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Recovering Deleted and Lost Files on a Computer

Anthony Lee Winns Jr. graduated from Old Dominion University with a BS in business administration. An IT specialist in Washington, DC, Anthony Lee Winns Jr. has extensive experience in troubleshooting common IT problems, such as recovering lost and deleted files.

Successfully recovering a file depends largely on the time that passes between when a file is deleted and when it is recovered. In most cases, deleted files are hidden on a computer. They stay hidden until different information takes up their physical space on the hard drive. The more someone uses his or her computer after deleting a file, the more likely it is that the file’s space will be overwritten.

Time plays a role in other ways when it comes to finding a deleted file. Ideally, the file will be in the Recycle Bin, from which it can be easily retrieved or restored. However, people who empty their Recycle Bin frequently have likely already compromised that option. Moreover, the chances of this happening increases with the passage of time.

If the file cannot be found and restored through the Recycle Bin, users can also turn to their backup. (It’s always a good idea to back up hard drive files regularly as a safety measure.)

Finally, there is file recovery software that may help users restore deleted files. There are plenty of free recovery platforms available to help users restore old files, and there are also file recovery tools that may make it easier to find the deleted files if they still exist somewhere on the hard drive.