The C drive was running out of space on my PC. So, I just deleted some stuff only to realize I have also accidentally deleted my family pictures. The Recycle Bin is also empty and now the pictures are nowhere to be found. Can I still do something to get back the photos?
— From Reddit Community
Questions like these are very common among users who accidentally delete files. Although everyone recommends not to save important files on C drive, people still do it anyway. The good news is that deleted files are not lost forever and you can restore them (in most cases).
In this guide, we will explore what happens to your files once you delete them. Next, we look at how to recover deleted files from C drive using 6 easy methods.
Part 1: What Happens After You Delete Files from C Drive?
When you delete a file from the C drive, it doesn’t automatically disappear from the computer. The first stop for the deleted files is the Recycle Bin. It is quite straightforward to restore files in a few clicks as long as they are in the trash.
But using Shift+Delete shortcut means the files will be deleted directly by skipping the recycle bin. In this case, the files will not be visible in Windows.
However, directly deleting files and emptying the Recycle Bin doesn’t erase the files permanently. Windows just removes the file reference from the system and marks the space as “available”.
So, there’s good news if you are wondering how to recover deleted data from C drive! Deleted data is still recoverable until new data overwrites it.
Part 2: How to Recover Recently Deleted Files from C Drive?
Have you deleted files from the C: drive recently? In that case, the recovery process is easy. Windows offers multiple options to restore the files and there’s no need for advanced tools.
These are two easy methods to restore the deleted files from the system drive:
Method 1: Check the Recycle Bin
Windows automatically moves the deleted data to Recycle Bin. The data stays there for 30 days after which it is deleted permanently. So, if you have deleted files recently, this is how to recover C drive data easily:
- Open the Recycle Bin from the desktop.
- Locate the lost files. Or you can also use the search bar from the top right corner.
- Select one or multiple files/folder.
- Right click on them and choose Restore.
- The files will return to their original location inside C local drive.
- Another option is to just drag and drop files from the Bin to any location of your choice.
Method 2: Undo the Deletion
This method only works if you have not performed any action after file deletion. Follow these simple steps to reverse the delete action:
- Open the folder in the C Drive from where you deleted the file.
- Press Ctrl+Z to undo the action. You can also right-click and choose the “Undo Delete” option.
- You must not perform any action after deleting the file. Doing any actions or restarting the system can make this option disappear.
Part 3: How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files from C Drive?
An empty Recycle Bin does not mean the data is permanently lost. In Windows, “permanent” deletion simply means the files are no longer visible, but they may still exist on the drive until overwritten.
The recovery is still possible even if the files are deleted permanently. Try these methods, you can still get lost files from the C: Drive.
- Method 1: Recover from File History
- Method 2: Restore from Cloud Backup
- Method 3: Recover Hidden Files via CMD Attributes
- Method 4: Recover Deleted Files from C Drive Without Backup🔥
Method 1: Recover from File History
Windows has a backup feature called File History. When this feature is enabled, it automatically saves copies of your files. However, it must be already turned on before data loss or you can not use it to regain access to lost files.
Let’s look at how to recover C drive deleted files via file history:
- Press Win+S and type “control panel”.
- Open System and Security.
- Click on File History.
- Click on Restore personal files from the left panel.
- You can now browse through the different backups.
- Select the file/folder and click on Restore.
Method 2: Restore from Cloud Backup
Many people use cloud backup services. If you use a service like this, then you can simply download a copy from the cloud. But, this only works if the files you lost were synced to the online storage.
Follow these steps to restore the files via online backup:
- Login to your cloud account.
- Go to the trash or Recycle Bin folder. The exact folder name may differ depending on the service.
- Browse through the trash folder.
- Select the files and click on Restore.
- Download the files. And remember not to save them in the C drive this time.
Method 3: Recover Hidden Files via CMD Attributes
What if the files are not deleted but just hidden? Yes, it can happen due to:
- System error
- Malware/Virus
- Attribute change
If you are sure the files were not deleted then they may be hidden. You can use Command Prompt to reveal them.
This method will not recover the permanently deleted files. It is only used to reveal the files that are invisible.
You can follow these steps view the hidden files:
- Press Win + S and type CMD. From the options, click on “run as administrator” to launch the command prompt.
- Enter this command and hit Enter:
attrib -h -r -s /s /d C:\*.* - Wait for the system to scan all the hidden files.
- The process will remove all the read-only or hidden attributes from files.
- Access the folder in the C drive where the files were present. If you see the files, it means they were just hidden and not deleted.
Method 4: Recover Deleted Files from C Drive Without Backup🔥
The Recycle Bin is empty? And there’s no backup? The best option is to use reliable recovery software. One popular option which you can use is iToolab RecoverGo Windows Data Recovery.
RecoverGo is user-friendly, reliable, and capable of handling various data loss scenarios. So, it doesn’t matter if you have deleted the files or if you are facing disk corruption in C; you can use RecoverGo to recover files.
Why Choose iToolab RecoverGo?
This tool stands out because of these powerful features:
- Command lines are not required: Instantly recover any loss or deleted data from C Drive with easy steps.
- Beginner-friendly interfaces: A simple UI interface allows beginners to recover lost files quickly.
- 99% High recovery rate: With advanced algorithmic optimization, recovery rates reach up to 99%.
- 3 scan modes:Quick Scan, Deep Scan, Advanced Scan help your find more lost files.
- Fast scanning speed:Scans hundreds of GB in minutes.
How to use iToolab RecoverGo Windows Data Recovery
Step 1 Install and launch RecoverGo on your computer. Make sure not to install it in the C: drive. From the main screen, select the C drive and click on “Search for lost data”.
Step 2 The tool will start the scan. The scan time depends on the size of your data and drive.
Step 3 Once it’s finished, you can lick the “Preview” button to review and then click the “Recover” button to re it.
FAQs About Recover C Drive Data
Can I recover files after emptying Recycle Bin?
Recovery is still possible even if you have pressed “empty recycle bin” button. The deleted data remains on the drive until it is replaced with new one.
However, the recovery rate will drop if you continue to use the C drive. That’s why it is always recommended to stop using the affected drive and attempt recovery quickly.
How to manually recover deleted files?
Windows offers multiple options for manual recovery of the deleted files:
- Check Recycle Bin
- Ctrl + Z (undo delete)
- File History (Previous version)
- Cloud backups
How long can deleted files be recovered?
There is no fixed time limit for recovering deleted files. It depends on whether the data has been overwritten. In some cases, files can remain recoverable for weeks if the storage space is not reused.
Conclusion
It is frustrating to lose important files from the C local drive. But, this doesn’t mean the end of the road as recovery is still possible in most cases. We have shared multiple methods on how to recover deleted files from C drive.
It is highly recommended to avoid using the manual methods. Why? Because they are time-consuming and the success rate is also very low. A far better option is iToolab RecoverGo Windows Data Recovery. This software uses advanced scanning technology to recover permanently deleted files. This gives it a 99% recovery rate, which is way higher than any manual method.