Recover Deleted 7Zip Files: 3 Ways to Try

What to Do Before 7Z File Recovery

7Zip archives are useful for compressing files and keeping documents, photos, and other data organized. However, accidentally deleting a .7z archive, emptying the Recycle Bin, or losing files after a drive problem can leave you wondering how to get them back.

Before trying a recovery method, take a few precautions to protect the remaining data and improve your chances of success.

• Stop writing new data to the affected drive. Avoid downloading files, installing applications, or saving new archives to the location where the deleted files were stored. New data may overwrite the deleted content.
• Act promptly. Recovery may become more difficult as the drive continues to be used. On SSDs, TRIM may also reduce the chances of recovering deleted data.
• Choose a method that fits your situation. Check the Recycle Bin first, look for available backups, or use recovery software if the files are permanently deleted and no backup is available.
• Save recovered files elsewhere. Restore recovered archives to a different drive when possible to avoid overwriting other recoverable data.
• Check your backups. External drives, cloud storage, and Windows backup features may contain another copy of the missing archive.

Once you've taken these precautions, try one of the following methods.

Method 1. Recover 7Zip Files from the Recycle Bin

If you deleted the archive using File Explorer and have not emptied the Recycle Bin, you may be able to restore it without installing additional software.

Step 1. Double-click the Recycle Bin icon on your Windows desktop. If the icon is not visible, open File Explorer and enter “recycle bin” in the address bar to access it.

Step 2. Look through the deleted items for the missing .7z archive. If you remember its name, use the available search or sorting options to find it more quickly.

Step 3. Right-click the archive and select Restore.

Step 4. Open the original folder or search for the archive to confirm that it has been restored.

Method 2. Recover Deleted 7Zip Files with AOMEI FastRecovery

If you permanently deleted a 7Zip archive or emptied the Recycle Bin, data recovery software may help you find files that are still recoverable on the drive. AOMEI FastRecovery is a Windows data recovery tool that can scan selected locations for supported deleted files.

Follow the instructions below to recover deleted 7Zip files with AOMEI FastRecovery:

Step 1. Download and install AOMEI FastRecovery on a drive other than the one where the deleted 7Zip files were stored, if possible. Launch the software and select Deleted Files Recovery.

Step 2. Point to the drive that contained the deleted .7z archive and click Scan to begin searching for recoverable files.

Step 3. After the scan finishes, you’ll see the deleted files listed by Type. Click Archives in the left pane, check the 7z folder from the list, and click Recover.

Step 4. In the pop-up window, select a different storage path for the recovered data and click Select Folder.

Step 5. After recovery, verify that the restored archives are present and can be opened.

Method 3. Run 7Zip Recovery Using File History

Windows File History can help restore previous versions of files when it was configured to back them up before the deletion occurred. If the folder containing your 7Zip archive was included in a suitable backup, you may be able to recover an earlier copy.

Step 1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder where the deleted 7Zip archive was originally stored.

Step 2. Right-click the folder and select Restore previous versions.

Step 3. Browse the available backed-up versions and find one that was created before your 7Zip file was deleted.

Step 4. Click Open to preview the content of the selected version. If your 7Zip file is available, click Restore.

How to Prevent Losing 7Zip Files Again

After recovering your archive, consider taking a few steps to protect important compressed files from future data loss.

• Keep a backup copy. A backup tool such as AOMEI Backupper can help you back up important files to an external drive or other safe locations.
• Check files before deleting them. Verify the filename and contents before removing an archive, especially when deleting multiple files at once.
• Avoid emptying the Recycle Bin too quickly. Check whether any important archives are still inside before clearing it.
• Verify important archives. Periodically check that your backup copies are accessible and that important archives can be opened.
• Keep multiple copies of critical data. Storing copies in separate locations can help protect against accidental deletion and drive failure.

FAQs About Recovering Deleted 7Zip Files

1. Can I recover permanently deleted 7Zip files?

Possibly. If the archive's data has not been overwritten, a recovery tool such as AOMEI FastRecovery may be able to find it.

You can also check external drives, cloud storage, and existing backups. Recovery is not guaranteed, and SSD TRIM or continued drive use may reduce the chances of success.

2. Can File History recover a deleted 7Zip archive?

Yes, if File History or another supported previous-version mechanism contains a copy of the archive from before it was deleted. If no suitable backup exists, File History cannot recreate the missing file by itself.

3. What if I recover a 7Zip file but cannot open it?

The archive may be incomplete, corrupted, or missing data. Try opening it with 7-Zip or another compatible archive utility. If it still fails, try recovering another copy, checking a backup, or scanning the original drive again if doing so is safe. A recovered filename alone does not guarantee that the archive's contents are intact.

Conclusion

If you need to recover deleted 7Zip files, start by checking the Recycle Bin and any available File History backups. If the archive was permanently deleted and no backup exists, AOMEI FastRecovery may help scan the affected drive for recoverable files.

For the best chance of recovery, avoid writing new data to the affected drive and save recovered archives to a different location. Going forward, keep regular backups of important .7z files so you have another copy if accidental deletion or drive failure occurs.