How to Recover Accidentally Deleted Format Files

As you work on your computer, the unthinkable happens. You accidentally delete an important file containing years of work or cherished memories. Panic sets in as you realize your mistake and desperately search for a way to recover the lost data. Before you resign yourself to the painful prospect of recreating all that information, know that there are free methods for recovering recently deleted files on your hard drive. With the right tools and techniques, you have a good chance of restoring your deleted files and getting back to business as usual. This guide will walk you through the step-by-step process of recovering your deleted files on Windows and Mac computers at no cost using built-in tools and third-party Recover Deleted Format Files data recovery software. Take a deep breath – your lost files are not gone forever.

Why Files Get Deleted Accidentally

Accidentally deleting important files from your hard drive can be frustrating. However, in many cases these files can be recovered for free using tools already on your computer.

Files get deleted accidentally for a few common reasons:

• Human error: Accidentally selecting and deleting the wrong files or emptying the Recycle Bin.
• Software issues: Programs malfunctioning and deleting files.
• Storage media issues: Hard drive or storage device errors leading to data loss.

When files are deleted from your hard drive, the space they occupy is marked as available for use by other files. However, the files themselves are not immediately erased. This means there is a window of opportunity to recover recently deleted files before they are overwritten.

To recover accidentally deleted files for free, first check your Recycle Bin. Any files sent there can be restored with a simple click. Next, use a free data recovery tool like [Product Name] or [Product Name]. These tools can undelete files by scanning your hard drive and finding files marked for deletion that have not yet been overwritten. The sooner you attempt recovery, the more files you can restore, so act fast.

With the right approach and tools, you have a good chance of recovering your accidentally deleted files for free. However, for the best results, stop using the hard drive immediately to prevent overwriting the files you want to restore. If DIY recovery does not work, consulting a data recovery service may be your last resort to restore critical lost files.

How to Recover Deleted Format Files Like Word Documents

To recover accidentally deleted files like Word documents from your hard drive, there are a few approaches you can try for free:

1. Check your Recycle Bin. This is the first place to look. Your deleted files may still be there, in which case you can simply restore them. Right-click the file and select “Restore.”
2. Use file recovery software. If the files are not in the Recycle Bin, you’ll need to use a recovery tool to scan your hard drive and find deleted files. Some highly-rated, free options are:
3. Recuva: Can recover Word documents, images, music, video, and more. Simple to use but effective.
4. Pandora Recovery: Recovers files from NTFS and FAT-formatted drives. Has different scan modes for fast or deep scanning.
5. Glary Undelete: Recovers files deleted from the Recycle Bin, command line, or by virus activity. Works on internal and external hard drives.
6. Try System Restore. If you have System Restore points enabled on your computer, you may be able to revert to an earlier point in time when the Word file still existed. Open the System Restore tool, select a restore point prior to when the file was deleted, and follow the prompts to restore your system. Your Word document should be recovered.
7. Check temporary files. Word creates temporary files while you work that are deleted when you close the program. But the data may still be on your drive. You can search for files ending in .tmp or .temp that may contain parts of your lost Word document. Open and save them immediately.

With persistence, there is a good chance you can recover your lost Word documents for free using one of these methods. But act quickly, before the deleted data on your drive is overwritten. The sooner you start the recovery process, the better your chances of success.

Free File Recovery Software to Retrieve Deleted Spreadsheets

Recuva

One of the best free file recovery tools is Recuva. Developed by Piriform, Recuva can recover deleted files from your hard drive, USB drives, SD cards, and other external storage devices.

To recover your deleted Excel files using Recuva:

1. Download and install Recuva on your PC. Launch the program and select ‘Recover files’ to start the recovery wizard.
2. Choose the file type you want to recover. Select ‘Office documents’ to search for deleted spreadsheets. Then pick the location where the files were originally stored before being erased.
3. Recuva will scan the selected location(s) and show you a list of recoverable files. This may take a few minutes depending on the size of your drive. Look for your deleted Excel spreadsheets in the list and select the ones you want to retrieve.
4. Choose a location to save the recovered files and click ‘Recover’ to restore the selected spreadsheets. It’s best to save them to a different drive to avoid overwriting the deleted files.
5. Check the recovered spreadsheets to ensure all data and formatting are intact before deleting the original copies. Some files may be partially recoverable depending on the level of overwrite.

