Deleted File Recovery in Windows 10 for Free - Get Lost Files Easily Now!

Learn how to perform deleted file recovery in Windows 10 for free with reliable methods & tools. Discover Windows 10 free file recovery software to restore lost documents, photos & more effortlessly. Follow expert tips for quick results.

By @Delores
Last Updated July 29, 2025

Is It Possible to Recover Deleted Files on Windows 10?

Is it possible to recover deleted files in Windows 10 for free? You must first have a thorough understanding of file deletion. Regardless of whether you intentionally or accidentally remove a file, Windows marks the space as "available" for new data. Until that space is overwritten, your deleted files are gone forever. You can recover deleted files in Windows 10 for free with the right solution, even if they've been permanently erased.

Don’t panic, you can find effective ways and a step-by-step guide to recover Windows 10 files easily.

How to Recover Deleted Files in Windows 10 for Free?

You still have free ways to recover deleted files, even permanently deleted. See the section below for further information.

Way 1. Recovering Files from Recycle Bin

The easiest way to recover deleted files in Windows 10 for free is by checking the Recycle Bin—unless you've used Shift + Delete. If the deleted files are in the Recycle bin, you can find and right-click them, choose Restore. Then they will be restored to the original location. To keep files safe, it’s highly recommended to move to a safe location.

Way 2. Restore files from File History

If you have used File History to back up your Windows 10 files, you can use File History to restore files quickly from the backup. Here are the simple steps:

How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files with File History:

Step 1: Input File History in the Windows 10 search box and hit Enter.

Step 2: Click on Restore personal files on the left panel.

Step 3: Use the navigation pane to browse through your backed-up files and locate the one you want to restore.

Step 4: Select the file and click the green Restore button at the bottom of the window. The file will be restored to its original location.

Way 3. Restore files from Windows File Recovery

Windows File Recovery is intended to assist you in recovering files that have been lost or permanently deleted on Windows 10, which is a command-line tool. Photos, documents, videos, and other file types can all be recovered using Windows File Recovery from a variety of storage media, including hard disks, SSDs, USB drives, and SD cards.

The basic syntax of the command for recovering deleted files on Windows 10:

winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/mode] [/switches]

Like recovering files from your F: drive to the recovery folder on an E: drive using the Windows File Recovery command:

winfr F: E: /regular

Familiarity with command-line operations is beneficial.

Way 4. Restore Files from Backup and Restore in Windows 10

How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files on Windows 10:

Step 1: Open Control Panel, choose Category to view, and navigate to System and Security > Backup and Restore (Windows 7).

Step 2: Select Restore my files from the Restore option.

Step 3: To locate the files or folders you wish to restore, you may either browse the backup or search for them by name in the Restore Files box.

Step 4: Click Next after selecting the files or folders you want to recover.

Step 5: Decide which location you wish to use for file restoration. Either you can put them back where they were or you can put them somewhere else.

Step 6: To recover your files, click Restore.

Way 5. Use CHKDSK to Recover Deleted Files in Windows 10

One of Windows OS's most helpful and potent system utilities is Command Prompt. You can use CMD to try recovery using the chkdsk and attrib commands if you think the files are hidden or the file system is corrupted. With just two easy commands, they can assist you in recovering deleted data in Windows 10.

How to recover permanently deleted files on Windows 10 for free using CMD:

Step 1: Press Windows + X and select Command Prompt (Admin).

Step 2: Check for file system errors by typing:

chkdsk g: /f /r

Step 3: If you believe the files are hidden, you can unhide them by running:

attrib -h -r -s /s /d E:\*.*

Replace E:\ with the appropriate drive or folder path.

Way 6. Deleted File Recovery with MyRecover

If nothing works for you, you can try the last resolution: recover deleted files in Windows 10 for free with MyRecover. You can use it to easily find and recover files from an emptied trash bin, formatted partition, and so on. With MyRecover, you can get the following benefits:

Easy deleted file recovery. You can use MyRecover to recover deleted files easily, even permanently deleted. Besides, you can recover files from 500+ situations, like recovering data from lost partition, recovering files from a formatted disk, and many more.
Deep and quick scan. Both deep and quick scan are available for you to find files, the deep scan use more time to find more missing files.
File filter. You can use file name, file size, and file type to find files quickly instead of searching for them manually.
Recover files from any device. You can recover files from SD card, local disk, external hard drive (HDD & SSD), USB flash drive, Camera devices, PS4/5, and many more.
Recover any supported files. MyRecover supports over a thousand of file formats, including JPG/JPEG/JPE, PNG, TIF/TIFF, HEVC/HEIC/HEIF, GIF, PSD, MPEG/MP4, MOV, AVI/NAVI, ASF, MP3, CDA, WAV, AIFF, and so on.
500MB of free file recovery. You are able to recover up to 500MB files using MyRecover free version.

Thus, how to recover deleted files in Windows 10 for free with software MyRecover? Here are the detailed steps:

1. Please install and run MyRecover on your Windows 10 computer.

2. Click Deleted Files Recovery on the left side, then hit Scan while pointing to the location where your deleted files were located before.

3. It will start scanning, and hit OK when the scan is finished.

4. Find and select the files you’d like to recover, and hit Recover on the bottom right.

5. Select another location and hit Select folder to free recover deleted files in Windows 10.

Tips:
It’s totally free as long as the recovered file size is smaller than 500MB. To recover unlimited data in the future, you can upgrade to unlock.
To preview the files before recovery, MyRecover Pro can do the trick.
MyRecover     
  • Recover Deleted Files Easily with Simple Clicks     
  • 1000+ File Formats Supported     
  • Support HDD, SSD, External Hard Drive, USB Drive, SD Card, etc.     
  • Quickly Find Files Using File Types, Name, Size, etc.   

FAQs about Deleted File Recovery in Windows 10

Can Permanently Deleted Files Be Recovered for Free?

A: Yes, if they haven’t been overwritten. Tools like MyRecover can scan and restore them.

Is Free Recovery Software Safe to Use?

A: Generally, yes—but always download from official sources to avoid malware.

How Long Does File Recovery Take?

A: It depends on drive size and scan depth—anywhere from minutes to hours.

Does Windows 10 Have a Built-In Recovery Tool?

A: Yes, File History and Previous Versions can help recover lost files.

Can I Recover Files After a System Reset?

A: It’s harder but possible with deep-scan recovery software.

What’s the Best Free Software for Photo Recovery?

A: MyRecover is excellent for images, videos, and documents.

The End

File loss need not be irreversible. You may frequently recover your data without paying a dime if you use the appropriate deleted file recovery Windows 10 free techniques. Successful recovery necessitates quick action, whether you use built-in features or third-party applications. Now that you know how to recover deleted files from Windows 10 for free, you won't ever have to worry about lost files again!

Besides, you’re able to recover files from a crashed computer, formatted USB drive, recover Shift-deleted files in Windows 10 for free, and more.