How to Access Deleted Files on PC from Emptied Recycle Bin (Windows PC)

Can you recover deleted files from Recycle Bin?

When you choose to delete a file in Windows 10 by pressing the Delete key, the operating system moves the file to the Recycle Bin and marks it as deleted. At this time, you can restore the file to its original location by right-clicking on the target file in the Recycle Bin by selecting the "Restore" option.

It is important to notice that if you permanently delete files or empty the Recycle Bin, you will lose the references to these files on your computer. But it doesn’t mean you can not access deleted files on PC.

Each time a file is removed from the Recycle Bin, a copy of it is retained on the hard drive, even though the user may not find it in its original path. This file is only truly deleted when a new file overwrites the space previously occupied by the deleted file.

Therefore, when seeking to recover deleted files, avoiding overwritten data is important, and it's recommended to start the recovery process as quick as possible. If files are deleted permanently and not recovered in time, there is a risk of them being overwritten, making it challenging to retrieve deleted files on PC.

How to access deleted files on PC?

To recover deleted files from Recycle Bin after emptying it can be achieved through the use of a professional tool or Windows utilities. You can select the most suitable method based on your specific situations and requirements.

Method 1. Retrieve deleted files on PC with a reliable tool

Whether you want to quickly recover recently deleted files from the Recycle Bin or hope to retrieve older permanently deleted data, AOMEI FastRecovery is a powerful software well worth trying.

It is proficient in data recovery across various scenarios, including older data retrieval, handling virus attacks, addressing formatting issues, overcoming system crashes, managing accidental deletions, and more. With the capability to recover over 200 file types, it also facilitates original name and path recovery. You can download it for free to have a try.

Functions of AOMEI FastRecovery:
✔ Recover deleted or lost files from HDD, USB, SD card and various storage devices.
✔ Retrieve Word, Excel, PPT, photos, videos, audio, emails, zipped files, and over 200 other file types.
✔ Keep the original format of recovered files.
✔ Search for target Word files by typing the file name during the scan, or wait for automatic discovery with Quick Scan and Deep Scan.
✔ Supports NTFS, exFAT, FAT32 and ReFS file systems.
✔ Compatible with Windows Server and Windows 7, 8, 10, 11 64-bit and 32-bit.

Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI FastRecovery. Choose the exact partition or disk where your data lost and click Scan.

Step 2. Then, the recovery tool start to scan and search. lt will execute the “Quickly Scan" first for finding your deleted data fast, and then execute the “Deep Scan" for searching other lost data.

Step 3. Once the scan is completed, all deleted files, recycle bins and other missing files will be displayed. Please select the file you would like to recover and then click "Recover".

Step 4. Then, select a folder path to save your recovered files.

Step 5. Wait patiently for this process of recovering ends.

Method 2. Retrieve a file deleted from Recycle Bin with Windows File Recovery

If you are using Windows 10 versions 2004 and newer, and your data hasn't been overwritten, you can utilize Windows File Recovery. This requires typing specific commands to recover deleted files from the Recycle Bin after it has been emptied.

To make the most of Windows File Recovery, users must select one of four modes: Regular, Extensive, Segment, or Signature. To recover files deleted from the Recycle Bin, the first step is to remember the original storage location of the file. Then, execute the following command: winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/mode] [/switches].

Step 1. Type "Microsoft Store” in the search box and open it. And then find “Windows File Recovery” and click “Get”.

Step 2. After installing Windows File Recovery on your computer, type Windows File Recovery in the search box and select “Run as administrator”.

Step 3. Right-click the drive which saved the deleted files and select “Properties” to check the file system.

Step 4. There are some common switches to use. You could check them and their description in the following chart. To find more switches in the Windows File Recovery tutorial.

Step 5. For example, if you want to recover a zip file but you don’t know the detailed name from C: drive to E: drive, you could input the following command: winfr C: E: /regular /n \C:\Recycler\*.zip

Method 3. Access deleted files on PC from Previous Version

If you turn on File History or System Protection for the place where your files are, you can bring back an older version of your files when you need them. This helps you easily retrieve deleted files on PC.

Step 1. Launch your "Windows File Explorer” on your computer, then locate the folder where your files were saved before deletion.

Step 2. Right-click on it, then click the “Properties” button.

Step 3. Click “Previous Versions” and select the version you want, then click “Restore”.

Method 4. Recover deleted files from the backup

If you've configured data backup on a cloud platform such as Google Backup, Dropbox, or OneDrive, to access deleted files on PC can be an easy task.

Final words

These introduced methods are all effective for how to access deleted files on PC. To easily deal with various data loss scenarios and enhance the success rate of data recovery, it is recommended to use AOMEI FastRecovery to retrieve deleted files on PC.

After successfully get your lost data back, you can also download AOMEI Partition Assistant for everyday management. Popular functions like Duplicate Files Finder and Delete Large Files contribute to clean and organized file management. If you're considering upgrading your device, features such as OS Migration and Clone Disk are recommended. Or, you can explore additional practical functions based on your specific needs.