Recover Deleted Folder and Files Not in Recycle Bin: 4 Ways

How to recover deleted folder not in Recycle Bin? This tutorial will offer several methods to help you recover permanently deleted folders.

Lora

By Lora / Updated on May 27, 2024

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The issue: deleted folder not in Recycle Bin

   
   
  I just deleted a whole folder on accident, and it's not in my recycle bin. Is there any way to get it back?

- Question from Quora

   

recover-deleted-folder-not-in-recycle-bin

Creating, editing, saving, and sharing files, the whole process becomes a routine in people’s lives.

To facilitate the management, users create folders to gather and store their collected files. Apart from that, people also delete some old or useless files and folders to save their storage space.

But, for those users who are not very cautious and prudent, it can be regarded as a double-edged sword - when deleting a folder, all files will be wiped.

What’s very mysterious is that when some people want to recover files from Recycle Bin, they find their deleted folders missing from the trash can. No wonder so many users are seeking feasible means to recover folder not in Recycle Bin.

In the next section, this article will tell you how to recover folder deleted from Recycle Bin first. If you want to figure out the reason behind it, you can check it in the later part.

How to recover deleted folder not in Recycle Bin?

To recover deleted folder not in Recycle Bin, 4 practicable methods will be offered in this part to help you. You can consider recovering deleted folder and file via a professional data recovery software, Previous Version, File History, Backup and Restore.

Method 1. Recover deleted folder not in Recycle Bin effortlessly [Easiest]

For most folder and file recovery not in Recycle Bin, backups are necessary. Although emphasizing the importance of a backup has become a common thing, seas of people won’t back up their precious data at all.

Then for those who don’t have any backups, how to recover deleted folder not in Recycle Bin without a backup? Efficient Windows data recovery software will solve your problem and free you from worries.

MyRecover is a second-to-none choice. If your deleted folder is not in Recycle Bin, with effective scanning algorithms, MyRecover can scan the hard disk to navigate to your deleted folder within a couple of minutes.

Recover folder deleted from Recycle Bin readily
  • Restore deleted folder and filie not in Recycle Bin.
  • Find lost files/folders not in Recycle Bin with a fast speed and high recovery rate.
  • Easily recover files, folders, images, videos, compressed files, and more types of data.
  • Support recovery from HDD/SSD/USB/SD card.
  • Retrieve deleted files with original format/path/filename preserved.
  • Supports almost all Windows operating systems: Win 11/10/8/7 SP1 & Server.
Download SoftwareWin 11/10/8/7/Server
Secure Download

Step 1. Start the program > Hover the mouse over the drive and click Scan to scan.

select-location-to-scan

Step 2. Quick Scan finds deleted data, while Deep Scan locates other missing files.

While scanning, you could filter the scanned results with Size, Path, Type, Date modified, etc., to target your data faster.

  • Name: Enter the relevant filename of your desired files to quickly locate them.
  • Date modified: Set the date (today, yesterday, last 7/30 days, etc.)
  • Size: Set file size (<128KB, 128KB~1MB, 1MB~512MB, etc.)

scanning-drive

Step 3. Go to Recycle Bin > select what you want >click Recover x files. If failed, go to Other missing files to find the data in it.

select-deleted-folder-from-recycle-bin-click-recover

Quickly, efficiently, and safely, you could recover deleted folder not in Recycle Bin within 3 simple steps. In addition, it can restore data from USB flash drive easily.

🌟Tips:
  • Please select a new location for your recovered folders and files to avoid data overwriting.
  • You can recover deleted folder not in Recycle Bin for free, up to 500MB. To recover all files, please upgrade to the advanced edition.

Method 2. Recover folder deleted from Recycle Bin via Previous Versions

Previous Version saves the copy of your files from the restore points or File History. If you have lost files, lost the edited contents, or lost a folder, you could directly go back to the last version of the file to get your contents back.

But the folder you deleted is ought to be a subfolder, which means you need to head over to its parent folder.

E.g., if you have deleted a folder named “201501-with-sis” under the “travel” folder, then you could follow the steps here to restore previous versions of files.

Step 1. Go to File Explorer > locate the parent folder of the deleted folder.

Step 2. Right-click the folder > Properties > Previous Versions > choose the wanted version according to the timeline > Restore.

select-previous-versions-click-restore

This Pervious Versions feature could also help you recover permanently deleted photos on computers if you possess a backup.

