What to do right now
- Do not save or install anything on the drive the files were on.
- Check Previous Versions, File History and cloud recycle bins first.
- Scan with a read-only recovery tool and save the results to another disk.
Step by step
Note what you deleted and where
Write down the folder path, the file names or types and roughly when you deleted them. This lets you filter results quickly instead of scrolling through thousands of entries.
Check for copies
Right-click the folder and open Properties › Previous Versions, check File History and look in OneDrive or other cloud recycle bins. Synced folders often keep deleted files for a while.
Run FileFix Ultimate from another drive
Use the portable ZIP from a USB stick or a second disk. If the files were on D:, running the app from C: is fine, but save the results on a third location if you can.
Start with the Balanced scan
Choose the drive in Deleted file recovery. The Balanced scan reads NTFS, FAT32 or exFAT records first, which keeps original names, dates and folders when they still exist.
Recover to a different disk
Select the files, preview important ones and save them to another physical drive. Open them afterwards to confirm they are complete.
Shift+Delete is not a secure erase
A normal deletion and Shift+Delete end in the same state on the disk: the file system marks the file's space as free and hides its entry. Neither overwrites the content. Secure erasing tools do overwrite it, which is why they are used before selling a drive.
The difference is only the safety net. With the Recycle Bin you can restore with one click; with Shift+Delete you need a recovery scan. Your odds are about the same as recovering from an emptied Recycle Bin.
HDD, SSD, USB stick: why the drive type matters
On a hard disk, deleted data stays until the space is reused. USB sticks and SD cards usually behave the same way because they rarely receive TRIM. Internal SSDs are different: Windows sends TRIM when files are deleted, and the SSD may clear those blocks almost immediately.
When it won't work
- Internal SSD with TRIM enabled: the content is usually erased by the drive itself shortly after deletion.
- New files were saved to the same drive afterwards and reused the space.
- The files were deleted by a wiping tool that overwrote them on purpose.
How FileFix Ultimate helps
- Shows a pre-check before scanning: SSD/TRIM, encryption or read errors are flagged so you know your realistic chances.
- Recovers names and folder paths from file system records where they survive, not only raw content.
- Previews images, text and PDFs safely before you save anything.
- Blocks saving to the same volume so a recovery cannot overwrite the files it is recovering.
FileFix Ultimate is free, works offline and never writes to the drive you are recovering from. Check the signature before you run it.
Frequently asked questions
Are Shift+Deleted files gone forever?
Not immediately. They are removed from view, but the data usually remains on hard drives, USB sticks and memory cards until it is overwritten. Internal SSDs are the main exception because of TRIM.
Can I undo Shift+Delete with Ctrl+Z?
Sometimes, right after deleting, Ctrl+Z in File Explorer can undo the last operation. If it does not work, use Previous Versions or a recovery scan.
Do I need administrator rights?
Scanning a whole drive usually needs administrator rights because Windows only allows raw disk access to administrators. Disk image files can be scanned without them.