[Solved] Accidentally Emptied Recycle Bin

How to recover files from accidentally deleted Recycle Bin? This post offers 4 methods to help you get files back from emptied Recycle Bin.

Lora

By Lora / Updated on September 13, 2024

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What happens when Recycle Bin is emptied?

During your daily life and work, you will deal with many files, Photos, videos, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, etc.

Naturally, considering the storage space, you will delete some old or unimportant files. All the removed files will appear in the Recycle Bin on your desktop.

Before emptying, you could restore deleted data from Recycle Bin at any time. And correspondingly, one could not easily undo Recycle Bin emptying.

However, considerable people have accidentally emptied Recycle Bin and have nowhere to get their vital data back.

   
   
   
       

Restore files after I emptied recycle bin

       

I emptied my recycle bin and there was a very important file in there, how I can bring it back?

       

- Question from Win 10

   

Where do permanently deleted files go?

What happens when the Recycle Bin is emptied? Where do all these removed items go?

Literally, it is like emptying a basket or any container: all the contents in it will be discarded.

But on the other hand, logically, the deleted items won’t be directly and immediately removed from your device. The files will be tagged as “delete"; meanwhile, the pointer to the files will be removed in place of the files themselves.

So, actually, the files will temporarily stay in the Recycle Bin till new data come in. And meanwhile, it is a prerequisite before you could get files back from emptied Recycle Bin.

recycle-bin

How to recover data from an accidentally emptied Recycle Bin?

How to recover deleted files from Recycle Bin after empty? In this part, 4 methods will be prepared for you to achieve Recycle Bin recovery.

1. Get files back from emptied Recycle Bin via File History

File History saves the file copies every 1 hour by default. You could view and restore files from the earlier versions.

Step 1. Go to Control Panel > System and Security > File History.

file-history

Step 2. Restore personal files.

restore-personal-files

Step 3. Click the left arrow to view earlier versions > select the files you need > click Recover.

restore-deleted-file

Thus, you could recover Excel file deleted from Recycle Bin.

2. Restore with previous versions of files

If you have enabled File History or restore points, then the editing will be recorded. Thus, you could recover deleted files by restoring previous versions of files/folders. In addition, it facilitates you to find previous version of Word documents as well.

Step 1. Go to File Explorer > go to the folder where the deleted files were originally stored.

Step 2. Right-click the folder > Properties > Previous Versions > select a wanted version > Restore.

previous-version-restore

Thus the deleted files will directly revert to the original location.

3. Retrieve deleted files from Recycle Bin after emptying via backup

Windows has offered a backup method for all users to facilitate them switching to a new machine. For instance, Users can make a backup of their Windows 7 device, and then restore the backup on a Windows 10 device compatibly.

Also, you are capable to use this tool to restore any files you backed up.

Step 1. Start Control Panel > System and Security > Backup and Restore (Windows 7).

backup-and-restore-windows-7

Step 2. Restore my files.

restore-my-files

Step 3. Browse for files/folders > select what you need > Next.

browse-for-files-to-restore

Step 4. Select a place to store the recovered files > click Restore.

select-location-to-save-recovered-files

In this way, lost files could be recovered from accidentally emptied Recycle Bin.

4. Recover files from accidentally emptied Recycle Bin in 3 steps

All these 3 approaches provided in the above part need a backup in advance. And some of them are not quite suitable when your emptied Recycle Bin had a large number of files.

In other words, it is not convenient to restore a file one by one. Instead, sagacious users will turn to other efficient ways to restore items deleted from Recycle Bin/emptied Recycle Bin.

For example, choose a professional Windows data recovery tool to help you. MyRecover will be the best choice among seas of eligible tools to assist you.

It is convenient, comprehensive, competent, and compatible. 
Restore deleted and lost data in 3 steps. 
Apply to comprehensive data loss situations, including deletion, formatting, virus, system crash, etc. 
Use advanced scanning methods and be supported by a sophisticated team. 
Compatible with Windows 11/10/8/7 SP1.
Download SoftwareWin 11/10/8/7/Server
Secure Download

Step 1. Install and run the software > hover the mouse over the source drive where the files were previously saved > click Scan.

select-location-to-scan

Step 2. Filter the files using Size, Type, Date modified, etc.

scanning-drive

Step 3. Go to Deleted files > Recycle Bin > select the files you need to restore > click Recover x files. Or go to Other missing files > recover certain types of files.

select-recycle-bin-click-recover

What’s more, using this app, external hard drive file recovery will be an easy task as well.

FAQ

To restore data from accidentally emptied Recycle Bin, you could check the 4 methods introduced in this post. More questions are provided as well.

Lora
Lora · Editor
Lora is an editor of AOMEI Technology. She is also a tester and editor of AOMEI Data Recovery Tools. -- "Keep testing, write the most useful tutorials for helping people recover the lost data for Windows and phones" is the most meaningful thing for her. Dedicated to creating helpful tutorials, she hopes her tutorial can assist users to effortlessly solve data loss problems on their personal computers and mobile phones.