Have you ever felt that in your happy morning, you have just started to work and opened your system, and boom! The document you were working on the other day is missing and not even the whole folder under which your document was! Your hard work and time have all gone in vain and you are left with nothing! I feel that once in our lifetime we all come across this mishap as data is volatile and easily attackable, and not even attackable our silly mistake or even any error on Windows can cause it.
But fear not, we have come up with a solution to save you from this mishappening and make your life easier. We will walk you through the ways steps to recover your data back, and also introduce you to the easiest and most user-friendly free data recovery software that will revive your data.
Methods to Recover Deleted Folders
1. Restore from the Recycle Bin
The first and simplest step to recover deleted folders is by checking the Recycle Bin. All you need to do is open the Recycle Bin, browse for the deleted folder, and restore it by right-clicking on it. Your folder will be restored to its original location on your computer.
2. Retrieve from Previous Versions (File History)
Windows has some built-in functions that can truly help you, if you have enabled them, like restore from a previous version or file history. If you have enabled File history it automatically backs up your data like an external hard drive, and by enabling restore from the previous version you can restore to the original folder as it was before deletion.
To get data back from this option all you need to do is right-click on the folder’s original location e.g. Document folder. Select “Restore Previous Version” from the context menu. Choose the most relevant version from the list of available previous versions.
This will return the folder to the selected point in time, allowing you to recover your files.
3. Use Windows Backup
Windows Backup will be your go-to method if you have regularly backed up your data using it. To restore data from Windows Backup go to ‘System Security’ from ‘The Control Panel’, then select File History and click Restore personal files. Use the on-screen instructions to browse through available backups and restore the deleted folder. Select File History, then click Restore personal files.
4. Recovery via Command Prompt
You can recover data via chkdsk for this you need to open Command Prompt as an administrator by pressing Windows + X and selecting the admin option. Type chkdsk X: /f, replacing “X” with the letter of the drive where the folder was stored, and press Enter. Once the scan is complete, enter ATTRIB -H -R -S /S /D X:*.* and press Enter. This command will scan the drive and recover hidden files and folders.
Using Free Data Recovery Software to Recover Folders
If the above methods didn’t work for you, then too don’t panic. You can still recover your data and that too for free using the best free data recovery software of Stellar. This software will scan your drive for recoverable or permanently deleted data.
This is the best DIY tool that can restore your data for free. It also allows the recovery of data up to 1 GB and that too free of cost, making it highly effective for most file recovery needs
Recover Folders Using Free Data Recovery Software
Follow these steps to recover your deleted folder using free data recovery software:
- Download and Install the Software
First, visit the Stellar Data Recovery page and download the free version of the software. Install it on your Windows computer. - Launch the Software and Select What to Recover
Open Stellar Data Recovery and select the type of data you want to recover. In this case, choose “All Data” to scan for files in the deleted folder. - Choose the Location for Recovery
Select the location where the folder was last stored (e.g., a specific drive or folder). If you’re unsure, you can choose to scan the entire hard drive. - Scan the Location
Click on “Scan” and allow the software to perform a thorough search of the specified drive or folder. Stellar Data Recovery will identify files that can be recovered, including the deleted folder. - Preview and Recover
After the scan, browse through the results to find your deleted folder. Stellar Data Recovery allows you to preview files before recovery. Once you’ve located the folder, select it and click “Recover.” Choose a new location to save the recovered folder to avoid overwriting any data.
Conclusion
Accidentally deleting a folder can be nerve-wracking, but the recovery options for Windows users are plentiful. From checking the Recycle Bin to using Windows’ built-in recovery features like File History and Backup, you have several free methods to attempt recovery. If these don’t work, turning to free data recovery software like Stellar Data Recovery is an excellent next step. The software is easy to use, and with its free data recovery capabilities, you can get back important files in no time. So, the next time you accidentally delete a folder, rest assured that recovery is within reach!
