Digital photos are a big part of the lives of many people. They can be lost for a number of reasons, so you may need to recover deleted photos. You might format an SD card by mistake or hit the “delete all” button on your digital camera by accident. You can erase precious memories of a wedding or graduation that can never be replaced in an instant.
How to Recover Deleted Photos on Windows
Here are four ways for Windows users to get back lost photos. It’s possible that not all of them will work for you, but one of them should do the trick. In some cases, the tools built into the operating system can help you get your images back. If that doesn’t work, there are better ways to get your files back, even if you deleted them a while ago. Let’s look more closely at what you can do.
Method 1. From the Recycle Bin
On a Windows computer, the first place to look for deleted images is the Recycle Bin. It is a special folder that the operating system uses to store photos that have just been deleted. Files stay in the Recycle Bin for a set amount of time or until the bin is emptied, whichever comes first.
Try These Simple Steps to Recover Deleted Photos from The Recycle Bin:
- Open the Recycle Bin by double-clicking on its icon.
- Locate and select the images you want to recover.
- Take note of the Original Location of the files as that is where they will be restored.
- Right-click on your selection and choose Restore. You can also drag and drop files from the Recycle Bin to a folder of your choice.
- Wait for the process to complete and verify your files are back.
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Method 2. From Backup Files
You should back up your computer often to keep your important information safe. When you lose data, like when you lose photos, you can see how important these backups are. There is a backup and recovery tool built into the Windows OS. Here’s how to use it on a Windows 10 computer to get back lost photos.
To Recover Deleted Photos from A Backup You Need To:
- Connect the storage media containing the backup to your computer.
- Right-click the Windows Start button and then Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Backup and Restore.
- Choose either to Restore my files or Restore all users’ files.
- Search for your lost photos by using the Browse for files or Browse for folders option. You cannot see individual files when browsing for folders.
- Select your files and click Restore to recover them.
Method 3. Using a Photo Recovery Software
If your deleted photos are no longer in the Recycle Bin and you can’t find them on a backup, you can use software to get them back. We chose Disk Drill data recovery software based on what other people said about it and what it could do. Disk Drill will scan your disk and get those pictures back when other methods won’t.
Follow these easy steps to recover permanently deleted photos on Windows 10:
- Download, install, and launch Disk Drill for Windows.
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- Select the disk from the app’s disk list.
- Click the Search for lost data button button to start scanning the disk.
- Preview the photos that you want to get back from the Pictures folder.
- Make your selection and click Recover.
- Choose a new location where the photos will be saved.
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Method 4. Via a Data Recovery Service
You might need to use a professional data recovery service at some point. When all other methods have failed, these services might be able to get the data back. The most important thing is to find the right service and have the storage media sent to them.
Here are some general guidelines to follow when searching for a local data recovery service:
- Type “data recovery services near me” in a Google search to review your options.
- Use Google Maps and customer reviews to make your selection.
- Follow the steps outlined by the recovery service you select.