How do I recover deleted files?

What to check first, in order, when you've deleted something — and the one thing you must stop doing immediately if it's genuinely gone.

Difficulty: beginner
Time: 45 min
Read: 2 min
Safety: caution

Short answer

Check the bin, then your backup, then the cloud service's own trash and version history — most services keep deleted files for 30 days. If it's genuinely gone from all of those, stop writing anything to that drive immediately and use recovery software, because continued use overwrites the data.

Deleted files are usually recoverable, and the order you check matters. The critical point is that a deleted file isn't erased — the space is just marked as reusable. Every subsequent write risks overwriting it, so the most useful thing you can do in the first minute is stop using the drive.

Safety

If a file matters and isn't in the bin or a backup, stop using that drive immediately — don't install recovery software onto it, don't save anything to it, and don't run a defragment. Every write reduces the chance of recovery. Install recovery tools on a different drive and recover to a different drive.

Step by step

Check the recycle bin or trash first.Obvious, but it's where most 'lost' files are. They stay there until it's emptied.
Check your backup — Time Machine, File History, or your cloud backup's version history.This is why backups exist. Restore rather than attempting recovery if you possibly can.
Check the cloud service's own trash if the file lived in one.Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox and iCloud all keep deleted files for around 30 days in a separate trash.
Check version history in the application.Office, Google Docs and many other apps keep previous versions independently of the file system.
For photos, check the phone or app's 'Recently Deleted' album.iOS and Google Photos both keep deleted photos for 30 days in a separate album.
If it's genuinely gone, stop using that drive immediately.This is the decisive moment. Shut down if it's the system drive and you can work from another machine.
Install recovery software on a different drive and recover to a different drive.Installing onto the affected drive can overwrite the very file you're recovering.
For irreplaceable data on a failed drive, consider a professional service before trying anything else.DIY attempts on failing hardware can make professional recovery impossible. If it truly matters, stop and get advice.

Tips

Recovered files often lose their original names. Recover more than you think you need and sort through it afterwards.
SSDs with TRIM enabled — which is most modern ones — erase deleted data quickly, so recovery is much less likely than on a mechanical drive. Backups matter more than ever.
If a drive is making unusual noises, stop immediately. Mechanical failure gets worse with every minute of operation.
The real lesson of every recovery is the backup that wasn't running. Set one up while this is fresh.

Common mistakes

Continuing to use the drive — Every write risks overwriting the deleted data. Stopping is the single most effective action available.
Installing recovery software onto the affected drive — The installation itself can overwrite what you're trying to recover.
Running disk repair or defragmentation first — Both write extensively to the drive and can destroy recoverable data.
Assuming cloud sync means it's safe — Sync propagates deletions. Check the service's trash — but don't assume the file is still there.

Questions people ask

Can deleted files always be recovered?

No. On a mechanical drive, often yes if you act quickly. On a modern SSD with TRIM, frequently not, because the drive proactively erases deleted blocks. Backups are the only reliable answer.

How long do cloud services keep deleted files?

Typically 30 days for the major services, sometimes longer on business plans. Check the specific service — and check soon, because the clock is running.