How to Undelete My Files for Free

You can restore deleted files and folders without any additional software.

When you delete a file or folder on your computer, Windows does not permanently erase the data. Instead, it maintains deleted files in a folder called the Recycle Bin. Until you manually empty the Recycle Bin's contents, you can undelete your deleted files and restore them to their previous location. You can undelete your files in Windows by following a few simple steps.

Instructions

1. Double-click the Recycle Bin's icon on your Windows desktop. If you do not have an icon, click "Start" and type "desktop icons." Select "Show or hide common icons on the desktop" and select the "Recycle Bin" check box. Click "OK" to add the Recycle Bin to your desktop.

2. Click the file or folder that you want to undelete or hold the "Shift" key as you click to select multiple files at once.

3. Click "Restore this item" to undelete a single file or folder. Click "Restore all items" to undelete multiple items.

References

• Windows 7 Help Home: Recover Files From the Recycle Bin
• Windows 7 Help Home: Show or Hide the Recycle Bin