Step by step
Stop using the drive
Do not save, download or install anything on the drive that held the deleted files. Every write can overwrite the data you want back. If it was your system drive, close programs and avoid browsing until the files are recovered.
Check the Recycle Bin and backups first
Look in the Recycle Bin, OneDrive's recycle bin and File History or "Previous versions" on the folder. These are faster and more complete than any recovery scan.
Download the app to a different drive
Download FileFix Ultimate on another computer or save it to a different drive, such as a USB drive. Use the portable ZIP if you do not want to install anything on the affected PC.
Choose the drive and start a scan
Open the app, go to Deleted Recovery and select the drive, memory card or disk image. Start with the recommended scan; it reads file system records first and then searches for file signatures.
Filter and preview the results
Narrow the list by file type, name, folder or confidence. Preview images, text and PDFs to find the right version before recovering.
Recover to a different disk and check the report
Choose a destination on another drive. When it finishes, the report shows which files were validated and which were only extracted, so you know what to open and check.
Why deleted files can often be recovered
When Windows deletes a file, it does not erase the content. It marks the space as available and removes the entry from the folder. On NTFS, the file's record in the Master File Table usually survives for a while; on FAT32 and exFAT, the directory entry is flagged as deleted. FileFix Ultimate reads these records to rebuild names, folders and dates.
If the records are gone, a signature search scans raw sectors for the known start of files such as JPEG, PNG, PDF, ZIP or Office documents. Files found this way often lose their original names, so sort them by type and preview them.
Quick scan or deep scan?
Start with the recommended scan. It is fast and keeps the original names and folder structure whenever the file system still knows them.
Use the deep signature scan when the quick scan finds nothing, when the drive was formatted, or when you are looking for photos on a camera card. It takes longer because it reads every sector, and it finds content rather than names.
USB drives, SD cards and external disks
Memory cards and USB sticks usually use FAT32 or exFAT and do not use TRIM, which makes them good candidates for recovery. Remove the card from the camera or phone, connect it with a card reader and do not take new photos on it.
If Windows asks you to format the card, choose Cancel. Formatting can make recovery harder. Scan the card as it is.
When recovery is unlikely
On SSDs with TRIM, deleted data is usually erased within minutes. Overwritten files, BitLocker drives without the recovery key and physically damaged drives are also very hard or impossible to recover. Be wary of any tool that promises otherwise.
If the drive clicks, grinds or disconnects, stop and contact a professional data recovery service. Repeated scans can destroy a failing drive.
Quick checklist
- Stop writing to the drive as soon as you notice the loss
- Check the Recycle Bin, OneDrive and File History first
- Run the app from a different drive
- Always save recovered files to another disk
- Open the important files yourself to confirm they work