How to Recover Deleted Files using Windows File Recovery
With Windows 10 version 2004, Microsoft released Windows File Recovery to recover the files deleted during Windows Update. However, you can also use the Windows File Recovery utility to recover permanently deleted files or files lost during disk format.
Windows File Recovery (winfr) is just a command-line-based tool and does not have UI but it works. You can easily recover permanently deleted files using the winfr command.
This utility supports local storage devices like internal and external drives and USB drives. However, network drives are not supported.
NOTE: This app requires Windows 10 build 19041 or later. This means you must be running Windows 10 version 2004 or newer. To check the version of your Windows 10, go to RUN, type winver , and press Enter. You can check here how to install the latest Windows 10 update.
Use Windows File Recovery to Recover Lost Files
In this tutorial, we are going to explain, how to recover the files which you have deleted permanently from your computer.
IMPORTANT NOTE: To increase your chances of recovering a file, you should minimize or avoid using your computer at all. In the Windows file system, the space used by a deleted file is marked as free space, which means the file data can still exist and be recovered. But if you use your computer, it may create new files which may over-write this free space at any time. This will reduce the chances of successful data recovery.
Windows File Recovery supports three modes – Normal Mode, Segment Mode, and Signature Mode. All of the modes are explained in the next sections, so, keep reading.
First of all, let’s have a look at how to use Windows File Recovery to recover deleted files. In this example, we have used Signature Mode. So, let’s get started with the steps.
Step 1: Install Windows File Recovery from Microsoft Store
Launch the Microsoft Store from the Start menu. Search for ‘Windows file recovery‘ and click on Windows File Recovery from the search results. After that, click on the Get button to download and install the app.
It may take some time to download and install the app on your PC. Once, the Windows File Recovery app is installed on your Computer, we can start the process to recover deleted files.
SEE ALSO: How to Reset your PC using Recovery Options in Windows 10?
Step 2: Launch Windows File Recovery for Recovering Deleted Files
You can launch the app from the Microsoft Store. Alternatively, search for Windows File Recovery in the Start Menu, and then select Windows File Recovery.
You might see the UAC prompt while launching the app, click on Yes.
Command Prompt window will open showing details of Windows File Recovery. It will also give you a brief explanation of the tool along with some examples.
winfr) Command HelpStep 3: Delete the File or Folder Permanently for Testing
Now, for testing purposes, we have created a Zip file in D drive. This zip file contains a sample text and a PDF file.
Now, we are going to delete the ZIP file permanently. Then we will try to recover deleted files using the Windows File Recovery tool.
Step 4: Recover Deleted Files
We have deleted the ZIP file permanently in the previous step. Now, we will try to recover deleted files using the Windows File Recovery tool. In this example, we will use Signature Mode.
The command format for Windows File Recovery is as follows:
winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/switches]
NOTE: The source and destination drives must be different. If you are recovering files from the C drive, use the /n <filter> and /y:<type<(s)> switches to specify the user files or folder.
This tool automatically creates a recovery folder in the destination drive named Recovery_<date and time>.
In our test, we used the following command to recover the files using Windows File Recovery.
winfr D: C:\Users\<username>\Desktop\Recovery /x /y:ZIP
Once you type “y”, the tool will start scanning the source disk for deleted files. After the scanning is complete, it will show you the brief details of the recovered files.
Step 5: Check Files after Recovering
After the process of recovering deleted files is complete, you will see details of recovered files. Finally, it will ask you to view the recovered files. So, press y or Y to open the Recovery folder where recovered files are stored.
In the recovery folder, you can see the recovered files. In our case, we have recovered a ZIP file. Though the ZIP file’s name has been changed, the data in that ZIP file is intact.
Command-Line Syntax for Windows File Recovery Tool
The following table has information about each basic command line parameter and switches used in this tool.
| Parameter or switch | Description | Supported modes |
| Source-drive: | The drive from where files have been deleted. Must not be the same drive as the recovery drive. | All |
| Destination-drive: | The drive where files are stored after you recover deleted files. Must not be the same as the source drive. | All |
/r | Windows File Recovery will use Segment mode, which examines File Record Segments (FRS). | Segment |
/n <filter> | Scans for a specific file by using a file name, file path, or wildcards. For example: File name: /n myfile.docx File path: /n /users/<username>/Documents/ Wildcard: /n myfile.*, /n *.docx, /n *<string>* | Default Segment |
/x | Uses signature mode, which examines file types and works on all file systems. | Signature |
/y:<type(s)> | Scans for files with specific file types. Separate multiple entries by using commas. For a list of extension groups and corresponding file types, see the table, “Signature mode extension groups and file types” in the section, “About modes and file systems”. | Signature |
/# | Shows signature mode extension groups and corresponding file types in each group. | All |
/? | Shows a quick summary of syntax and switches for general users. | All |
/! | Shows a quick summary of syntax and switches for advanced users. | All |
SEE ALSO: How to Transfer Data from old Phone to New one?
