Recover Accidentally Deleted Files With This Free Software

Losing important files due to accidental deletion can be incredibly frustrating. Fortunately, with the right software, recovering deleted files is possible in many cases. In this article, I will discuss a free file recovery program that can help you get back your vanished files.

What Causes Files to Be Deleted Accidentally?

There are a few common ways files can be deleted unintentionally:

• Emptying the Recycle Bin – Any files deleted from your hard drive get sent to the Recycle Bin first. If you empty the Recycle Bin, those files are permanently deleted.

• Using Shift + Delete – Bypassing the Recycle Bin by using Shift + Delete will delete a file permanently right away.

• Deleting from external devices – Files deleted from external hard drives, USB flash drives, SD cards, etc. typically do not go to the Recycle Bin, so deleting them removes them instantly.

• Accidentally hitting Delete – It’s easy to accidentally select a file and hit the Delete key without thinking. This sends the file straight to the Recycle Bin for permanent removal.

Why Try to Recover Deleted Files?

There are several reasons you may want to recover accidentally deleted files:

• Lost personal files – Family photos, videos, financial documents, and other personal files that can’t be replaced.

• Lost work files – Important work documents, spreadsheets, presentations, or projects that took time and effort to create.

• Hardware issues – Hard drive failures or device formatting can cause many files to be deleted uncontrollably.

• Operating system issues – Bugs, crashes, or erroneous commands can sometimes delete files unexpectedly.

Recovering lost files saves time recreating work and preserves cherished personal data.

Introducing Recuva – A Free File Recovery Tool

Recuva is a free deleted file recovery program from Piriform that excels at recovering lost files from hard drives, external storage devices, and even from formatted or damaged volumes. Here are some key features that make Recuva a top choice for file recovery:

• Completely free – Recuva is 100% free to download and use.

• Recovers many file types – It can retrieve documents, photos, videos, music, emails, and more.

• Deep scan capability – For erased files, Recuva can dig deeper to locate file remnants and reconstruct them.

• Portable version – Run directly from a USB thumb drive on any PC.

• Secure overwrite – It also includes secure overwrite to permanently destroy files.

Recuva is available for both Windows and Mac operating systems and offers an intuitive interface for recovering files quickly.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using Recuva

Here is a simple walkthrough for recovering deleted files with Recuva:

1. Download and Install Recuva

• Go to https://www.ccleaner.com/recuva
• Click the Download button and install Recuva onto your PC.

2. Open Recuva and Select File Location

• Open Recuva from your Start menu or desktop shortcut.
• Click the “Next” button.
• Choose the disk location you want to scan for deleted files.

3. Scan for Deleted Files

• If you know approximately when the file was deleted, enter the date.
• Click Start to begin scanning the drive.
• Scanning may take some time depending on drive size and number of files.

4. Preview and Recover Files

• Once scanning is complete, a list of discovered deleted files will appear.
• You can preview image files or documents.
• Check the boxes next to files you want to recover.
• Click the Recover button and choose a folder to save the restored files to.

And you’re done! Follow those steps to recover deleted files with Recuva. Be sure to store the recovered files in a new safe location on your drive.

Tips for Successful File Recovery with Recuva

Here are some tips to improve your chances of recovering deleted files with Recuva:

• Recover files as soon as possible after deletion. The longer you wait, the lower the odds of recovery.

• Avoid saving new files to the drive you are scanning. This overwrites space that belonged to deleted files.

• If the original file location is still available, recover files back to their original location.

• For extremely erased files, enable deep scan mode in Recuva. This will take longer but search more thoroughly.

• Use the secure overwrite feature to permanently delete private files you want gone for good.

Following these guidelines will maximize your ability to restore accidentally deleted files with Recuva.

Recap and Conclusion

• Accidental file deletion is an easy mistake that can cost you important files.

• Thankfully, free software like Recuva makes it possible to recover deleted files in many cases by scanning your drives.

• Its intuitive wizard-style interface makes restoring files a breeze.

Don’t panic if you’ve lost valuable files due to accidental deletion – with Recuva, you have a great shot at getting them back quickly and painlessly. Keep this recovery tool in your back pocket in case you ever need it.