Deleted a file on Windows 10 and not sure where it went? This guide shows you where to find it – and how to recover it from the Recycle Bin, backups, or recovery software.
Accidentally deleting an important file can be stressful, especially when you are not sure where it went. Actually, Windows 10 handles deleted files differently depending on the deletion method. Here are the two most common situations.
Situation 1: Files Deleted with the Delete Option
Pressing Delete typically sends files to the Recycle Bin rather than removing them permanently. You can open the Recycle Bin, find the file, and restore it to its original location. Items stay there until you empty it, Windows auto-removes them, or space limits force older items out.
Situation 2: Files Deleted with Shift + Delete
Shift + Delete bypasses the Recycle Bin, treating the file as permanently deleted—as do some command-line operations. However, the data may still be recoverable: Windows marks the space as available, but until it's overwritten, recovery software can often find and restore the file.
If your deleted files are not in the Recycle Bin, avoid using the affected drive unnecessarily. In particular:
These precautions can reduce the risk of overwriting the deleted data.
If you only used the regular Delete option, the Recycle Bin should be the first place to check. Learn how to recover deleted files on Windows 10 from the Recycle Bin below.
Step 1. Double-click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop.
💡 Note: If you cannot see the Recycle Bin on your desktop, you can open File Explorer, enter “recycle bin” in the address bar, and press Enter to open the Recycle Bin.
Step 2. Browse through the items or use the available sorting options to locate the file or folder you need.
Step 3. Right-click the desired item and select Restore. Windows will return the file to its original location.
Sometimes you may check the Recycle Bin and still be unable to locate the file. If you are trying to determine where deleted files went on Windows 10, one of the following situations may explain it.
🎯 Deleted with Shift + Delete– Permanently removes the file, bypassing the Recycle Bin. Some Command Prompt deletions do the same. You'll need a backup or recovery tool.
🎯 Stored on a USB drive or SD card– Removable storage often skips the Recycle Bin. Stop using the device and try data recovery.
🎯 File too large– Windows permanently deletes files exceeding the Recycle Bin's capacity or when space is insufficient.
🎯 File is hidden– The file may exist but be invisible. In File Explorer: go to the View tab and check Hidden items.
🎯 Recycle Bin disabled– If set to immediately delete, files won't be stored. Check: Right-click Recycle Bin > Properties > select drive > Make sure Custom size is selected instead of Don't move files to the Recycle Bin.
If the deleted files are no longer in the Recycle Bin, check whether you have an existing backup. Windows 10 provides built-in options such as Backup and Restore (Windows 7) and File History, depending on how your system was configured.
A backup can be a safer recovery option because it does not require you to scan the original drive for deleted data.
If you previously configured Backup and Restore, you may be able to restore a copy of the missing file.
Step 1. Go to Control Panel > System and Security > Backup and Restore (Windows 7).
Step 2. When Backup and Restore (Windows 7) opens, click Restore my files.
Step 3. Use Search, Browse for files, or Browse for folders to locate the data you want to recover.
Step 4. Choose whether to restore the files to their original location or another location, then click Restore.
If you created a backup using File History or created a system restore point for the drive containing the deleted files, you can recover an earlier copy.
Step 1. Navigate to the folder that previously contained the deleted files. Right-click it and select Properties. Then open the Previous Versions tab.
💡 Note: You can also right-click the folder and select Restore previous versions to go to the Previous Versions tab directly.
Step 2. You’ll see a list of previous versions of this folder. Pick an older date from the list before your files were deleted.
Step 3. Expand Open and select Open in File History to preview the content of the selected version. If the missing files are available, click Restore to get your files back.
💡 Note: To avoid overwriting the current version, you can also restore to a different location by expanding Restore and selecting Restore to....
If you do not have a backup and the files are not in the Recycle Bin, data recovery software may be your next option. This approach is particularly useful for files removed with Shift + Delete or files that were deleted from external storage. Two available options are Windows File Recovery and AOMEI FastRecovery.
Windows File Recovery is Microsoft's command-line recovery utility. It can recover files from internal drives, external hard drives, USB devices, and SD cards in supported situations. Below are the requirements of using Windows File Recovery:
Follow the instructions below to recover permanently deleted files on Windows 10:
Step 1. Open the Microsoft Store, search for Windows File Recovery, and install the application.
Step 2. Run Windows File Recovery to open a Command Prompt window. Then enter the command in the following format:
winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/mode] [/switches]
💡 Notes:
For example, to recover DOCX files in the Documents folder from D: drive to E: drive:
winfr D: E: /regular /n \Documents\*.docx
Step 3. When you are prompted for confirmation to continue, enter Y to start the recovery operation.
Step 4. Wait for the scan and recovery process to finish. After recovery, enter Y to view recovered files.
💡 Notes:
If command-line recovery feels complicated, AOMEI FastRecovery provides a more straightforward graphical approach. It can scan local drives and supported external storage to search for deleted or lost files.
Here's how to perform Windows 10 deleted files recovery using AOMEI FastRecovery.
Step 1. Install AOMEI FastRecovery on a drive different from the drive where your data is lost. Open AOMEI FastRecovery and select Deleted Files Recovery from the main interface.
Step 2. Locate the drive where the deleted files were originally stored. Hover over the drive and click Scan. The software runs Quick Scan by default.
Step 3. After the scan finishes, you’ll see the deleted files listed by Type. Browse through the results to locate the files you need.
Step 4. Double-click the files to preview their content. Then select the files you want to recover and click Recover.
💡 Notes:
Step 5. In the pop-up window, select a different storage path for the recovered data and click Select Folder. Avoid saving the recovered files back to the same drive from which they were deleted.
1. Where are deleted files stored in Windows 10?
Files deleted with the regular Delete option are normally moved to the Recycle Bin. Files deleted with Shift + Delete may bypass the Recycle Bin, although their data may remain on the drive until the space is reused.
2. Can I recover permanently deleted files in Windows 10?
Yes, recovery is possible if the deleted data has not been overwritten or you have a backup. You can try Windows File Recovery or AOMEI FastRecovery to scan the affected drive. You can also restore lost files from the backup you created earlier.
3. How long do deleted files stay in the Recycle Bin?
There is no single fixed period that applies to every Recycle Bin configuration. Files remain there until they are manually removed, automatically cleared according to Windows settings, or displaced because of the Recycle Bin's size limit.
Knowing where to find deleted files on Windows 10 makes accidental deletion much easier to handle. When recovering deleted files in Windows 10, act fast—continued use of the drive increases the risk of overwriting the deleted data, making recovery harder or impossible.
A good recovery order is:
To reduce the risk of permanent data loss, regularly back up important files to an external drive, local drive, network location, or supported cloud storage. Better safe than sorry!