restore a deleted file from a File History backup on Windows.

• Connect the external drive that holds your File History backup.
• Right-click the folder that contained the file. Choose Restore previous versions.
• Select the version from before the deletion. Click Restore.
• If the whole folder was deleted, go to the parent folder, right-click, Restore previous versions.
• Good: File appears in the folder. Proceed to Verification.
• Bad: No previous versions—check cloud or try data recovery software.

Time Machine (Mac)

Goal: Restore a deleted file from a Time Machine backup on Mac.

• Connect the Time Machine backup drive. Open the folder that contained the file.
• Click the Time Machine icon in the menu bar. Choose Enter Time Machine.
• Use the timeline to go to the date before the deletion. Select the file or folder, click Restore.
• Good: File returns to its original location. Proceed to Verification.
• Bad: No backup or wrong date—check cloud or try data recovery software.

Cloud

Goal: Restore a deleted file from OneDrive, Google Drive, or iCloud version history.

• OneDrive: Right-click the file (or folder), Version history, Restore. Or onedrive.com, Recycle bin, Restore.
• Google Drive: drive.google.com, Trash, right-click the file, Restore. For versions: right-click, Manage versions, Restore.
• iCloud: Open the app (Photos, Files), Recently Deleted, select the file, Recover.
• Good: File reappears in the correct folder. Proceed to Verification.
• Bad: File not in Trash or Recently Deleted—check backup or try data recovery software.

Data recovery software

Goal: Recover a file when no backup exists and the Recycle Bin was emptied.

• Stop using the drive—do not save new files. New data can overwrite deleted files.
• Install a data recovery tool (Windows File Recovery, Recuva, or similar). Run a scan on the drive.
• Select the file from the results. Save it to a different drive (not the one you are recovering from).
• Good: File opens correctly. Proceed to Verification.
• Bad: File is corrupted or not found—consider a professional data recovery service for critical data.

Verification

• Open the recovered file. Confirm it displays the expected content.
• Check that the file is in the correct folder (or the folder you chose for restore).
• Re-enable backup if it was off. Confirm File History or Time Machine shows a recent backup time.

When to get help

Consider a professional data recovery service if:

• The drive has failed or makes unusual sounds.
• Data recovery software finds nothing or only corrupted files.
• The data is critical and you cannot afford to lose it.

For setting up backup, see How to back up your computer. For restoring from backup, see How to restore from backup.