How to Recover Deleted Items or Folders That Were Permanently Deleted

Recover deleted files and folders with your computer's backup utility program.

Deleted items on your computer are never entirely gone, as the recovery feature on both Macintosh and Windows-based PCs allows the retrieval of deleted folders and their contents. Content must be backed up with the operating system's default backup utility prior to it being deleted in order for it to be recovered; otherwise, a third-party program is necessary to scan your hard disk for lost information. The utility program periodically creates restore points in case of data loss, and allows scheduled backups to ensure data loss is minor in the event of a system crash.

Instructions

Macintosh Restore

1. Click "Finder" on the desktop's dock, and click the name of your home folder. Double-click "Applications" and "Time Machine" to run the utility application.

2. Click the date at the bottom of the screen, and click the folder or file you wish to recover.

3. Click "Restore" in the bottom-right corner of the screen to restore the file to your desktop.

4. Click "Cancel" on the bottom-left corner of the screen to exit Time Machine and return to your current desktop.

Windows Restore

1. Click "Start" on the desktop. Click "Control Panel," "System and Maintenance" and "Backup and Restore."

2. Click "Restore my files" in the Backup and Restore window. Click "Browse for files" or "Browse for folders" to recover individual files or specific folders.

3. Locate the item or folder in the restore window, and double-click the item to restore it to your computer.

References

• Apple: Mac 101 -- Time Machine
• Microsoft: Restore Files From a Backup