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Accidental deletion of "Desktop" folder in File Explorer

Anonymous
2024-01-11T16:48:20+00:00

Hi all,

I have seen a couple of threads on the same issue, but I opted to reach out.

As a forenote, I have attempted a system recovery, but this has failed due to a 0x80070005 error, if I recall correctly.

I was cleaning and deleting old files through File Explorer and mistakenly deleted the desktop file (Also missing from my User folder), which now subsequently means I have lost all files on the desktop, along with shortcuts, etc. to apps and files. I have searched for known previous files through the search bar, but nothing pops up.

On a side note, I do not/did not have onedrive enabled, system restore, or file restore.

Any help would be appreciated.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. DaveM121 880.8K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2024-01-11T17:34:26+00:00

    Windows will create that Desktop folder automatically, but not the files that were contained in that Desktop folder, a 3rd party recovery tool is your only hope to restore those files to that Desktop folder.

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-01-11T17:30:35+00:00

    Hi Dave,

    Thanks for the response. Is there no way to restore these to the desktop?
    Windows has recreated a desktop tab now, here;

    This was missing before I accidentally deleted this folder. I did not delete any other files from the desktop, though, so I just want to clarify if these were deleted as well by deleting the desktop folder?

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  3. DaveM121 880.8K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2024-01-11T17:23:41+00:00

    Hi, I am Dave, I will help you with this.

    What you are seeing in Word are just shortcuts to files that no longer exist, there is no option to open those.

    If you do not have any sort of backup, and the files are not in the recycle bin, then your only hope is to use some 3rd party recovery utility to try to find and recover those files, there is no native method in Windows to recover those files.

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-01-11T17:07:17+00:00

    Just as an example, I can no longer access or find any of these files;

    Desktop, shortcut links, etc. missing from shortcut bar;

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