How to Recover Deleted Files from Recycle Bin Windows 10 Without Software?

Can You Recover from a Recycle Bin After Emptied?

The Recycle Bin is a handy built-in feature in Windows. When you delete a file from an internal drive, it’s moved there instead of being permanently removed, allowing easy recovery if needed.

However, once the Recycle Bin is emptied, things get more complicated. The files are no longer visible or accessible through File Explorer. Although they’re not completely erased from the hard drive right away, Windows marks the space they occupied as available for new data. This means you can recover deleted files from Recycle Bin as long as the space was not overwritten.

How to Recover Deleted Files from Recycle Bin Windows 10 without Software?

If you’ve emptied the Recycle Bin but want to try recovering your deleted files using Windows’ own tools, here are several methods you can try no matter whether you have prior backup or not:

1. Restore Files Using File History (Backup Required)

File History is a Windows feature that periodically backs up files in your Libraries, Desktop, Contacts, and Favorites — if you have it enabled.

Step 1: Press "Win + S" to open the Windows Search box. Type "Restore your files with File History" and select the matching result to open the File History window.

Step 2: In the File History window, browse to the folder or files you want to recover. Select the desired items, then click the green "Restore" button to return them to their original location.

If you prefer to save the files somewhere else, right-click the green Restore button and choose "Restore to"to specify a different folder.

2. Use Backup and Restore Windows 7 (Backup Required)

If you had previously set up backups using "Backup and Restore (Windows 7)", you can restore deleted files from those backups.

Step 1: Open the "Control Panel"and go to "Backup and Restore (Windows 7)".

Step 2: Click "Restore my files".

Step 3: Follow the wizard to browse or search for the backup you want to recover files from. 

Step 4: Select the files and choose to restore them to their original location or a new location.

Step 5: Wait for the process to complete and recover your deleted files from Recycle Bin without software.

3. Use Microsoft Winfr CommandTool (Not Require Backup)

If you haven’t set up File History or Backup and Restore before deleting your files from Recycle Bin, don’t worry. Windows 10 (version 2004 and later) offers a built-in command-line tool called Windows File Recovery (winfr) that can help you recover deleted files even without any prior backup.

This tool works by scanning your hard drive for recoverable data that hasn’t been overwritten yet. While it requires using the Command Prompt, it’s a powerful option for recovering files after the Recycle Bin has been emptied.

Step 1: Open the Microsoft Store, search for Windows File Recovery, download and install the app if you don’t have it yet.

Step 2: Press "Win + S", type "cmd", then right-click Command Prompt and select "Run as administrator".

Step 3: Use the following command format to start recovery:

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

Replace [source-drive] with the drive letter where your files were deleted (e.g., C:).

Replace [destination-drive] with a different drive letter where recovered files will be saved (e.g., D:).

Replace [/mode] with the recovery mode to use. Common modes are"Regular" (for recently deleted files on NTFS drive) and "Extensive" (for formatted data on NTFS, FAT and exFAT drives).

Replace [filter] with the specific file path, name, or wildcard (e.g., *.docx) to target files for recovery.

Example:

winfr C: D: /regular /n \Users\username\Downloads\

This is to recover your Downloads folder from C: drive to the D: drive.

winfr C: D: /regular /n \Users\username\Downloads\*.xlsx

This is to recover Excels files from your Downloads folder to the D: drive.

Step 4: Follow the prompts. The tool will scan and save recovered files to the destination drive you specified.

When Built-in Tools Aren’t Enough: Consider Recovery Software

While Windows offers several built-in methods to recover deleted files from Recycle Bin without using software in Windows 11 or Windows 10, they don’t always guarantee success. Features like File History and Backup and Restore require prior setup, and command-line tools like Winfr can be complex for casual users and often throw errors like "there is an error parsing your command", "Winfr.exe is Not Recognized as an internal or external command", etc.

So, what if none of those options work for you? That’s where dedicated free data recovery software like MyRecover can make all the difference. Designed for both beginners and advanced users, MyRecover can help you recover files without requiring a prior backup.

Final Thoughts

Recovering deleted files from the Recycle Bin after it's been emptied may seem impossible at first, but it's not totally impossible. Whether you rely on built-in Windows features like File History, Backup and Restore, or command-line tools like Winfr, there’s hope as long as the data hasn’t been overwritten.

However, if these methods don’t work or seem too complex, using dedicated recovery software like MyRecover can simplify the process significantly. With wide file type and device support, beginner-friendly design, and powerful recovery capabilities, it is a smart solution for retrieving permanently deleted files without any backup required. If you need to restore a large amount of data (e.g over 500MB), or retrieve files from unbootable computers, try Professional edition instead.