Method 3. Restore deleted folder using File History

File History is also a good choice. It saves the copy of your C drive items, including documents, downloads, music, library, desktop items, etc. If the deleted folder was in the C drive, then it will be helpful.

Since File History stores the desktop files, you could use it to recover a deleted folder from the desktop, as well as any files.

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

system-and-security

Step 2. Click File History.

file-history

Step 3. Click Restore personal files.

restore-personal-files

Step 4. Click the arrow icon to select the wanted version > select the deleted folder > click Recover to get it back.

select-deleted-folder-click-restore

The recovered folder will go back to its original location. In this way, you could recover deleted folder not in recycle bin.

Method 4. Get deleted folder using the Backup and Restore feature

To recover a permanently deleted folder in Windows, backups are always helpful. The Backup and Restore (Windows 7) feature enables users to back up Windows 7 data and restore it to a new machine like Windows 10/11.

Also, you could utilize it to create and restore new backups of your Windows 10 device.

🌟Tips:

It requires a backup to restore. Please make sure you possess one.

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

backup-and-restore-windows-7

Step 2. Click Restore my files.

restore-my-files

Step 3. Click Browse for folders > select the deleted folder you want > Next.

browse-for-folders-to-restore

Step 4. Specify the destination or just restore the recovered folder to its original location > click Restore.

restore-to-its-original-location

Thus you could recover permanently deleted folder from the backup.

The reason why deleted folders are not in the Recycle Bin

When you normally delete a folder or file, it will be removed from its original location, and moved to the Recycle Bin in case you may regret it and need them.

But under some circumstances, you cannot find the folder/file in it after file deletion.

Check the possible reasons as follows.

Size. The folder you deleted is way too big for the Recycle Bin. So it will be directly cleaned off your computer.

folder-is-too-big-to-recycle

Shift delete. You have deleted the folder by tabbing on the “Shift+DEL” key. This will permanently delete an item.

Emptying. You have accidentally or intentionally emptied the trash bin. Then all items in it will be removed.

Location. The folder was stored on your external devices, like external hard disks, USB, SD cards, etc. When folders/files get deleted from an external storage device, they will bypass the trash bin and get permanently deleted.

Settings. Perhaps you have checked the “Don’t move files to the Recycle Bin” option. In this case, items deleted will be immediately wiped and won’t stay in the trash can.

recycle-bin-properties-dont-move-files-to-recycle-bin

Now, in a nutshell, there is a good chance that you have permanently deleted the folder, or emptied the Recycle Bin. After permanent deleting, you could not retrieve them on your own.

But no worries, restoring a folder that was permanently deleted is not a tough task if you follow this tutorial. You could also recover deleted files not in Recycle Bin using this method.

The process is like recovering items deleted from Recycle Bin. By referring to this tutorial, you could learn how a file/folder is permanently deleted.

Bonus tip: Get rid of data loss risk

Backups and a good data rescue tool could help you recover deleted files and folders not in Recycle Bin. But successful data recovery is based on a prerequisite that no data overwriting occurs.

Once the deleted data is overwritten by new data, the chance will decrease. So, to escape from data loss for good, it is recommended to form a habit of creating data backups.

AOMEI Backupper could be a good choice. With its amazing features, Disk Backup, Partition Backup, File Backup, etc., your data will be safe.

AB Click File Backup

FAQs

How do I recover a permanently deleted folder?
 
Utilizing data recovery software proves invaluable when recovering a permanently deleted folder or file that have met an unfortunate fate of permanent deletion sans any backup. However, selecting a solution that can adeptly tackle even the most intricate data loss scenarios assumes paramount significance. You can try the easy-to-use data recovery software MyRecover mentioned in the tutorial for them.
Can deleted files ever be recovered?
 
When a file is deleted from your computer, hope is not lost. You have a couple of avenues to explore: Firstly, if you're using Windows backup, you can restore files from the backup. Alternatively, you can attempt to restore it from a previous iteration. These previous versions represent replicas of files and folders thoughtfully safeguarded by Windows as part of its restorative process.
Does Recycle Bin delete files and folders?
 
Recycle Bin doesn't delete folders and files without reason. Windows users can tailor the time that the Recycle Bin keeps your deleted folders and files. However, it's prudent to bear in mind that when the Recycle Bin finds itself full, it stop keeping your files and folders. Expansion of your Recycle Bin's capacity assumes a rather pressing necessity.
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.