Other Free Options

In addition to Recuva, you can also try:

• Pandora Recovery: Recovers files from NTFS and FAT volumes. It has a portable version that can run from a USB drive.
• MiniTool Power Data Recovery: Recovers files from hard drives, SSDs, USB drives, SD cards, etc. It offers a simple interface and file preview function.
• Undelete 360: Recovers files deleted from the Recycle Bin, network drives, and external storage. It supports most Windows file systems and storage devices.

With the right free file recovery software, you have a good chance of retrieving your accidentally erased Excel spreadsheets and other lost data from a hard drive. Be sure to act quickly before the deleted files get overwritten for the best recovery results.

Restore Erased Presentations

To recover accidentally deleted PowerPoint presentations from your hard drive, there are a few options available to try for free before resorting to paid recovery software.

Scan Your Hard Drive

• Carefully scan your hard drive for any copies of the deleted presentation file. It’s possible there could be an autosave version, a copy saved under a slightly different name, or a version uploaded to a folder syncing or cloud storage service like OneDrive or Google Drive.
• Search for any file with a similar name and check for the most recent version to restore. PowerPoint’s “Recover Unsaved Presentations” feature can help locate autosaved copies as well.

Check Your Recycle Bin

If the presentation was simply deleted, the file may still be located in your Recycle Bin.

1. Double-click the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop to open it.
2. Look for any PowerPoint (.pptx) files with a name matching your deleted presentation.
3. Right-click the file and select “Restore” to recover the deleted presentation.

Use Free Recovery Software

If the presentation is no longer in the Recycle Bin, you’ll need to use data recovery software to scan your hard drive and restore the deleted file. Some free options to try include:

• Recuva: Free file recovery tool that can search for and restore deleted PowerPoint presentations.
• Pandora Recovery: Free data recovery software that can search your hard drive for deleted files like PowerPoint presentations and restore them.
• Disk Drill: Free data recovery app that can restore deleted PowerPoint files and other documents. Scan your entire hard drive or select specific folders to search.

Performing a deep scan of your hard drive with recovery software may take some time but can help locate and restore your deleted PowerPoint presentation if other options were not successful. Be sure to save the recovered file immediately to avoid accidentally deleting it again.

FAQs: Common Questions About Recovering Deleted Files

Recovering accidentally deleted files can seem like an impossible task, but with the right tools and techniques, you have a good chance of restoring your lost data. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about recovering deleted files.

What types of files can be recovered?

Most common file types like documents, images, videos and more can potentially be recovered after deletion. As long as the file was not securely erased, there is a possibility of restoring it.

How long do I have to recover a deleted file?

The sooner you attempt to recover a deleted file, the better. As long as the file is not overwritten by new data, it can often be restored within hours or days of deletion. However, there is no guarantee a file can be recovered after a long period of time. It is best to act quickly to recover recently deleted files.

Can files be recovered after emptying the Recycle Bin?

Yes, even after emptying the Recycle Bin, files may still be recoverable. When a file is deleted, its data remains on the hard drive until it is overwritten by new data. Specialized file recovery software can scan your hard drive and locate files that have been deleted but not yet overwritten. These files can then potentially be restored.

Is there free file recovery software?

There are several free file recovery tools available that may be able to recover your deleted files. Some reputable free options include:(Recover Deleted Format Files)

• Recuva: Free file recovery software from Piriform. It’s easy to use and can recover files from hard drives, USB drives, and memory cards.
• Pandora Recovery: Free tool that can recover deleted files and folders. It has a simple wizard-based interface and built-in file preview feature.
• UndeleteMyFiles Pro: Free file recovery tool that can restore deleted files from hard drives, USB drives, SD cards, and other media. It works on Windows PCs and has an easy-to-use interface.

Using free Recover Deleted Format Files software is an affordable first step, but for maximum effectiveness, you may need to invest in a paid professional data recovery service. They have specialized tools and expertise to restore even complex accidental deletions.

Conclusion

As you have seen, Recover Deleted Format Files is possible without any cost using free file recovery software or tools. By following the steps outlined, you can scan your hard drive and recover your files in a few simple clicks. However, the sooner you attempt file recovery the better, as overwriting the location of the deleted files may make them unrecoverable. With some patience and the right approach, you have the power to restore your lost files and save the time, energy and resources needed to reproduce them. While technology may have failed you momentarily by deleting your important files, it has also provided the means to remedy such mistakes and recover your lost digital information. With the tools and knowledge you now have, you need not despair the next time you press delete – your files can live to see another day.