Proven Ways to Recover Documents from Recycle Bin

Want to recover documents from Recycle Bin? Learn how to recover deleted files from Recycle Bin and how to recover emptied Recycle Bin with proven methods.

Penny

By Penny / Updated on September 13, 2024

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How do I retrieve documents from Recycle Bin?

   
   
   
       

I accidentally deleted a folder that includes some vital files. Then I cleaned my Recycle Bin as usual after deletion. I want to get these documents back. So how do I retrieve documents from Recycle Bin? Thanks.

Many users usually don’t think twice before deleting documents. In this case, how to recover the deleted data is always a hot topic. Maybe this guide could be your treatment to recover documents from Recycle Bin. Please scroll down.

How to recover documents from Recycle Bin?

The recently deleted and permanently deleted files determine the targeted method you’ll select. So how to distinguish between the recently deleted and the permanently deleted files?

If you haven’t emptied your Recycle Bin or pressed the “Shift + Delete” keys, these files are recently deleted. Otherwise, these files are permanently deleted.

Case A. Recover the recently deleted files from Recycle Bin

The Recycle Bin is a storage space for the deleted files. You could recover the recently deleted files from the Recycle Bin.

Step 1. Double click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop. After opening it, find the deleted files you want to retrieve.

locate-deleted-file-in-recycle-bin

Step 2. Right-click on your desired files, and click the “Restore” button to get them back.

click-restore

Case B. Recover emptied Recycle Bin from File History

The second scenario is heavily dependent on backups using the Windows feature. Let’s perform how to recover emptied Recycle Bin through File History.

File History made its debut in Windows 8. This practical Windows feature could backup Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos, Desktop folders, and OneDrive offline files saved on your PC. You’re allowed to restore the deleted, lost, damaged files from this valuable backup.

Step 1. Enter “Control Panel” in the search bar, and open it. Then click the “System and Security” option.

system-and-security

Step 2. Click “File History” > “Restore files with File History”.

file-history

Step 3. Click “Restore personal files”.

restore-personal-files

Step 4. Click the “Restore” button to store these retrieved files in the original location.

restore-deleted-file

If you prefer to store these documents in your destination place, right-click “Restore” > “Restore to”.

right-click-restore-restore-to

Case C. Document recovery software

The above methods fail to recover documents from Recycle Bin if you’re in this part. The third scenario shares two pieces of document recovery software with you. Get an overview of these two efficient tools before following one of them.

Option 1. Use Windows File Recovery

Released in 2020, Windows File Recovery is a command-line tool that aims to recover the lost files from HDD, SDD, USB, and other storage devices. And there’s no sign of these lost files in the Recycle Bin. However, the recovery on cloud storage and network file shares is disabled. Meanwhile, Windows File Recovery only works with Win10/11.

You’re supposed to recover files using CMD because it lacks a graphical user interface. Moreover, users need to replace their selected mode and switches with the basic format line. So how to select the recovery mode and switches? Please check them out below.   

Notes:✎...
Please reduce the usage of your PC after data loss. If possible, stop using it.   
Windows File Recovery enables you to recover the deleted Word, PPT, Excel, ZIP, PDF, JPG, JPEG, etc.
Ensure the source drive (where to store files before deletion) is different from the destination drive (where to store recovered data).
The Extensive, Regular, Segment, and Signature modes support NTFS, FAT, exFAT, and ReFS file systems.

Step 1. Check the file system of your source drive: Click “This PC” > right-click on the source drive > “Properties.”

check-file-system

Step 2. Select a suitable mode according to your file system and data loss scenarios.

File system

Circumstances

Recommended mode

NTFS

Deleted recently

Regular

NTFS

Deleted a while ago

Extensive

NTFS

After formatting a disk

Extensive

NTFS

A corrupted disk

Extensive

FAT and exFAT

Any

Extensive

Step 3. Select some common switches from the following form.

Switch              

Description

Supported          modes

/y:

Recover specific extension groups, comma-separated

Signature

/p:

Saves a log file of the recovery operation in a different location than the default location on the recovery drive (for example, D:\logfile).

All

/a

Overrides user prompts, which is useful in a script file.

All

/u

Recovers undeleted files, for example, from the Recycle Bin.

NTFS Segment

/k

Recovers system files.

NTFS Segment​​​​​

/g

Recovers files without primary data streams.

NTFS Segment

/e

To keep your results manageable and focus on user files, some file types are filtered by default, but this switch removes that filter. 

NTFS Segment

/e:

Specifies which file types are filtered.

NTFS Segment

Step 4. Get” Windows File Recovery from Microsoft Store, then install and “Open” it on the computer.

microsoft-store-get

Step 5. Let’s take the PDF file as an example. Assume you’ve deleted the PDF file for several days and want to retrieve it from the C drive to the E drive. At the moment, you could use the wildcard “*” if you don’t know the filename of this document.

the basic format command: winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/mode] [/switches]

the adjusted command line: winfr C: E: /extensive /n *.pdf

winfr-extensive-pdf

Step 6. Enter your prepared command line in the window. Then press “y” to continue. After the recovery process, you’ll find your recovered documents in the destination drive. Press “Ctrl + C” if you want to stop it.

Option 2. Use the best software to recover deleted/lost files

As you can see, the former documents recovery software closely links to the command prompt. So don't you consider MyRecover and use this best software to recover deleted/lost files in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, and Windows Server? Likewise, you’d better don’t add new data to your storage devices after data loss.

Let’s dig into the highlights of this powerful and user-friendly software.

 ✦Recover files from HDD/SSD/USB and other storage devices.

✦Recover 200+ types of data: Word, Excel, PPT, Photos, Audios, Videos, Emails, Webpages, and Compressed files.

✦Keep its original path, filename, and format for the deleted files after data recovery.

✦Perform Quick Scan and Deep Scan automatically to search the deleted files and other missing files.

✦Handle deletion, disk formatting, system crashes, and more data loss scenarios.

✦Each time, you can recover 30MB files for free.

Step 1. Launch MyRecover on your PC.

Download SoftwareWin 11/10/8/7/Server
Secure Download

Step 2. After loading the disk, hover the mouse over the drive saved deleted files before, and click Scan.

select-location-to-scan

Step 3. The software will run Quick Scan and Deep Scan automatically. During scanning, you can also search for your needed documents.

scanning-drive

Step 4. Go to the Deleted files/Other missing files folder > Recycle Bin to locate the documents you want to restore. Then click "Recover x files" and save them in a new location.

select-recycle-bin-click-recover

In conclusion

How to recover documents from Recycle Bin? Please confirm whether your deleted documents are recently deleted or permanently deleted ones. Because this little tip could help you find targeted methods faster.

In brief, MyRecover could be the most comprehensive tool for you to utilize. If you want to prevent data loss in the future, you can make backups at once using the Windows features or freeware AOMEI Backupper.

Penny
Penny · Editor
Penny works as an editor at AOMEI Technology, while she's a tester and editor for AOMEI Data Recovery Tools. She enjoys helping users with data recovery issues on Windows and iPhones using simple and practical solutions. Outside of work, she has a strong affection for pets, particularly giant pandas.