What to do right now
- Check backups, OneDrive and Previous Versions first; they are the best chance.
- If you still want to scan, do it immediately and from another drive.
- Expect all-zero results if TRIM has already run; that is not a tool failure.
What to do
Look for copies outside the SSD
Cloud recycle bins, version history, File History on an external drive and email attachments survive TRIM. Check them first.
Check whether TRIM is enabled
Open Command Prompt and run fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify. A result of 0 for NTFS means TRIM is enabled, which is the default for internal SSDs.
Check Previous Versions
Restore points create shadow copies on the same drive that TRIM does not affect while they exist. Right-click the folder › Properties › Previous Versions.
Scan if TRIM may not have applied
External SSDs behind some USB adapters, drives with TRIM disabled and volumes that were not mounted after the deletion may still hold data. Run the Balanced scan from another drive.
Read the result labels
If recovered files contain only zeros, FileFix Ultimate marks them as likely unrecoverable rather than pretending they were recovered.
What TRIM does
Flash memory cannot overwrite a block directly; it has to erase it first. To keep writes fast, Windows sends a TRIM command when files are deleted, telling the SSD which blocks are free. The SSD then erases them in the background or simply returns zeros when they are read. From the outside the data is gone, and no software can bypass the controller to read it.
This happens quickly, often within seconds or minutes of deletion, and it is a feature, not a fault. It keeps the SSD fast and is also why SSDs are safer to sell after deleting files.
When SSD recovery can still work
Recovery can succeed when TRIM did not reach the drive: some USB enclosures do not pass TRIM through, TRIM can be disabled, older operating systems did not send it, and a formatted volume that was not mounted afterwards may not have been trimmed. Files that still exist in a shadow copy can also be recovered.
When it won't work
- TRIM has run for the deleted blocks: reads return zeros or unrelated data.
- The SSD is hardware-encrypted and the key changed, for example after a secure erase.
- The SSD has failed and is not detected; this needs a lab with access to the controller.
How FileFix Ultimate helps
- Detects SSDs with TRIM support in the pre-check and tells you up front that chances are low.
- Marks results that contain only zeros as likely unrecoverable and explains that TRIM is the likely cause, instead of saving empty files as successes.
- Lists Volume Shadow Copies and lets you scan them read-only.
- Still recovers files from SSD volumes where TRIM did not apply.
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
Can I turn TRIM off to recover files?
Turning it off now does not bring back blocks that were already trimmed. It only affects future deletions, and it slows the SSD down over time.
Do recovery labs get data back after TRIM?
Generally no. After TRIM, the controller reports those blocks as empty. Labs help when an SSD has failed, not when data was trimmed.
Is a USB stick an SSD?
Both use flash memory, but most USB sticks and SD cards do not receive TRIM, so deleted files on them usually remain recoverable.