Best Way to Restore Deleted Files in Windows 7

Several Windows 7 users reported that they have recently deleted some essential files and folders from their system. But as Microsoft has discontinued the support for Windows 7, the users are quite concerned about how it would be possible for them to recover deleted files and other data. However, there is no need to worry! We here share the best ways to recover deleted data. Read on to know more!

Recover Deleted Files from Windows 7

If you accidentally deleted or modified your files and folders from your Windows 7 PC, you can restore it by following the given methods.

Method 1: Restore Deleted Files from Recycle Bin

When you accidentally delete the files, you may check the files in the Recycle Bin folder. It is the first place where the files go once you remove the files using ‘Del’ key. Follow the given steps:

a. Open Recycle Bin, locate the files that you mistakenly deleted. (See Image 1)

b. Select the files, right-click on them, and click Restore. (See Image 2)

c. You may also choose to drag-drop the deleted files to the desired location.

Note: The files get removed from the Recycle Bin after 30 days, so it is suggested to retrieve deleted data within the time frame.

However, if you have deleted files using ‘Shift + Delete’ key or emptied the Recycle Bin, you won’t find the files there. The files get deleted permanently. And, to recover permanently deleted files, you would need either your backup or an efficient data recovery software for Windows 7.

Method 2: Restore lost files from Backup

Several Windows users keep the backup of their system data on external storage drives, such as HDDs, SSDs, USB Drives and more. If you have stored your data on the storage device, you can connect the device to the system and retrieve all the deleted files and folders.

However, if you deleted files from your external storage drive using ‘Del’ or ‘Shift+Del’ key, the files will be deleted permanently. You would need data recovery software for Windows 7 to get back access to your files.

Method 3: Restore Files with File History

‘File History’ is another Windows built-in troubleshooting utility. If you have kept this utility turned on to create the backup of all your system’s files and folders, you may use it to retrieve lost or deleted data. To do so, follow the given steps:

a. Open Control Panel > File History (See Image 3).

b. Navigate to Restore Personal Files, open it, and you will be able to view files with the backup time (See Image 4).

c. Choose the files from the available results and click Restore. (See Image 5)

d. Choose the desired location, such as HDD, SSD, etc. to save the recovered files. Saving your data to the same drive or location may overwrite the data before actually saving it.

Method 4: Use Windows Backup & Restore (Windows 7)

If you have used Windows built-in utility Backup and Restore (Windows 7), you may get your files back quickly. This utility lets you take the backup of your data on daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Follow the given steps:

a. Go to Start, locate Control Panel > System and Security.
b. Next, open Backup and Restore (Windows 7).
c. Also, you may directly choose to ‘Restore files from backup’ as shown in this image. (See Image 6)

d. Further, select either Restore my files or Restore all users’ files. (See Image 7)

e. Now, choose the files that you want to restore from the results. (See Image 8)

f. Select ‘Browse for files’ or ‘Browse for folder’ option.
g. Click Next. (See Image 9)

h. Finally, select the location where you want to Restore and see if you can find your files.

Method 5: Use Previous Versions

If you happen to delete the files accidentally or emptied the Recycle Bin, you may restore files using ‘Previous Versions.’ You may read more to learn how to recover deleted files using the Restore Previous Versions feature.

Method 6: Use Google Drive Backup

Some Windows 7 also keep the backup of their essential files and folders on Google Drive. If you also store your files on Google Drive, follow the given steps to recover your deleted files from Windows 7.

a. Sign in to your Google Account and the files will display on the screen. (See Image 10)

b. Choose the files that you want to retrieve, and click Download. (See Image 11)

Method 7: Use Data Recovery Software for Windows 7

No matter if you have deleted the files permanently or run out of your backup, you can use a reliable data recovery software for Windows 7, such as Stellar Data Recovery to get back your files. This easy-to-use yet powerful data retrieval tool enables you to restore data in all data loss scenarios, such as accidental deletion, formatting, corruption, malware-infection, and more. You can also save the scan information and resume the recovery at a later stage. Follow the given steps to recover deleted data:

a. Download, install, and run Stellar Data Recovery for Windows on your system.

b. Ensure the hard drive (if it is an external storage drive) is connected to the system from which you lost the data.
c. Select ‘Everything’ or the type of data you want to retrieve from ‘Select What to Recover’ screen.
d. Now, click Next. (See Image 12)

e. Choose the drive or location from which you lost the data and click Scan. (See Image 13)

f. The scanning procedure will initiate. Once the process is done, the files will display on the screen.
g. Choose the files from the scanned results and click Recover. (See Image 14)

h. Now, click Browse to choose the location to store the recovered files and finally, click Start-Saving. (See Image 15)

[Caution: Do not choose the same location or drive to store the recovered files to prevent data overwriting. Always use a different location or an external storage device to store the retrieved files.]

Conclusion

If you have deleted your files from Windows 7 PC/laptop or an external storage drive, you can recover deleted files. We have shared the best possible DIY methods that may help you get back your files. If you took the backup of your files using Windows built-in utilities, such as File History, Backup & Restore, Previous Versions, etc. you can quickly get back your deleted files. If you removed files permanently and don’t even have a backup, choose a data recovery software for Windows 7, such as Stellar Data Recovery. This DIY software can retrieve data lost due to deletion, formatting, corruption, and more.

Also Read: Restore Lost or Deleted Data from an ASUS Laptop

FAQ

1. How do I recover permanently deleted files?

If you have deleted files using the Shift + Del key or emptied the Recycle bin, your files will be removed permanently. In such cases, you can restore files using your backup (if available) or powerful data recovery software.

2. Are deleted files lost forever?

No, when the files are deleted, only the file pointers that indicate the starting and ending of the existing file get deleted, making the file inaccessible to the user. The data can be retrieved unless overwritten with new files.

3. Can I recover deleted files from an external hard drive without cost?

Absolutely yes. If you create your backup's backup (recommended practice is to keep at least three copies of your backup), recovery from an external hard drive is possible. Even if the backup is unavailable, you can opt for reliable file recovery software such as Stellar Data Recovery Free. It lets you retrieve files from Windows PC and storage media drives such as HDD, SSD, USB drives, and more.