Restore deleted folder

Question

I inadvertently deleted a folder in my file folder. I have to get that folder back. It didn't go into recycle. I tried restoring my computer back to the 16th of June. I still can't find the file. I didn't know it was a duplicate.

Answer 1

Hi Dona Fellows,

I understand how concerning it is to discover an important folder has been deleted.

Have you already tried the Q&A Assist suggestions? In addition, could you also let me know:

• Which location the folder was stored in (Documents, Desktop, another drive, external drive, etc.)?
• How the folder was deleted (Delete key, Shift+Delete, or another method)?

If the folder was stored on a local drive (not OneDrive) and was deleted recently, you can try Windows File Recovery, Microsoft's file recovery tool:

1. Install Windows File Recovery from Microsoft Store: https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9N26S50LN705
2. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
3. Recover the deleted folder to a different drive than the one it was originally stored on.
4. Follow Microsoft's guide: Windows File Recovery

Important: To maximize the chance of recovery, try to avoid saving new files to the drive where the folder was originally located until recovery is attempted.

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Answer 2

If the deleted folder did not go into the Recycle Bin and a System Restore did not bring it back, there are only a few built-in options left to try.

1. Check if it was in OneDrive or another synced location
   • If the folder was inside a OneDrive-synced location (e.g., Desktop, Documents, Pictures when backed up by OneDrive), sign in to the OneDrive website.
   • Go to Recycle bin in OneDrive and look for the deleted folder.
   • If found, select it and choose Restore. This will put it back in its original OneDrive location.
2. Use File History (if it was set up before the deletion)
   If File History was enabled before the folder was deleted, it may be possible to restore a previous version of the parent folder:
   1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder that used to contain the deleted folder.
   2. Right-click that parent folder (or the drive, e.g., C: if it was at the root) and select Restore previous versions.
   3. On the Previous Versions tab, select a version dated before the folder was deleted.
   4. To check its contents first, expand Open and select Open in File History.
   5. If the deleted folder appears in that previous version, select Restore to bring that version back.
      • To avoid overwriting current content, expand Restore and choose Restore to... and pick another location.
      • Be aware: restoring directly will replace the current version of that folder, and this replacement cannot be undone.

If the folder is not in OneDrive’s Recycle Bin and there is no suitable previous version in File History, Windows does not provide another native way to recover it. In that case, only third‑party file recovery tools or professional data recovery services might help.

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References:

• Backup and restore with File History
• Restore deleted files or folders in OneDrive
• OneDrive desktop app for earlier versions of Windows