Windows File Recovery: Modes and Examples
Windows File Recovery supports three modes that you can use to recover deleted files – Default, Segment, and Signature. So, let’s check how to use all three modes.
1. Default Mode Examples
For recovering a specific file from your C: drive to the recovery folder on an E: drive.
winfr C: E: /n \Users\<username>\Documents\FileName.docx
To recover JPEG and PNG photos from your Pictures folder to the recovery folder on an E: drive use the following command format.
winfr C: E: /n \Users\<username>\Pictures*.JPEG /n \Users\<username>\Pictures*.PNG
Use the following command to recover your Documents folder from your C: drive to the recovery folder on an E: drive.
winfr C: E: /n \Users\<username>\Documents\
Make sure to add the backslash (\) at the end of the folder.
2. Segment Mode (/r) Examples
Use the following command to recover PDF and Excel files from your C: drive to the recovery folder on an E: drive.
winfr C: E: /r /n *.pdf /n *.xlsx
To recover any file with the string “bill” in the filename by using wildcard characters use the following command.
winfr C: E: /r /n *bill*
3. Signature Mode (/x) Examples
When you are using the signature mode, you can see the supported extension groups and corresponding file types using the following command.
winfr /#
To recover deleted JPEG (jpg, jpeg, jpe, jif, jfif, jfi) and PNG files from your C: drive to the recovery folder on an E: drive, use the following command.
winfr C: E: /x /y:JPEG,PNG
For recovering ZIP files (zip, docx, xlsx, pptx, and so on) from your C: drive to the recovery folder on an E: drive.
winfr C: E:\RecoveryTest /x /y:ZIP
More Details About Modes and File Systems
As stated on Microsoft’s support website, Windows File Recovery supports the following file systems. Also, you can read on to decide which mode to use under which condition.
1. Supported File Systems
Windows File Recovery supports several file systems that vary depending on the storage device or operating system. Recovering files from non-NTFS file systems is only supported in signature mode. To see which file system you have, right-click on a drive in File Explorer and select Properties.
| File system | Examples |
| FAT and exFAT | SD cards, Flash or USB drives (< 4GB) |
| ReFS | Windows Server and Windows Pro for Workstations |
| NTFS | Computers (HDD, SSD), external hard drives, flash or USB drives (> 4GB) |
2. Which Mode to Use?
You can use the following table to decide which mode is suitable for you. So, if you’re not sure, just start with the default mode.
| File System | Circumstances | Recommended Mode |
| NTFS | Deleted recently. | Default |
| NTFS | Deleted a while ago, after formatting a disk or a corrupted disk. | First, try Segment, then Signature |
| FAT, exFAT, ReFS | The recovery file type is supported (See table below) | Signature |
3. Signature Mode Extension Groups and File Types
The following table contains the extension groups and the supported file types for each group. This will be helpful when you use the /y:<type(s)> switch.
| Extension group | File type |
| ASF | wma, wmv, asf |
| JPEG | jpg, jpeg, jpe, jif, jfif, jfi |
| MP3 | mp3 |
| MPEG | mpeg, mp4, mpg, m4a, m4v, m4b, m4r, mov, 3gp, qt |
| PNG | png |
| ZIP | zip, docx, xlsx, pptx, odt, ods, odp, odg, odi, odf, odc, odm, ott, otg, otp, ots, otc, oti, otf, oth |
SEE ALSO: How to Bypass Recycle Bin Permanently in Windows 10?
Recovering Lost or Deleted Files using Windows File Recovery
Windows File Recovery may not be the best tool available online for recovering lost/permanently deleted files but it does work. Plus it is created by Microsoft and nobody knows Windows better than Microsoft. So, we might see some improvements to the Windows File Recovery tool soon. You can check more details and FAQs here.
You may not be able to recover all of your deleted files using single mode, so, try other modes as well. We suggest you try Default mode first, then Segment mode, and finally use Signature mode. Hope you liked the tutorial. Feel free to drop your queries and suggestions in the comments below.
