Download How to Find Lost or Missing Files on Windows 11?

Windows 11 upgrade offers several features which make it very easy for you to operate your device. But sometimes, you may face data loss issues on your Windows 11 devices. Losing or sudden deletion of important files on your computer can be a frustrating issue, but don’t freak out! Windows 11 offers several effective methods that you can try to restore those missing files.

Whatever is the cause for the deletion of files on your Windows system, this guide will provide you with the steps to find lost or missing files on your Windows 11 system. So, without wasting time, let’s start with the Windows data recovery methods one-by-one.

Quick Methods to Restore Lost Files on Windows 11 PC

Some of the common recovery methods that you can try to get your deleted files back on Windows 11 devices are as follows:

Method 01: Check Recycle Bin

Before you proceed with any recovery method on Windows PC, try to check your deleted files in the Recycle Bin folder. When you delete any file normally using the Del button or the Delete option, it will go to the Recycle Bin for some particular time (30 Days), after which it will get permanently deleted.

• Firstly, type “Recycle Bin” into the search bar next to the “Start” button in the taskbar and press “Enter
  ” to open it.
• Now, locate your deleted or missing file(s) in the Recycle Bin and right-click on any of the files. Select the “Restore” option to save the selected files to their original location.

It is important to note that you can restore your files from the Recycle Bin folder only if your files are present in it. However, if your file is not there, it might have been permanently removed from your device. In such cases, you need to try using other recovery workarounds.

Method 02: Check the Previous Versions

Windows OS provides an in-built option which you can use to save previous versions of the recently modified or deleted files. This Windows recovery method is just like recovering deleted files from its earlier created backups. All you have to do is:

• Right-click on the folder where your lost file was earlier stored.
• Choose the “Restore previous versions” option from the menu that appears.

• Now, you will get the list of available backup versions. From there, you need to select the one that contains your missing file and tap the “Restore” button.

Method 03: Use File History to Recover Missing Files

Another method to find lost or missing files on Windows 11 devices is by using the File History backup option. Windows in-built File History feature allows you to create a backup of your files and then recover their previous versions if any data loss occurs. If you have enabled the File History backup option on your Windows device, here’s how to recover deleted files using it:

• Press the Windows + I keys to open the “Settings” app. Alternatively, you can click the gear icon in the Start menu to launch Settings.
• Now, click on “System” > “Storage“. Scroll down and then tap the “Advanced storage settings” option.

• Under “File History,” select “Add a drive” to enable File History and to choose a backup drive.
• Once the File History option is enabled on your device, click on “More options” under “Related settings.”

• At last, click on the “Restore files from a current backup” option to recover your missing files.

Method 04: Recover Lost Files Using Cloud Storage Services

If you use cloud storage services, such as OneDrive or Google Drive to maintain backups of your files, your missing files might be synced there. Go through the following steps to find lost or missing files on Windows 11 devices using these cloud services:

• Open the Cloud storage app or website where you have created a backup of your files.
• Enter login credentials to sign in to your account.
• Go to the relevant folder or location where your missing files might be stored.
• Once you get the required files in your cloud storage, restore them back to your device.

Find Lost or Missing Files on Windows 11 Using Data Recovery Software

If the above workarounds to restore your deleted files anyhow fail, consider using a third-party Windows data recovery software. These tools are mainly designed to scan your computer’s storage and then find lost or missing files on Windows 11 or other Windows and MacOS devices. Stellar Data Recovery Standard is an all-in-one data recovery software that can easily recover files/folders deleted from any location of your device.

The Stellar Data Recovery Standard tool offers several amazing features which make it very easy for us to recover deleted files. These features include:

• It supports the recovery of files deleted due to any reason, including accidental deletion, formatting, power failure, etc. with a higher success rate.
• Recover files from all internal or external storage devices including USB, SD cards, External Drives, etc.
• It offers a simple and easy-to-use interface to make the recovery process quite smooth and quick.
• Allows you to preview the recoverable files so you can select and save only the required ones which eventually saves the device storage space.
• The software is 100% safe and secure to use.

Follow the below-given steps to find lost or missing files on Windows 11 devices using the Stellar Data Recovery Standard software:

• Firstly, download and install the Stellar Data Recovery Standard tool on your device. After installing the software, select the type of file that you need to recover from the homepage and click the Next

• Select the storage location from where you need to restore deleted files and click the Scan

• After completion of the scanning process, preview the recoverable files and select all the files that you need to recover. Click the Recover button to save the recovered data at the desired storage location.

Wrapping Up:

In conclusion, losing or deleting important files on Windows 11 can be a painful experience, but with the aforementioned methods, you can easily recover your valuable data. The above-mentioned recovery methods as well as professional Windows data recovery software, i.e., Stellar Data Recovery Standard can easily help you to get your deleted files back. Remember to regularly back up your files to prevent data loss issues, and always try to avoid saving files on your device if data loss occurs. This helps to avoid overwriting or damaging your data further to keep the recovery process simple.