Is there any undelete command in Windows 10 or Windows 11? If not, how can you recover deleted files using built-in tools? This article explores whether a true "undelete" command exists in Windows and provides practical methods to help you restore deleted or lost data.
Many users hope there's a simple "undelete" command in Windows 10 that can instantly help get back accidentally deleted files, especially from the Command Prompt. Unfortunately, the short answer is "No", Windows 10 does not have a built-in command explicitly named "undelete".
However, that doesn’t mean you’re out of options. While there is no one-click CMD undelete command, Windows does offer several alternative methods and command-line tools that can help you recover deleted files, depending on how and where the data was lost.
Even though Windows 10 or Windows 11 doesn’t provide a direct "undelete" command, you can still try the following practical solutions to recover deleted files, especially when acting quickly.
The Recycle Bin is the first place you should check after deleting a file in Windows. It temporarily stores files that were deleted without using Shift + Delete, or were deleted from USB flash drive/ SD card, giving you a second chance to restore them easily.
Step 1. Open the Recycle Bin from your desktop.
Step 2. Browse or search for the deleted files or folders. Right-click the item you want to recover and select "Restore".
Step 3. The selected files will be restored to their original location automatically.
In short, if your files were deleted in a standard way (without bypassing the Recycle Bin), this is the fastest and most user-friendly recovery option.
If you’ve previously enabled "File History", a Windows built-in backup tool, Windows automatically backs up copies of your files on a regular basis. This allows you to easily restore accidentally deleted files, even if deleted files are not in the Recycle Bin.
Step 1. Open the "Control Panel" and go to "System and Security > File History".
Step 2. Click "Restore your files with File History" on the left panel.
Step 3. Navigate through the available backups to find the folder or file you want to recover.
Step 4. Select the desired version and click the green Restore "button" to recover it to its original location.
File History is one of the most effective built-in recovery features in Windows, but it only works if it was turned on before the data loss occurred.
Windows 10 still includes the legacy "Backup and Restore (Windows 7)" feature, which can be used to recover files if you’ve previously set up regular backups. This is a valuable option for restoring deleted files, entire folders, or even full system images.
Step 1. Go to "Control Panel > System and Security > Backup and Restore (Windows 7)".
Step 2. Under "Restore", click "Restore my files".
Step 3. Use the wizard to browse or search for the files/folders you want to restore.
Step 4. Choose where to restore them: original location or a new folder.
Step 5. Click "Restore" to begin the process.Wait for the process to complete and you will see the message "Your files have been restored" when it is done.
This method is ideal if you’ve created backups using this tool before the data loss occurred.
When you don’t have a backup available, Windows provides a powerful command-line tool called Windows File Recovery(WFR) that can help recover deleted files directly from your storage device. This tool does not require prior backups and supports various recovery modes for different data loss scenarios.
Step 1. Download and install Windows File Recovery from the Microsoft Store if you haven’t done so already.
Step 2. OpenCommand Prompt as Administratoras an administrator by pressing Win+X at the same time and choose "Command Prompt (Admin)".
Step 3. Use the following command structure to start recovery: winfr source-drive: destination-folder: /mode /switches
For example, to recover recently deleted files from drive C: to D:, you can use: winfr C: D: /regular /n.*zip
This command searches for deleted zip files from the C: drive and recovers them to the D: drive. Windows File Recovery is a robust solution when backups are unavailable, making it an essential solution for situations where the Windows 10 undelete command is not available.
When you don’t have backups and prefer an easy, user-friendly approach, MyRecover, a professional data recovery tool with a graphical interface (GUI),is an excellent choice. This tool simplifies the recovery process by scanning your drives for deleted files and allowing you to preview and restore them without using complicated commands.
Step 1. Download and install MyRecoveron your computer
Step 2. Launch the software and select the drive or partition where files were deleted.Click "Scan" to start searching for recoverable files.
Step 3. Filter by file type or size to quickly locate target files from all recoverable files. Click "Preview" to check the content. If everything is OK, click "Recover" button.
Step 4. Save them to a safe location (preferably a different drive to avoid overwriting).
After successfully recovering your files, open the recovered files to check that they are complete and accessible.Immediately create backups of your recovered files on other storage devices or cloud services to establish multiple copies and avoid future loss.
Although Windows 10 "undelete" command does not exist, there are multiple effective ways to recover deleted files. From simple methods like restoring from the Recycle Bin or backups, to powerful tools like Windows File Recovery and user-friendly software like MyRecover, you have plenty of options to retrieve lost data.
For the best results, especially in complex or severe data loss situations, we highly recommend MyRecover. It offers advanced features(recover files from unbootable computer, preview files before recovery, unlimited data recovery quato), deeper scanning, and priority support, making it the ideal choice for professionals and users who want the most reliable and comprehensive recovery solution available.