How to Recover Shift Deleted Files in Windows 11/10 (Step-by-Step)

What does Shift + Delete do to your files? Can you undo a Shift-deleted file, and if so, how? This guide answers these questions and walks you through 6 proven ways to recover Shift Deleted files in Windows 11/10.

Choose the method that best suits your situation, and avoid saving new data to the drive where the deleted file was stored to maximize your chances of recovery.

Yes. Shift-deleted files can often be recovered as long as their data hasn’t been overwritten by new data.

On Windows, pressing Shift + Delete deletes a file without moving it to the Recycle Bin first, making it appear as though the file is permanently gone. However, the file’s actual data may remain on the storage device.

Instead of immediately erasing the data, Windows typically marks the space occupied by the deleted file as available for reuse. Until new data overwrites that space, the file may still be recoverable with the right data recovery method.

Your recovery chance depends on these key factors:

• ✍️ Whether the deleted data has been overwritten: New files saved to the same location may overwrite the deleted data and make recovery difficult or impossible.
• 💻 Type of storage device: SSDs may be more challenging to recover from because features such as TRIM can make deleted data unavailable more quickly.
• 🔎 File system and drive condition: File system corruption, formatting, or physical damage can affect recovery results.
• 🔢 File size and location: Smaller files or files stored in areas that have not been reused may have a better chance of recovery.

⚠️ Remember: Any further use of the affected drive can reduce your chances of recovery. This is especially important when:

• The Shift-deleted files were stored on your system drive.
• The files were deleted from an SSD with TRIM enabled.

In either case, stop using the affected drive and avoid running any applications. Then, use professional undelete file recovery software as soon as possible to maximize your chances of recovering the deleted files.

RecoveryFox AI features an intuitive interface and straightforward recovery process, allowing you to recover Shift-deleted files in just a few clicks. And if you act quickly after deletion and minimize further use of the affected drive, you may have a better chance of recovering your deleted files, with their original filenames and folder structure preserved whenever possible.

Now, try this AI-powered file recovery software to run a free scan and preview found files before recovery:

Free Download

Free Download

Available onWindows

⚠️ Important: Never install recovery software on the drive you want to recover data from, as this may overwrite recoverable files.

Step 1. Run RecoveryFox AI. From the drive list, select the location where your deleted files were stored and click it to start scanning.

Step 2. RecoveryFox AI begins with Quick Scan. This mode is best for retrieving recently lost files, and these files can often be recovered with their original filenames and folder structure.

Once Quick Scan is complete, AI Scan follows automatically for a deeper and smarter analysis. For files that have been deleted for a longer time or are more difficult to recover, AI Scan can identify additional recoverable data and reconstruct fragmented file pieces to improve file integrity.

Step 3. You can browse the scan result list during scanning or, once you find the files you need, you can pause the AI Scan and click a file to preview its contents.

RecoveryFox AI currently supports previewing common file types, including videos, audio, images, documents, camera photos, CAD drawings, and more.

Step 4. RecoveryFox AI includes different filters to help you pinpoint files, including File Path, File Type, Keywords, Modified Date, and File Size.

Finally, select the files you want to recover, click Recover, and save them to a different location to avoid overwriting recoverable data.

File History is a built-in Windows backup feature that automatically saves file copies when enabled. Since its default backup sources are Libraries, Desktop, Contacts, and Favorites, you can restore Shift-deleted files only if File History was enabled before deletion and the folder containing the files was included in the backup. Otherwise, this method won’t work and you’ll see the message “There are no previous versions available.”

👉 Follow these steps to restore Shift-Deleted files from File History backups:

Step 1. Right-click the folder where your Shift-deleted files were stored, select Show more options, and choose Restore previous versions.

Step 2. Select a previous version that contains your deleted files or folder.

Step 3. If available, click Open in File History to preview them.

Step 4. Once confirmed, click the green Restore button to save the previous version to a different location.

Backup and Restore (Windows 7) is also a pre-installed Windows backup feature. You can still access it in Windows 10 and 11. Like File History, it can restore Shift-deleted files only if you created a backup before the files were deleted.

👉 Follow these steps to restore accidentally Shift-deleted files:

Step 1. Open Control Panel and go to “System and Security” > “Backup and Restore (Windows 7)”.

Step 2. To restore your files, click “Restore my files”.

If no backups are being detected and “Restore my files” is unavailable, click “Select another backup to restore files from” and then follow the wizard.

