How to Recover Files Deleted by CCleaner - 5 Recovery Methods (2026)

Does CCleaner Permanently Delete Files?

CCleaner is a popular system optimization tool. It helps users to clean temporary files, browser cache, and junk data, fix registry errors,manage startup programs, securely delete sensitive files (if configured). Does CCleaner Permanently Delete Files and can you recover files deleted by CCleaner? The short answer: It depends on how you use it.

• Normal File Deletion (Default Mode)

By default, CCleaner does not permanently erase files—it only deletes them normally, meaning they can still be recovered.

• Secure File Deletion (If Enabled)

If you enable "Secure File Deletion" (in Options > Settings), CCleaner can overwrite files 1–35 times (depending on the method), making recovery extremely difficult or impossible without professional data recovery tools.

How to Restore Files Deleted by CCleaner?

To recover files deleted or wiped by CCleaner software, you can try the following 4 methods, from basic methods to advanced methods.

Method 1. Check the Recycle Bin (If Not Bypassed)

When CCleaner deletes files in its default mode (without secure deletion), they are often sent to the Recycle Bin first, unless the tool was configured to bypass it. This makes the Recycle Bin the easiest place to check for recently deleted files.

Step 1. Open the Recycle Bin by double-clicking its desktop icon or searching for it in the Windows Start menu.

Step 2. Browse through the deleted files and locate the ones removed by CCleaner.

Step 3. Right-click the desired file(s) and select "Restore" to recover them to their original location.

If CCleaner didn’t bypass the Recycle Bin, this method offers the fastest and simplest way to recover deleted files. However, if the files aren’t there, proceed to other recovery options.

Method 2. Restore from File History Backup

If you had automatic backups enabled (such as Windows File History, a system backup, or cloud storage like OneDrive/Google Drive), restoring from a backup is the safest method. Next, we will explain how to restore files deleted by CCleaner using Windows File History.

Step 1. Check File History (Windows) by searching for "Restore your files with File History" in the Start menu.

Step 2. Navigate to the folder where the deleted files were stored and select a previous version to restore.

If using cloud backups (OneDrive, Google Drive), check the "Recycle Bin" or "Trash" in the respective service.

Backups provide the most reliable recovery method, but they only work if you had them enabled before deleting files using CCleaner.

Method 3. Try System Restore (if system files were affected)

If CCleaner deleted critical system files or registry entries, System Restore can revert your PC to an earlier state when the files were intact or when everything was working properly.

Step 1. Type "Create a restore point" in the Windows search bar and open the System Properties window.

Step 2. Click "System Restore" .

Step 3. Choose a restore point from before the files were deleted. Follow the prompts to complete the restoration (note: this won’t affect personal files but may uninstall recently added programs).

System Restore is useful for recovering lost system files but won’t help to restore personal documents unless they were stored in system directories.

Method 4. Windows File Recovery Command

If your files were permanently deleted by CCleaner, and you don't have any prior backup, you can try using the official Windows File Recovery tool provided by Microsoft. This tool scans your drive and attempts to recover deleted files even after they’ve been removed from the Recycle Bin.

Step 1. Download and Install Windows File Recovery from the Microsoft Store.

Step 2. Open Command Prompt or Windows Terminal as Administrator (Simplest: press Win+X and select Command Prompt admin).

Step 3. Run a recovery command based on your situation, for example: winfr C: D: /regular /n \Users\YourName\Downloads\

• C: = source drive (where files were deleted)
• D: = recovery destination drive (must be different)
• /n = specifies file path or file type to recover

Then wait for the scan and recovery process to complete.

Method 5. Use Data Recovery Software

Apart from using the complex winfr commands to restore data deleted by CCleaner, we can also use specialized GUI data recovery software, which is easy to use with intuitive interface and able to deep scan the drive and seach for recoverable traces. Among the myriad of recovery tools available today, MyRecover distinguishes itself through its exceptional features:

• ✔️Advanced Deep Scan Technology - Employs sophisticated algorithms to detect lost files.
• ✔️Diverse Data Loss Scenarios- Handles 500+ data loss scenarios covering all types of deletions and logical damage.
• ✔️Broad File Format Support - Recovers 1000+ file types including documents, photos, videos, htmls, archives and etc.
• ✔️Wide Storage Devices- Restore files from internal/external HDD/SSD, USB flash drive, SD card, Camera, PS4/5, drone, CCTV, music/video players, etc.
• ✔️Selective Recovery - Previews found files before restoration for precise recovery.
• ✔️High Success Rate - Industry-leading recovery performance for both recent and long-deleted files.
• ✔️Safe Operation - Read-only process ensures your original data remains protected.

Step 1. Download and install MyRecover.

Step 2. Launch the software and select the drive from which you want to recover files deleted by CCleaner. Then click on “Scan”.

Step 3. After the scanning, all recoverable files will be listed. Select the ones you need, and preview them if necessary. 

Step 4. Restore them to a different drive (to avoid overwriting data).

Final Thoughts

How to recover files deleted by CCleaner? There are 4 different method in total you can choose from based on your situation. If you enable the Secure File Deletion in CCleaner, then try the professional data recovery software like MyRecover, which can deal with almost all data loss scenarios, including normal deletion, shift+delete deletion, format, corrupted drive, raw partition recovery, deleted partition recovery, virus attack, system crash recovery and more.

More about CCleaner

Q: Can I Restore CCleaner Removed Files Without Backup?

A: Yes, in many cases you still can recover files deleted by CCleaner even without a backup. Once files are removed, they are not always immediately erased from the disk; instead, the storage space is marked as available and can potentially be overwritten. To improve recover chances, we recommend using reliable data recovery tools like MyRecover.

Q: Did CCleaner delete my Downloads folder? Can I recover it?

A: CCleaner does not normally delete entire folders like Downloads by default, but it can remove files if certain cleaning options are enabled or if custom cleaning rules were configured. In some cases, users may accidentally include the Downloads folder in a cleaning or deletion rule.

If your Downloads folder has disappeared, first check the Recycle Bin. If it is not there, try using a file recovery tool such as Windows file recovery or other data recovery software as soon as possible, since deleted files can be overwritten over time.

Q: What Should I Do Immediately After CCleaner Deletes My Files?

A: If you notice that files were deleted after using CCleaner, the most important thing is to act quickly. First, stop saving or downloading anything to the affected drive, as new data may overwrite the deleted files and make recovery impossible.

Next, check the Recycle Bin to see if the files are still available there. If not, you can try recovery tools such as Windows File Recovery or third-party software like MyRecover.