How to Recover Deleted Google Docs: 5 Ways

Are deleted Google Docs gone forever?

First released in 2006, Google Docs is a web-based document management application in which multiple users can create and co-edit word-processing docs in real time. These documents can be automatically saved to the cloud. Its autosave function makes users less worried about data loss.

But what if you have deleted a doc unintentionally? Do you know how to recover deleted Google Docs? 

In fact, Google Drive allows you to keep deleted docs for 30 days unless you have manually deleted these files forever. Even you can restore permanently deleted Google files with offline doc downloads through third-party data recovery software.

Can deleted Google Docs be recovered?

Yes, you are capable of recovering recently deleted Google Docs or Google files removed after 30 days.

For those temporarily deleted docs, Google Drive has a function called Trash which keeps all your deleted files and folders. The deleted docs will not be removed from Trash within 30 days until you execute the permanently deleted performance.

For those permanently deleted docs that were moved to the Trash bin for 30 days or manually emptied, you can still retrieve them by using a third-party data recovery tool with offline downloads.

Recover deleted Google Docs from Google Drive trash

When you deleted any files in Google Docs, they were moved to the trash folder in Google Drive. If you have not manually emptied the Google Trash, your removed Google Docs are still in Google Trash. 

Please go to Google Drive and restore these deleted files within 3 easy steps.

Step 1. Login into your Google account and click the "Drive" icon.

Step 2. Click the "Trash" icon.

Step 3. Find the deleted Doc you want to recover. Then right-click it and click "Restore".

How to Recover Permanently Deleted Google Docs?

Although these permanently deleted files cannot be recovered through Google Drive restore, you can restore files through backups or offline copies as long as you once created or edited these docs in the local folder before uploading them to Google Drive. The following solutions describe how to recover Google Docs.

Option 1: Recover deleted Google Docs by Using Windows File History 

Introduced with the release of Windows 8, File History is considered as a built-in Windows program to back up files. And this tool also allows users to restore permanently deleted files from prepared backups. 

Step 1. Open Control Panel and click the “System and Security” button.

Step 2. When it comes to File History, please select the “Restore your files with File History” option.

Step 3. Click the “Restore personal files” button.

Step 4. “Restore” your selected files to the previously saved path.

If you prefer the change the saved path, you can right-click on “Restore” and select the “Restore to” option to save them.

Option 2: Recover deleted Google Docs via Admin Console

If you are a Google Workspace user, you are able to recover deleted files from its Admin Console. Google Workspace admin can restore permanently deleted files and folders. Contact your admin to recover a file permanently deleted in the last 25 days.

Please note that deleted Google Docs are cleared from the Google system and can no longer be recovered.

Step 1. Sign in to your G Suite Admin account. Go to the Admin console and click Users.

Step 2. Find the user whose Drive data you need to restore. After that, click the "RESTORE DATA" button.

Step 3. On the popup window, select the date range for the data you want to restore. You can flexibly choose the deleted files from the last 25 days. Then click the "RESTORE" button.

Option 3: Recover deleted Google Docs by Contacting Google Drive Help

There is another way you can choose: go for Google Drive Help for file recovery. Google Drive Help provides you with various technical services. Apart from Google Docs recovery, you can send feedback, find other answers to frequently asked questions and so on.

Step 1.  Go to Google Drive Help, and sign in with your Google account.

Step 2. Fill in the required box > click I consent to allow Google to attempt to recover files… > Submit. Then continue.

Step 3. You will receive an email from Google Drive Help to confirm your request. You may receive the deleted Doc within 48 hours.

Option 4: Recover deleted Google Docs via data recovery software

Google Drive Help can only help your restore files. However, you are unable to restore files through Google Drive Help unless you are the owner of the deleted Docs. Besides, the request may take several hours to get feedback.

If you feel urgent to restore the Docs immediately, you may have to choose another way: ask for help from professional file recovery software - MyRecover.

You can quickly and accurately recover deleted data you need within 3 steps. It can restore 200+ file types.

How to recover deleted Google docs? Please download it on your Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, or Windows Server computers now!

Step 1. Launch MyRecover and select the disk used to store your Google Docs. Then click "Start Scan" to run a quick and deep scan.

Step 2. You can select the Docs you need to recover. Type the document names to quickly locate your deleted Docs.

Step 3: Go to the Deleted Files/Recycle Bin/Other Missing Files folder and select the Google files you want to restore. Then click “Recover x files” and save these restored files in a new location.

Bonus tips: How to prevent Google files from loss?

Although this article provides 5 practical ways to Google Docs recovery, it is better to backup important files in advance to prevent data from being lost caused by recovery failure or other accidental occasions.

Thus, you are recommended to save an offline copy and backup it to the local or cloud for essential and significant files. To add an extra layer of protection to your data, you can try free backup software for Windows, AOMEI Backupper.

In conclusion

To sum up, this tutorial aims to providing a variety of methods to solve the problem of how to recover deleted Google Docs, not only recently deleted files but also permanently removed ones. You can select one method which is the most convenient and suitable for you.

Please remember to keep an offline download in advance and then backup it to other secure devices.