How to Recover Deleted Files from a USB Drive Safely

You deleted important files from a USB drive, emptied the Recycle Bin, and now they're nowhere to be found.

Can you still get them back? Possibly but only if you act fast. The moment you save new data to that USB, format it, or even run a repair tool, the old files may be gone for good.

Here's the good news: recovery is often possible if you stop using the drive immediately.

The right approach depends on what actually happened, whether the files were deleted, hidden, or already backed up somewhere else. The quick check below helps you figure that out in under a minute, so you don't waste time on the wrong solution.

Which Recovery Method Should You Use?

Before Recovery: Avoid Overwriting the USB Drive

Deleting a file normally removes its file-system reference and marks the occupied space as reusable. The file’s underlying data may remain until another write replaces it. Every new download, edit, or copied folder can therefore reduce the chance of recovery.

Before proceeding:

• Stop saving or moving files on the USB drive.
• Don’t install recovery software on the affected USB.
• Don’t restore recovered files to the same USB.
• Cancel any Windows prompt asking you to format the drive.
• Avoid CHKDSK until important files have been recovered.

If Windows says the USB must be formatted, try a recovery-first method to recover the USB drive without formatting.

Method 1: Recover Deleted Files from USB with AOMEI FastRecovery

👍 Best for: Recover permanently deleted USB files (accidental deletion, Shift+Delete, etc.) without backup. Free edition recovers up to 500MB.

AOMEI FastRecovery is simple and intuitive Windows file recovery software that can scan and recover deleted files from USB drive, whether from SanDisk, Samsung, Seagate, WD, etc.

Step 1. Connect the affected USB drive to your Windows PC. Make sure the drive appears in Windows Explorer, but don’t open, change, or save files on it. Launch AOMEI FastRecovery and select Deleted Files Recovery.

Step 2. Choose the affected USB drive and click Scan. Quick Scan begins automatically for this recovery scenario.

Step 3. Browse the results using Type or Path. You can also search for filename or extension, sort the results, or apply filters to narrow the list.

Step 4. Select the files you recognize, and click Recover to recover deleted files from USB drive. You can also preview recoverable files as thumbnails before recovery. 

Step 5. Choose a PC folder or another storage device to save the recovered files. Never save them back to the affected USB as this may cause data overwritting. 

Method 2: Recover Files with Windows File Recovery

👍 Best for: A completely free Microsoft recovery option when you’re comfortable entering commands. The source and destination must be different drives.

Windows File Recovery is a Microsoft Store app that runs through a command-line interface. It provides Regular mode for non-corrupted NTFS drives and Extensive mode for a more thorough search across supported file systems.

USB flash drives often use FAT32 or exFAT, so Extensive mode is generally the suitable choice. Meanwhile, you still need to select the right switches to control what files to recover.

Step 1. Download and install Windows File Recovery on the computer, not on the USB you’re recovering. Meanwhile, check the USB drive letter in File Explorer. 

Step 2. Type cmd in the Start menu and select Run as administrator.  To recover PDF and Word documents from USB drive, type as:

Step 3. In the Command Prompt window, type the winfr.exe command:

For example, to recover PDF and Word documents from USB drive, enter:

winfr E: C: /extensive /n *.pdf /n *.docx 

In this example, the affected USB is E: and the destination drive is C:. Change the extensions if you need other data types, such as photos, videos, audios, etc.

Confirm the scan when prompted. The utility creates a recovery folder on the destination drive.

Method 3: Restore Files from an Existing Backup

👍Best for: Files that were backed up before deletion. Restoring an existing copy avoids scanning the unallocated space or USB drive.

Before running another recovery scan, check every location where another copy may exist:

• Your computer’s Documents, Pictures, or Downloads folders
• OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, or another cloud account
• An external backup drive
• File History or another Windows backup tool
• Email attachments or messaging applications
• The camera, phone, or computer that created the original files

If you find a usable copy, restore it to your computer first and confirm that the file opens correctly. Here take File History as an example to show you the steps:

Step 1. Connect the external drive or network share used to store your File History backups. Enter Restore your files with File History in the search box and select the matching result.

Step 2. Browse the available folders. Use the left and right arrows to find a backup version created before the USB files were deleted. 

Step 3. Select the files or folders you want to retrieve, click the green Restore button and choose Restore to. You can select a different drive to save your files. 

In addition, you still can try Backup and Restore (Windows 7), cloud drives, etc., which provides a way to restore files from backup. 

Method 4: Show Hidden USB Files 

👍 Best for: Files that vanished unexpectedly while the USB still shows used space. This reveals hidden files but doesn’t recover deleted ones.

Malware or changed file attributes can make existing files invisible in File Explorer. A quick visibility check can prevent an unnecessary recovery scan.

Step 1. Open the USB drive in File Explorer. Then, choose View > Show/hide > Hidden items. 

Step 2. If the missing files appear, copy them to another drive immediately.

Step 3. Scan the Windows computer and USB with updated security software before using the files normally.

If nothing appears, the files may be deleted or the file system may be damaged. Don’t treat the ATTRIB command or CHKDSK as deleted file recovery methods as ATTRIB only changes visibility attributes, while CHKDSK modifies file-system structures.

Compare the 4 Recovery Methods

For a healthy, detectable USB with no backup, start with AOMEI FastRecovery if you want to browse and select results visually. Choose Windows File Recovery when a free Microsoft tool matters more than ease of use. If a reliable backup exists, restore it instead of scanning deleted space.

When Recovery Software Is the Wrong Choice

Recovery software handles logical data loss; it can’t repair physically failing USB hardware. Disconnect the drive and consider professional help if it:

• Isn’t detected on multiple computers
• Connects and disconnects repeatedly
• Becomes unusually hot
• Has a loose, bent, or broken connector
• Shows water, electrical, or impact damage

Repeated scans and repair attempts can put additional stress on an unstable drive. If the USB is detected but shows a RAW or damaged FAT file system, don’t format it. Follow a dedicated FAT recovery process instead.

FAQs 

Where do deleted files from a USB drive go?

On Windows, files deleted from removable USB storage commonly bypass the desktop Recycle Bin. Their space is marked as reusable, so the underlying data may remain until it is overwritten.

Can I recover deleted USB files without installing software?

You can restore them without a recovery program if another copy exists in a backup, cloud folder, email, or original device. Showing hidden items also helps if the files weren’t actually deleted. Without another copy, however, a recovery scan is usually required.

Can files be recovered after a USB drive is formatted?

They may remain recoverable after a quick format if the underlying space hasn’t been overwritten. Don’t format the drive again or add new files. Formatted-drive loss is a separate recovery scenario and generally requires a more thorough scan.

Why didn’t Deep Scan find the deleted files?

The deleted space may already be overwritten, the file may be fragmented beyond reconstruction, or the USB may have encryption, file-system damage, or hardware problems. No recovery program can guarantee a usable result.

How do I recover USB files on a Mac?

Open Trash first and use Put Back if the files are present. Otherwise, check Time Machine or another backup. AOMEI FastRecovery is a Windows application, so its workflow requires a USB drive that can be recognized on a Windows computer.

Summary

To recover deleted files from USB storage, stop all writes first as these operations may overwrite your data on the USB drive. Then, pick a right method based on your situation:

• Use AOMEI FastRecovery for a visual no-backup scan on a healthy USB.
• Try command line recovery software - Windows File Recovery if you are a professional. 
• Restore an existing backup when one is available.
• If the drive is unstable or physically damaged, disconnect it instead of scanning it repeatedly.

The best next action is to prepare a different destination drive and begin with the method that matches the USB’s current condition.