Everyone has gone through the same exact thing at least once in their lives: you start looking for a file, only to find that it’s nowhere to be found – not where you think you saved it, and not anywhere else you could think to look. Maybe you deleted it accidentally or deleted it thinking that you wouldn’t have any other need for it, and now that you desperately need it, it’s gone. For some people, this can have small but inconvenient consequences, such as having to restart a project from scratch, but for others – as covered by a feature on the Independent – the results can be catastrophic. Don’t fret, because there are many ways to recover deleted data.
How To Recover Deleted History In Chrome Browser
Recovering deleted files on Windows
1. Check your recycle bin
The Recycle Bin is where all files go once you delete them. To restore files from your Recycle Bin:
a. Double-click on the Recycle Bin.
b. To find the file, type in the name of the file in the search box or sort by date if you can’t remember the file name.
c. Click on it and note the file location.
d. Click “Restore”
e. Go to the file’s location or type the file name into the search box from the Start Menu.
2. Restore a file to a previous version
A step-by-step guide to recovering deleted files by HP states that even if you’ve already emptied your Recycle Bin, there might still be hope. You could restore your Windows operating system to a previous version, which could help recover those files you’ve lost. Here’s how:
a. Find the folder you think the file should be in through the File Explorer.
b. Right-click and select “Restore previous versions”.
c. Determine the latest version — if there are no available versions to choose from, that means that you have not saved your file on your Windows Backup or at any previous restore points.
d. Select the version you want and click “Restore”.
Recovering deleted files on macOS
1. Check the Trash Can
Similar to a Recycle Bin, the Trash Can in MacOS is where your deleted files go. You can check if your deleted file is still in your Trash Can by following these simple steps:
a. Locate the Trash Can.
b. Then right-click on it and select “Open”.
c. Look for the file by sorting by name or by date.
d. Select it and click “Recover”.
2. Use Disk Drill
How To Geek’s file recovery for macOS guide says that even if you have already emptied your trash, it’s still possible to recover deleted files because your hard drive doesn’t get rid of them right away. If you have an application that can read files from your hard drive directly, you can still recover a “permanently” deleted file. There are several choices for such files available online – just make sure that you’re not actually downloading spyware that may compromise your data.
How to make sure important files don’t get lost
The fear of losing a file grows exponentially when a file is incredibly important and contains sensitive information. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to ensure that your most valued files don’t get lost.
1. Save frequently
As aforementioned, different file versions can be available if you save frequently. While new editions of Microsoft Word have a feature that allows you to recover unsaved files, other software doesn’t. To be on the safe side, save your work as soon as you start and at regular intervals. Enable the autosave feature if available. If you are using Microsoft when working on a file, simply press the keys Ctrl and S simultaneously to save your file. For more tips on making the most of your computer’s function keys, you can refer to our post ‘Function Keys in Windows‘.
2. Use cloud storage
Tech Means Business states that most operating systems now enable you to sync files from your computer by uploading them to the cloud. Changes made on files you are currently working on are also automatically saved, ensuring that no data is ever lost.
3. Make copies
If a file is of great importance, keeping multiple copies will ensure that you will never lose it. The duplicates should be just as useful as the original, so make sure that you update them often – preferably each time you finish working on a file for the day. You can either do this manually or by using applications that automatically make copies for you.