How to Recover Deleted Files Too Big for Recycle Bin

AOMEI FastRecovery is a powerful Windows data recovery software that can recover deleted files too big for Recycle Bin in 3 simple steps.

By Ivy    Updated on March 3, 2026

Sometimes, when you try to delete a file, you may receive the following prompt to make you think twice. But still some users clicked “Yes”to permanently delete files, only to realize they made a mistake and found deleted files not in the Recycle Bin.

  • “This file is too large for the Recycle Bin”
  • “This folder is too large for the Recycle Bin”

Don’t be nervous, let’s break this situation down, figure out why it happens, and explore how to recover deleted files.

Why Files Are Too Big for the Recycle Bin?

 

"I just deleted a 50GB folder full of videos I was working on for a client. I thought it would go to the Recycle Bin, but nope! It's just gone. I didn't know files that big wouldn't be stored in the bin. Is there any way to get my work back, or is it lost forever?"

- Question from Reddit

So, why does this even happen? In short, the Recycle Bin can’t hold everything you delete, it has size limitsdepending on a percentage of the drive's total capacity. For example, if you have a 1TB hard drive, the Recycle Bin might only be set to store around 10GB. Anything larger than that? It will bypass the Recycle Bin, leading to permanently deleted files.

So you can’t recover deleted files from the Recycle Bin, just like the “Shift + Delete” or “Empty Recycle Bin” activities. The registry entry and index value will be deleted in this case. To recover deleted files too big for Recycle Bin, you need a professional data recovery software that can directly search the disk.

A Useful Way to Recover Deleted Files Too Big for Recycle Bin

AOMEI FastRecovery, released by AOMEI, a leader in the data recovery industry, works wonders and is a powerful Windows data recovery software. It works wonders even with those pesky large files that your recycle bin can't handle.

It is compatible with Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, and servers, and provides an in-depth search for files on NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, and ReFS disks in different scenarios. You don't need to be a tech genius to use it. The clean, intuitive design makes the process of using it straightforward.

AOMEI FastRecovery
Best File Recovery Software for Windows
  • Quick & Deep Scan- search not only deleted files but also other lost files.
  • Recover deleted PNG files, JPG images, Word documents, MP4 videos, zip files, etc., up to 1000+ data formats.
  • Pause and resume the scanning process when needed.
  • Organize and display deleted or lost files by Type or Path, allowing you to sort, search, filter, and preview files before recovery.
  • Selectively restore files instead of all.
  • 👍Free data recovery, supporting up to 500MB.

Now, download the free edition to have a try! For unlimited data recovery, please buy the advanced edition of AOMEI FastRecovery.

Step 1. Select the disk containing the deleted large files

Open AOMEI FastRecovery. Then, hover over the drive where the deleted file too big for Recycle Bin was originally located and click Scan.

Step 2. Scan for deleted files

It will automatically perform a Quick Scan to look for any traces of deleted files and display them by Type or Path, allowing you to sort across multiple options. 

In addition, you can try any useful features to locate large deleted files faster.

  • Search: Type the file name or extension in the search box to locate deleted files quickly.
  • Filter: Set the file type (e.g., image) and size to narrow down the search range.
  • Preview: Double-click to preview deleted files, such as jpg, png, bmp, jpeg, tif, svg, gif, ico, etc.

Step 3. Select files to recover

Select the desired files you want and click Recover. Please choose a new location to save the recovered files (don't save them to the same drive to avoid data overwriting).

Maximize the Size of Recycle Bin to Hold Larger Files

You surely don’t want to experience this again. So, is there any prevention you can take after recovering files too large for Recycle Bin. The root issue stems from the Recycle Bin settings, so you can customize it to hold larger files.

Step 1. On the desktop, right-click on the Recycle Bin icon and select Properties.

Step 2. You'll see a list of your drives. Click on the drive where you usually store large files.

Step 3. In the Settings for selected location section, type the specific size you expect in Custom sizeor adjust it to the maximum size. 

⚠️Notes:
  • Don’t check the second option. It will delete files immediately and does not put them in the Recycle Bin.

  • You can cancel this option “Display delete confirmation dialog” if you don’t want to see a prompt when deleting files.

Conclusion

With professional data recovery software - AOMEI FastRecovery, you can easily recover deleted files too big for Recycle Bin in Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, and servers that the Recycle Bin can’t handle. It thoroughly searches every sector of a disk to find lost files.

Download Freeware Win 11/10/8/7/Server
Secure Download

It also offers you quick ways to locate files and preview them before recovering, so you can find the files exactly you want. In addition, it allows you to selectively recover files by using the checkboxes.

Ivy · Editor
Ivy, our dedicated editor at AOMEI Technology, is committed to providing valuable insights and guidance in data protection. Her mission is to empower everyone with her knowledge of computer backup and recovery, disk cloning, file synchronization, and more. Ivy's goal is to do her best to ensure your digital world remains safe and secure.