How to Recover Deleted C4D on Windows | 4 Effective Methods

About C4D Files

C4D files are the native project files of Cinema 4D, a powerful 3D modeling, animation, and rendering software widely used by designers, animators, and visual effects artists. These files store complex 3D data including models, textures, lighting, and animation sequences.

Cinema 4D model exports are versatile and can be used in various applications, such as creating 3D visualizations, animations, and simulations. They’re also ideal for building 3D models for video games, films, and other media projects.

As C4D files usually hold essential animation and object data, losing a C4D file can be devastating, especially if it represents hours of creative work on a design or animation project.

Common Causes of C4D File Loss

C4D project files are often the result of hours of creative work, but they can be unexpectedly lost or deleted for several reasons. By identifying these causes, you’ll be better prepared to protect your 3D projects and choose the right recovery method if something goes wrong. The common causes as below:

🔔Accidental Deletion: One of the most frequent reasons, where files are mistakenly sent to the Recycle Bin or permanently deleted.

💽Drive Formatting: Formatting a partition or disk without a proper backup can erase all C4D files stored there.

📁File Corruption: Power outages, improper shutdowns, or software crashes while saving a project may corrupt the file.

🖥️Hardware Issues: Bad sectors on your hard drive or failure of an external storage device can make C4D files inaccessible.

📌Virus or Malware Attacks: Malicious software may delete or damage 3D project files.

🛠️System Crashes: Operating system errors or sudden crashes while working on Cinema 4D can result in lost or unsaved files.

How to Recover Deleted C4D File on Windows

If you’ve lost your C4D files, don’t worry. This section will present five methods to help you recover lost Cinema 4D files, from Windows’ built-in tools to professional data recovery software, so you’re sure to find one that meets your needs.

Check the Recycle Bin

When data loss occurs, checking the Recycle Bin immediately is a smart move. If you recently deleted a C4D file, it might still be there until the Recycle Bin is emptied.

Step 1. Double click the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop and open it.

Step 2. Browse through and look for the deleted C4D file.

Step 3. Right click on the file and choose "Restore" to recover it to its originally location.

If the file isn’t in the Recycle Bin, it may have been permanently deleted. In that case, try the other methods below.

Use the Autosave Feature

Cinema 4D provides an Autosave feature to safeguard your work against unexpected data loss. This features automatically save your progress at set intervals, reducing the risk of losing files. If you’ve enabled this feature, you can try using it to restore lost C4D files.

Step 1. Navigate to the Cinema 4D Autosave folder. If you haven’t saved the file manually, the autosaved file will be stored in the default folder:

C:\Users\[Username]\AppData\Roaming\MAXON\Cinema 4D\_autosave

Step 2. Browse for the most recent Autosave file, open it in Cinema 4D and resave it as a new project.

Restore from File History

If you’ve enabled File History on Windows and backed up the C4D file, you may be able to recover previous versions of your C4D project. Follow the step-by-step instruction below:

Step 1. Locate the folder including the deleted C4D file in File Explorer.

Step 2. Right click on it and choose "Restore previous versions" from the context menu. Then a list of versions will be displayed.

Step 3. Select a desired version and click "Restore" to return it.

Recover using Windows File Recovery

Windows File Recovery is a command-line data recovery tool provided by Microsoft, which allows you to restore permanently deleted files without backup needs. But note that: it only compatible with Windows 10 and 11.

Step 1. Download and install Windows File Recovery on your computer from Microsoft official channel.

Step 2. Open it and run it as administrator.

Step 3. Type the following command "winfr E: F: /regular /n *.c4d" and hit "Enter" key. Replace the drive letters "E" and "F" with your actual drive letters.

★Tips:

E: the source drive letter.

F: the destination drive letter.

/regular: the scan mode. If the file was deleted a long time ago, or if your drive uses the FAT or exFAT file system, switch to "Extensive" mode.

/n *.c4d: the filter command. Only recover files in C4D format.

Wait for the process to finish and press "y" to check the recovered files in the destination folder path.

Recover Deleted C4D File with MyRecover

If you’re not comfortable using command-line tools, MyRecover can also help you recover lost C4D files. With its simple and intuitive interface, even computer beginners can easily restore data with just a few clicks. In addition to C4D files, MyRecover supports to recover CAD files, documents, images, audio, video, webpages and more 1000 file formats.

Step 1. Download and install MyRecover on your computer from Microsoft Store, avoid installing it and the drive including lost files.

Step 2. Launch it and choose the drive where the deleted C4D file was stored, then click "Scan".

Step 3. Click the "Type" tab, locate the C4D file format folder to check if the files you wish to recover, then click "Recover".

Step 4. Select a safe location (not the original one) to save the recovered files.

Once the process is finished, you'll see the message "Files have been recovered successfully". You can check the recovered files by clicking on the destination folder path or the "Browse" button.

How to Prevent Future C4D File Loss

While file recovery tools can often help retrieve lost Cinema 4D projects, prevention is always the safest strategy. Here are some effective tips to minimize the risk of losing your work:

⭐Enable Auto-Save in Cinema 4D: Configure the built-in Autosave feature to save backups at regular intervals, ensuring you always have a recent version available.

⭐Keep Multiple Backups: Store copies of your C4D files on external drives, NAS devices, or cloud platforms like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive.

⭐Use Version Control: For complex projects, saving incremental versions of your files helps you roll back to earlier stages if something goes wrong.

⭐Avoid Forced Shutdowns: Always close Cinema 4D and your computer properly to prevent file corruption during saves.

Conclusion

Losing a Cinema 4D project doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch. Whether you try the Recycle Bin, Autosave, Windows File History, or a professional solution like MyRecover, there are multiple ways to recover deleted C4D files. For professionals working extensively with design and animation projects, MyRecover’s Professional edition provides advanced features like unlimited data recovery, file preview before restoration.

So the next time you worry about how to recover deleted C4D files from Cinema 4D, remember: with the right tools and habits, your creative work is never truly lost.