Step 3. Browse to locate the backup file, select where you want to restore the files, and click Restore. The restoration time depends on the size of the backup.

OneDrive was originally a separate cloud storage service but is now built into the latest versions of Windows for syncing and backing up files from folders Desktop, Documents, and Pictures.

But note that when you Shift-delete a locally synced file, the change is also synced to OneDrive, and the file is moved to the OneDrive Recycle Bin. Fortunately, OneDrive keeps deleted files in the Recycle Bin for a limited time, allowing you to restore them.

👉 Follow these steps to restore Shift-deleted files from OneDrive:

Step 1. Visit the OneDrive website and sign in with your Microsoft account.

Step 2. Choose “Recycle Bin” from the left-hand menu.

Step 3. Locate the deleted files or folders, select them, and click “Restore” to recover them to the original location.

Windows File Recovery is a free command-line recovery tool from Microsoft that can help recover Shift-deleted files from internal drives and external storage devices, including USB drives and SD cards. However, since it relies on command-line instructions, it may be challenging for non-tech-savvy users.

Therefore, if your deleted files are important, we recommend using a user-friendly GUI recovery tool like RecoveryFox AI instead. If you still want to try Windows File Recovery, carefully follow the steps below.

Step 1. Install and open Windows File Recovery from the Microsoft Store.

Step 2. Read the instructions shown in the opened window carefully. This will help you understand the available recovery modes and how to use the tool to recover Shift-deleted files.

Step 3. Enter the following command, press Enter, and then type Y to start the recovery:

Winfr D: G: /regular

This command uses Regular mode to scan the D: drive for recently deleted files and save the recovered files to the G: drive.

Remember to replace D: with the drive containing your deleted files and G: with a different destination drive where you want to save the recovered files.

💡 Tip: If Regular mode fails to find the files you need, try Extensive mode with the following command:

Winfr D: G: /extensive

Step 4. Wait for the recovery process to reach 100%. Then, press Y when prompted to open the destination folder. The recovered files are typically saved in a folder with a name similar to:
Recovery_[date-time]

If the deleted files are highly important and you don’t want to risk DIY recovery, a professional data recovery service may be the safer option. Specialists have the tools and expertise to handle difficult recovery cases, but this convenience comes at a price. Professional recovery can be expensive, sometimes costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars, and successful recovery is not always guaranteed. Besides, you’ll also need to consider the privacy implications of handing your storage device and potentially sensitive data to a third party.

That said, most Shift-Delete recovery cases can be handled with reliable data recovery software, such as RecoveryFox AI, which offers a more affordable and safer alternative. It works offline and runs in read-only mode, so your data stays on your device and the software does not modify existing data or write new data to the affected drive during recovery. Just download it and start a free scan and preview first.

Free Download

Free Download

Available onWindows

Those “oh-no” accidental deletion moments happen more often than we’d like in our daily digital lives. Fortunately, whether you need Shift + Delete recovery or Recycle Bin recovery after emptying it, your files aren’t necessarily gone forever. In many cases, there are still ways to recover them.

Depending on your situation, you can choose from the 6 methods covered in this guide. If you have a backup available, restoring your files from it is definitely the best bet. But when no backup exists, a reliable data recovery tool such as RecoveryFox AI can often deliver better results and give you a practical way to recover your Shift-deleted files.

Thanks for reading! If you need any further assistance with Shift-Delete recovery, feel free to contact me.

Q1. Does Shift Delete permanently delete files?

Shift + Delete bypasses the Recycle Bin, but it doesn’t always erase the file data immediately. You may still be able to recover Shift-deleted files with a backup or reliable data recovery software.

Q2. How can I recover Shift-Deleted files in Windows 11?

You can try the 6 methods covered in this guide, including File History, Backup and Restore, OneDrive, and data recovery software such as RecoveryFox AI. If no backup is available, recovery software is usually the most practical option.

Q3. How do I recover a file I accidentally deleted?

First, check the Recycle Bin and available backups. If the file was permanently deleted or Shift-deleted, stop using the affected drive and use reliable data recovery software such as RecoveryFox AI as soon as possible.

Q4. How do I recover an Excel file deleted by Shift + Delete?

If you have a backup, try restoring the Excel file from File History, Backup and Restore, or OneDrive. Without a backup, use RecoveryFox AI to scan the affected drive, preview the found Excel files, and recover the ones you need.