Recover Cut and Paste Files Windows 10—Quick Recovery Methods

Reasons Why You Lost Files After Cut and Paste

Using shortcut keys for operations such as copying, pasting, deleting, and cutting is indeed very convenient. The cut and paste operation is one of the most commonly used file management techniques in Windows, but it can lead to unexpected problems, especially when something goes wrong during the process. There are several reasons why files may be lost after a cut and paste operation:

• Interruptions During the Process: If the system or file transfer is interrupted—such as a sudden system crash, power failure, or even accidental shutdown—your file may not transfer properly, resulting in a loss.
• Overwriting: When you cut a file from one location and paste it into a destination, if there’s already a file with the same name, it may overwrite the original. In such cases, you might lose the original file without realizing it.
• Move to the Wrong Location: Sometimes, files are pasted into an unexpected location. This can happen if you accidentally paste them in the wrong folder or drive, making it seem like the files are lost when it’s actually just misplaced.
• System Errors: Corrupted file systems, improper permissions, or even malware attacks can interfere with the normal cut and paste process, causing files to go missing.
• Antivirus Interference: Your antivirus software quarantines files during the cut-paste process, suspecting them of being malicious.

How to Recover Cut and Paste Files in Windows 10

Understanding the reasons behind lost files during cut and paste operations can help you prevent future data loss. However, if you're facing this issue, don’t panic—there are several effective ways to recover cut and paste files in Windows 10.

Solution 1. Undo the Operation

When a file disappears during a cut-and-paste process, the simplest and fastest way is to undo the operation. However, this method can only reverse the most recent action, so stop performing other operations and immediately undo the cut-and-paste as soon as the file is lost.

Step 1. Navigate to the folder where the deleted files were stored.

Step 2. Press "Ctrl + Z" to undo the last operation. This will revert the cut and paste operation, placing the file back where it originally was.

Solution 2. Check Temp Folder

Sometimes, Windows stores files temporarily before finalizing the cut and paste process, especially when the file operation is interrupted. If something went wrong during the operation, the file might still be in the temporary folder.

Step 1. Press "Win + R" to open the Run command window, type "%temp%" in the Run dialog and press "Enter".

Step 2. Look for any files that might correspond to the one you lost, paying attention to the most recently created files. If you find the lost file, you can copy and paste it to a secure location.

Solution 3. Restore Previous Version

Windows 10 comes with a handy feature called Previous Versions that allows you to revert a file or folder to an earlier state, even if it was lost during the cut and paste operation. It operates by leveraging System Restore points and Shadow Copies that Windows creates in the background.

Step 1. Double click "This PC" icon to open File Explorer and navigate to the folder with lost files.

Step 2. Right click the folder or the drive and choose "Restore previous versions".

Step 3. Choose a version you want to recover from the available versions list and click "Restore". You can also click "Open" or "Open in File History" to confirm whether it is the version you want to recover.

★Tips:

This method works best when your system has file history or restore points enabled, so make sure these options are active for future recovery.

Solution 4. Restore Your Files with File History

File History is a handy feature in Windows that helps you protect your personal files and folders from accidental loss or damage. If you have enabled File History on Windows 10  before file was lost, you can easily recover files that were lost after the cut and paste operation.

Step 1. Type "Restore your files with File History" in the start menu and open it.

Step 2. Browse and select the folder with the lost files, choose a past version including the lost files.

Step 3. Click the green restore button to recover the lost files after cutting and pasting.

Solution 5. Check Cloud Backup (Google Drive)

If you have the good habit of backing up with cloud backup tools like OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox, then everything will become very simple. There’s a good chance that your files were synchronized to the cloud before being cut. You just need to restore it from the cloud.

Step 1. Open and sign in your Google Drive (taking Google Drive for example).

Step 2. Locate to the folder where the lost files be backed up. Look for the file you want to recover and download it to a secure location.

Solution 6. Third-Party Tool—MyRecover (No backup)

If you haven't enabled File History or have no other backups, third-party tools will be your last resort. As a professional third-party tool, MyRecover requires no backups, is friendly for beginners, and allows users to recover data with just a few clicks on icons. It supports to recover files from inaccessible drive, deleted partition, formatted USB drive, crashed system (only available in paid versions) and more complex data loss scenarios.

Here's how to recover cut and paste files on Windows 10 using MyRecover:

Step 1. Download and install MyRecover on your computer from secure channel.

Step 2. Launch it and select the drive with lost files to scan, then click "Scan".

Step 3. Select the files you want to recover from the recoverable lists and click "Recover".

Step 4. Choose a destination different from the drive where files were lost to save the recovered files.

When the message "Files have been recovered successfully" pops up, you can click the path of recovered files to check them.

Bonus Tips: How to Prevent Daa Loss During Cut and Paste

Although lost files can be recovered through these methods, it is essential to prevent data loss as much as possible in the future. To avoid losing files during future cut and paste operations, consider implementing these preventive measures:

• Backup Regularly: Make sure you have a reliable backup solution, whether through Windows File History, cloud storage, or an external hard drive.
• Double-Check Before Pasting: Always double-check the destination folder before pasting a file to ensure you’re placing it in the correct location.
• Use Copy Instead of Cut: If you’re unsure about the file’s destination, use the copy operation instead of cut. This way, you still have the original file if something goes wrong.
• Enable File History: Enable File History in Windows 10 to create backup, which can help you recover lost files in case of system failure.

Conclusion

In short, losing files due to cut and copy operations doesn't mean there's no solution. You can choose appropriate methods to recover cut and paste files on Windows 10 according to your needs.

If you're seeking a completely reliable and foolproof method, MyRecover is highly recommended. Its Professional and Technician editions can meet your more advanced needs, especially for enterprise users. It supports to recover file from crashed systems, and allows you to preview file contents before recovery.