How to Recover Accidentally Deleted Folder in Windows 10/11/7

Updated to Windows Data Recovery Tips by Nancy on Mar 13, 2024 | Approved by Anthony Spadafora

When organizing documents and keeping track of important papers, folders are essential. They keep your information organized and easy to access, which is crucial to productivity. However, we may lose essential items in it due to accidental deletion. If you are one of the victims, don't worry. This article will provide various methods to help you recover accidentally deleted folder in Windows 10, 11, etc.

Where do deleted folders go in Windows 11/10/7?

Have you ever deleted a folder in Windows 11/10 and wondered where it went? The answer is more complex than you may think. When you hit the delete button, the folder is not gone - at least not yet. If you don't use Shift+Delete to delete it, it will be put into the recycle bin until you restore or empty it. Even if you removed it permanently or emptied the trash, the folder is not entirely erased from your computer's memory. It remains in its original location until new data overwrites it. So, you still have a chance to recover deleted folders in Windows 11, 10, and 7.

6 Ways to Recover the Accidentally Deleted Folder on My PC

Accidentally deleting a folder can send you into a panic, mainly if it contains essential documents or cherished memories. Fortunately, you can try the below methods to undelete the folder in Windows 10/11.

Methods 1. Check Your Computer's Recycle Bin

Have you ever accidentally deleted a folder on your computer and panicked, thinking it was gone for good? Fear not, as Windows PC has a safety net for such occasions. When you delete a folder, it doesn't just disappear completely. Instead, it is moved to the Recycle Bin, where it can be quickly recovered if needed. Here are the detailed steps:

  1. Go to the computer's desktop to find the Recycle Bin icon and double-click to open it.
  2. Find the folder you accidentally deleted in the file list.
  3. Right the mouse button and click Restore, and it will reappear in the original position.

Methods 2. Restore an Accidentally Deleted Folder in Windows 7/10/11 from the Previous Versions

Windows Previous Versions can record changes to files or drives through different periods. So when you accidentally delete a folder, you can use this option to find lost items. To do this, you need to follow the following steps:

  1. Open the directory where the folder disappeared.
  2. Right-click on the blank area and select "Restore previous versions."
  3. Select a recent change in Folder Versions and click Restore.

Methods 3. Use CMD to Recover Deleted Folder

Command Prompt can also undelete files, but it takes luck. You can try the following methods to find your accidentally deleted folders.

  1. Press the Windows + R keys simultaneously and type CMD in the opened window.
  2. Enter "chkdsk C: /f" and press Enter
  3. When the progress is complete, enter "attrib -h -r -s C:\*.* /s /d" and press Enter
  4. Open the location of the accidentally deleted folder again and hit F5 to reload the project.

Note: C in steps 2 and 3 above needs to be replaced with the drive letter of the deleting folder.

Methods 4. From Your System Backup

When creating a system backup, you could recover deleted folder in Windows 11/10/7 through System Restore if you selected the drive where the lost folder was located. However, please back up the existing data before starting because they may be restored to a previous version.

  1. Click the Start icon in the lower-left corner of the screen and navigate to Control Panel > Security and Maintenance.
  2. Click "Recovery" and follow the wizard to complete the deleted folder recovery progress.

Methods 5. Recover Permanently Deleted Folder by Software

Keep going even if the above methods fail. You can also rely on professional recovery software, which can scan your hard drive and attempt to recover accidentally deleted folders in your PC. Here, you can use iBeesoft Data Recovery, which utilizes the latest engraving technology. Even if the data is destroyed, it can still reconstruct them.

  1. Download and install iBeesoft Data Recovery on your computer.
  2. After running it, click "Go to setting" to filter file types to save scanning time.
  3. Select the drive where the accidentally deleted folder is located and click Scan.
  4. After scanning, you can preview the found items and select the ones you need to save.

Methods 6. Use Windows File Recovery

In addition to using the above tool to retrieve permanently deleted folders in Windows 10, 11, and more, you can also use Microsoft's development - Windows File Recovery. However, it runs in command line mode, so it requires a bit of technology. Don't worry; we'll walk you through the steps to use it.

  1. Download and install this accidentally deleted folder recovery tool.
  2. Type "winfr /#" to find your missing file type.
  3. Type "winfr C: F: /x /y:PNG,DOCX". (C is the drive where the folder is lost, F is the drive where the recovered file is saved, PNG,DOCX is the type of your lost file)
  4. Go to drive F to view the found files.

How to Avoid Folder/File Loss

Accidentally deleting important folders is a nightmare. Whether you're a student, a professional, or a homemaker, losing important data can bring your daily life to a screeching halt. The good news is you can take steps to avoid such losses, such as:

These simple measures can offer maximum protection and help you avoid a disaster.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Losing a critical folder on your PC can be frustrating, especially if you can't find it. But don't fret; there's still hope. Accidentally deleting a folder doesn't necessarily mean it's gone forever. To that end, here are six effective ways to recover an accidentally deleted folder in Windows 7/10/11; all that is required is patience and time.