Accidentally Deleted Files
A file, folder or set of files has been deleted — either by mistake, through a sync error, or from an unclear cause — and isn't where it should be.
Quick answer: Check the Recycle Bin first — most accidental deletions are recoverable there in seconds. If it's not there, stop using the drive for anything else immediately, since continuing to save or install things can overwrite the deleted file and make recovery much harder.
Likely causes
- Accidental deletion, often just needing a check of the Recycle Bin
- A cloud sync issue (OneDrive, Google Drive, iCloud) where a deletion on one device removed the file everywhere
- The file was moved rather than deleted, and is simply somewhere else
- A drive fault causing files to become inaccessible or appear missing
What you can safely check yourself
- Check the Recycle Bin first — this recovers the majority of accidental deletions immediately
- If it's a cloud-synced folder, check the cloud service's own trash or version history (OneDrive and Google Drive both keep deleted-file trash separately from the Windows Recycle Bin)
- Search the whole drive by filename in case it was moved rather than deleted
- Stop saving new files or installing anything on the same drive if the above don't turn it up
Once a file is gone from the Recycle Bin and any cloud trash, every new file saved to that drive risks overwriting the space the deleted file occupied. Stop using the drive for anything else if the files genuinely matter, and get it looked at before trying recovery software yourself.
When it needs a proper look
If the files aren't in the Recycle Bin or cloud trash and they matter, professional recovery has a meaningfully better success rate the less the drive has been used since deletion — don't keep working on it in the meantime.