[Guide]: How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files without Backup

Can I recover permanently deleted files from my computer without backup?

“I deleted my PDF document before, I thought I couldn't use it anymore, but now, I urgently need to get it back now,  is it possible for me to retrieve this file?”.

Because computer storage space is limited, we often delete unused data. You may regret deleting the file afterward. If you have backed up your files using backup software, you can restore them directly. In this case, if there is no backup, it will be more troublesome to retrieve them. But there are still ways how to recover permanently deleted files without backup.

3 effective ways to recover permanently deleted files without backup

This part displays 3 methods about how to recover permanently deleted files from PC without backup, containing 2 GUI tools and a CMD recovery software.

Method 1. Using Windows File Recovery retrieve the files

Windows File Recovery of Microsoft is a command-line tool, which is totally free. This tool is available for Windows 10 2004 and above.  Actually, it’s kind of complicated in operation because users have to learn some parameters that they may haven’t seen before. The following shows you the process of using it.

First of all, learn the parameters below, and you will use them to compose the command line.

The command-line format is winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/mode] [/switches].

Then, you ought to choose the right mode according to the file system.

Check your file system: Click This PC > Right-click the source drive > Tap the Properties.

You should choose a suitable switch.

Finally, you can start writing the command line.

Step 1. Download this freeware in Microsoft Store.

Open Start menu > Find and click Microsoft Store > Enter Windows File Recovery on the search bar  >  click Get button.

Step 2. Open Windows File Recovery and click Run as administrator.

Step 3. Type your command line, and click Enter.

If you're still confused, have a look at the example:  To recover a zip file from C: drive to D: drive, and you deleted it recently, you could input this command like: winfr C: D: /regular /n \C: \*.zip.

Method 2. Using an alternative Windows File Recovery software

It is not difficult to see that the Windows File Recovery usage process is very complicated. So, I want to introduce you to a simple software, WinfrGUI. It totally invokes the functionality of Windows File Recovery, but the difference is that WinfrGUI provides a graphical user interface, which makes it easier for users to understand. The recovery process is given below.

Step 1. Select the range to scan, and then choose a place to restore files.

Step 2. Choose the scan mode, and determine the file type in Advanced settings.

Step 3. Click the Start Recovery to complete the process.

Method 3. [GUI tool]: Restore permanently deleted files with a professional third-party tool

Both of the above methods have their own advantages and disadvantages. WinfrGUI cannot recover the filename and format, and Windows File Recovery is complex to operate. Otherwise, it's recommended to use MyRecover because it makes up for the shortcomings of the above two methods. Some significant advantages are listed.

▪ Graphical interface: It provides the users with a graphical interface, and the users can easily complete the operation by following the given photos.
▪ Two scanning modes: Quick Scan &Deep Scan can completely detect all the deleted and other lost files from different paths.
▪ Widely use: It can not only recover data from SSD/HDD, but also supports NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, and ReFS in Windows.
▪ Multiple types recovery: It is able to retrieve various types of files, like Excel, PPT, Word, Photos, Zip files and etc.
▪ High-compatibility: This tool is compatible with Windows 7 or later and Windows Server.

Step 1. Launch MyRecover on your PC. Hover the mouse over the drive and click Scan to scan.

Step 2.  The Quick Scan & Deep Scan can restore all the deleted files and other lost files on your selected hard drive.

Step 3. Select a path to save the files, and then click Recover x files to retrieve your target data. 

Bonus Tip: best software to backup your files

Although deleted or lost files can be recovered, recovering files IS not always successful. When the original data on the hard disk is overwritten, the files are harder to be recovered, so you need to backup your files.

I recommend you to try AOMEI Backupper. It is a professional backup software and supports Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP. The backup steps are shown below.

Step 1. Download and install AOMEI Backupper. Then, launch it, click on Backup and select File Backup.

 Step 2. Click Add File or Add Folder to select the files/folders you want to backup.

Step 3.  Click the second bar to select a storage path to save the files, and click Start Backup.

Bottom Line

After browsing this post, how to recover permanently deleted files without backup is not a hard task. You just need to use professional file recovery software to scan the disk and find deleted files. But we still highly recommend you to backup your important files regularly via the reliable backup tool.