How to Recover Deleted Files from the Recycle Bin

Wondering how to recover and retrieve deleted files from the Recycle Bin? Is the data permanently deleted? Find out here.

Step-by-step guide on recovering deleted files from the Recycle Bin

1. Restoring Deleted Files from the Recycle Bin

Note: The speed of recovering deleted data from the Recycle Bin depends on the file size.

Follow the steps below to restore deleted files from the Recycle Bin:

Step 1: Locate and double-click on the Recycle Bin icon on the Desktop screen.

Step 2: Locate and select the files or folders you want to recover.

To select multiple files or folders, press and hold Ctrl key and click to choose files. Alternatively, press and hold Shift key and drag the mouse to select multiple files.

Step 3: In the Original Location column, make a note of the file locations for easy reference during the search.

Step 4: Click on the selected file, choose Restore to initiate the recovery process.

Alternatively, you can drag the file from the Recycle Bin window to the desktop or the selected folder.

Note: If you use the Restore option, the files will be restored to their original positions, meaning all recovered files may be scattered across various folders and locations.

Step 5: Wait until the file recovery process is complete. The speed of this process depends on your computer's configuration and the size of the recovered files.

2. How to Display the Recycle Bin Icon on the Screen

The Recycle Bin icon doesn't always appear on the screen; at times, it might be hidden.

To bring back the Recycle Bin icon to the desktop, follow these steps:

2.1. On Windows 10:

Open Desktop Icon Settings by accessing Settings =>Personalization =>Themes =>Desktop icon settings (located in the Related Settings section). Find and check Recycle Bin, then click OK.

Tip: To open the Settings window on Windows 10, you can use the shortcut Windows + I, or alternatively, click the Start button =>Settings.

2.2. On Windows 8:

Open the Control Panel, then find and click on the link Show or hide common icons on the desktop. Check Recycle Bin and click OK.

2.3. On Windows 7 and Vista:

Right-click anywhere on the desktop, select Personalize. Choose Change desktop icons, then check Recycle Bin and click OK.

3. Preventing Windows from Deleting Files

Assuming you delete a file and no confirmation prompt appears on the screen, it's likely your computer is set to delete files without confirmation.

To prevent Windows from deleting files and display confirmation prompts on the screen, follow these steps:

First, right-click on the Recycle Bin icon on the screen, select Properties. Here, find and check the option named Display delete confirmation dialog. This action is to display confirmation prompts when deleting files or folders on the screen.

Additionally, if you activate the option Don't move files to the Recycle Bin, it means that files and folders are permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.

This article from Mytour has just guided you on how to recover deleted files from the Recycle Bin. If you have any further questions or need clarification on data recovery methods on your computer, readers can leave their comments below the article. Oh, in case you haven't deleted data from the Recycle Bin yet, you can easily retrieve deleted data from the Recycle Bin.

Read more: How to recover deleted data from the Recycle Bin