You might have faced the situation, wherein you unintentionally end up deleting your vital files and folders while emptying the recycle bin. Losing your most needed files is not less than a nightmare. Well, if you’re one of them, then taking a regular backup of your computer and using data recovery software will surely help you out to fix the same.

In this post, we’ve rounded up 5 steps for data recovery that every Windows user should know. So, let’s get started!

Check The Recycle Bin

On your desktop screen, you will see “Recycle Bin”, it is the location where all the deleted and erased files & folders are stored for the safety measures. It is a default setting that is available in each version of Microsoft Windows since Windows 95. To recover a deleted file, all you need to do is, open the folder >Select > Right-Click on it > select Restore. Now, the file is returned to its original location.

However, when you delete a large file, your machine asks you to delete it permanently instead of keeping it in Recycle Bin. In that case, you won’t be able to restore the file.

Do Not Create New Documents On Your Machine

In case you are not able to locate your deleted file in Recycle Bin, it is recommended to not open a new folder as nothing really gets deleted from your computer. When a file is erased, it leaves an empty space, which is ready to be overwritten. So, if you create a new document, chances are the new document would take up the space emptied by the deleted file. Thus, making it impossible to recover the file.

Restore Files From Backup

It is highly recommended to take backup of your device regularly. As, it is a useful and the most secure way to make sure that you won’t end up losing your important data at any cost. You can use your hard-drive to take a backup of your PC.

In case, you haven’t enabled Windows Backup, follow the below instructions to enable it:

• Step 1: Go To ‘Start’ menu and click on ‘Control Panel’.
  

• Step 2:  Select ‘Backup and Restore’.
  
• Step3: Click ‘Set up backup’.
  
• Step 4: Choose the location where you want to save the backup file.
  
• Step 5: Now, your machine will start taking backup. It might take a bit longer depending upon the available file sizes.
  
• Step 6: Select ‘Save settings and run backup’.
  
• Step 7: Now, Check the time when you have taken backup.
  
• Step 8: Navigate to the backup file location, select it and right-click on the file.
• Step 9: Click Properties to be sure whether the backup has been created properly or not.
  

Use A File Recovery Software

When you aren’t able to locate your deleted file manually, it doesn’t mean that the file is no longer available on your computer, it still exists somewhere. However, using a third -party software is the easiest and fastest way to get the deleted files back with ease. As there are tons of data recovery software are available in the market, select the one that suits to needs and requirements. Here, we’re going to recover data with Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery – Home.

Follow the below steps to do the same:

• Step 1: Download and install Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery – Home on your machine.
• Step 2: Run the software on your computer and select the type of data you would like to recover. i.e. folders, photos, emails, etc.
  
  Image Source: https://www.stellarinfo.com
• Step 3: Now the select the location of the deleted file and click on ‘Scan’ to begin the scan process.
  
  Image Source: https://www.stellarinfo.com

• Step 4: The tool hunts for the deleted data in the selected location. You can also preview the files by clicking on “Turn on Preview’ option.
  
  Image Source: https://www.stellarinfo.com

• Step 5: Once the scanning process is completed and the list of recoverable files and folders would be visible on your screen. Choose the file and select the location where you would like to save the file.
  
  Image Source: https://www.stellarinfo.com
• Step 6. That’s it, now, go to the location and there you will see the deleted file saved.

Contact An Expert

When you are done with all the resources, you can contact an expert to guide you through the process. Sometimes, due to a technical glitch, you might face some issues while doing the same but you can contact your support provider anytime to fix the concern.

So, these were the five steps that will surely help you to recover your deleted files and folders in no time.