Understanding how to undo deleted files on Windows starts with checking what happened to them. Find out when a quick undo works, which backups can help, and when scanning the original drive is worth trying.
If you’re wondering how to undo deleted files on Windows, start with the last action you took. For a recent deletion in File Explorer, Ctrl+Z may bring the files back immediately. If Undo is unavailable, check the Recycle Bin before downloading anything.
Files removed with Shift+Delete need a different approach. An existing backup may contain them, or AOMEI FastRecovery can scan the original drive through a graphical interface.
The methods below apply to Windows 10 and Windows 11. Choose according to where your files may remain, you don’t need to try every method in order.
| 🧩 Your situation | 👉 Start with | 🔑 Key requirement |
|---|---|---|
| You just deleted files in File Explorer | Method 1: Undo Delete | The deletion remains undoable |
| Files are still in the Recycle Bin | Method 2: Recycle Bin Restore | The files are still listed |
| File History saved an earlier copy | Method 3: File History | A backup includes the deleted files |
| A Windows file backup contains them | Method 4: Backup and Restore | An accessible pre-deletion backup |
| Files were permanently deleted | Method 5: AOMEI FastRecovery | Recoverable data remains on the drive |
If files are no longer in the Recycle Bin, stop saving new data to their original drive. Downloads, installations, and other writes can overwrite deleted data.
👍 Best for: Reversing an ordinary deletion while Undo Delete remains available.
File Explorer can undo file operations, which is especially useful for files you just deleted. However, Ctrl+Z only reverses the last action you took.
Step 1. Go back to the folder where you deleted the files. For files deleted from the desktop, right-click an empty area of the desktop and look for Undo Delete. In Windows 11, you might need to click Show more options first.
Step 3. Select Undo Delete, or press Ctrl+Z once when deletion is the action you intend to reverse. Check whether the files have returned.
Don't press Ctrl+Z repeatedly after copying, moving, or renaming other files - you might undo those actions instead. If your missing files came from a browser download, see undoing deleted downloads in Chrome. (A cleared download entry doesn't necessarily mean the saved file was deleted.)
👍 Best for: Restoring files that are still listed in the Windows Recycle Bin.
When you delete local files, Windows moves them to the Recycle Bin. As long as they're still in there, you can use the built-in Restore option to put them right back in their original folders.
Step 1. Open Recycle Bin from the desktop. Search for the filename or switch to Details view. Check Original Location and Date Deleted to distinguish similarly named files.
Step 2. Select the files, right-click them, and choose Restore.
Open their original folders and confirm that the files are present.
👍 Best for: Retrieving files that File History backed up before deletion.
File History keeps older copies of your protected files and folders. You can find these backups in the Previous Versions tab on the original folder.
Just keep in mind: a backup only helps if it actually included the files you need. Turning on File History doesn't guarantee every single folder on your PC is backed up.
Step 1. Connect the drive containing your File History backup. In File Explorer, locate the folder that contained deleted files. For a deleted folder, locate its parent folder.
Step 2. Right-click that folder and select Restore previous versions. In Windows 11, check Show more options if necessary.
Step 3. Select a version saved before deletion. Expand Open and choose Open in File History to check the saved version.
Step 4. Select the files you need. Expand Restore and choose Restore to…, then select a destination on another drive.
If there’s no suitable version listed, this method won't work. Turning on File History now can't magically recreate files from before you deleted them.
👍 Best for: Recovering files included in an existing Windows backup.
Originally launched with Windows 7, Backup and Restore (Windows 7) still works on Windows 10 and 11. It can help you back up your user folders and OS, so you can restore them when necessary.
Step 1. Connect the external hard drive containing the backup. Open Control Panel, search for backup and select Backup and Restore (Windows 7).
Step 2. Click Restore my files and select the relevant backup. Otherwise, select Select another backup to restore files from to find it manually.
Step 3. Click Search, Browse for files, or Browse for folders to add the items you want to restore. Click Next to continue.
Step 4. Choose In the following location, browse to a folder on another drive, and click Restore.
Open the restored copies to check them. An older backup may lack recent change, and a backup that excluded the original folder will not contain deleted files.
👍 Best for: Scanning for local files deleted by Shift+Delete or due to Recycle Bin empty.
AOMEI FastRecovery is a dedicated Windows recovery tool, which gives you a point-and-click interface to scan the drive where you lost your files.
Step 1. Download AOMEI FastRecovery and install it to a different drive from the one containing deleted files. Otherwise, the new data will overwrite files you want to recover. Open the program and select Deleted Files Recovery.
Step 2. Choose the drive where you store deleted files, then click Scan. It will start a Quick Scan.
Step 3. Browse the results by Type or Path, search for filename or extension (.xlxs, .docx, etc), or click the column headers (Name, Date modified, Type, Size, Path) to sort the results.
Step 4. Select the files and click Recover. Save them to a different drive. Another folder on the same drive is not a safe destination.
Open the recovered files. Check documents for missing pages and play videos at several points to confirm they are complete.
Recovery is not guaranteed. Overwriting and SSD TRIM can limit what remains recoverable.
The free edition can recover up to 500MB; recovery beyond that allowance requires an upgrade. Full preview are also available.
If the Recycle Bin is empty, start with Recycle Bin Recovery. This mode scans for files currently in the Recycle Bin, as well as those permanently deleted.
Can Ctrl+Z undo Shift+Delete?
No. Shift+Delete bypasses the Recycle Bin and is not reversed through ordinary Undo Delete. Check an existing backup or consider scanning the original drive.
What if Undo Delete is no longer available?
Check the Recycle Bin first. If the files are absent, choose an applicable backup or scanning method. Ctrl+V pastes clipboard items; it is not a general recovery or redo command.
Can Windows File Recovery recover permanently deleted files?
Microsoft’s Windows File Recovery can attempt recovery from supported local storage. It requires installation and command-line use, with recovery modes chosen for the file system and deletion conditions. It does not recover directly from cloud storage or network shares.
Can I recover deleted files without a backup?
Possibly. Files still in the Recycle Bin do not require a backup. For permanently deleted files, scanning may help if recoverable data remains. For files previously stored in OneDrive, also check its separate web recycle bin.
How to undo deleted files on Windows depends on whether the deletion remains undoable and where another copy exists. Use Undo Delete or the Recycle Bin when available, restore a suitable backup, or scan for permanently deleted files.
If scanning is your next step, keep downloads, installations, and recovered files on another drive.