What to do right now
- Right-click the file or its parent folder › Properties › Previous Versions.
- Open a version first to check it, then copy what you need to a safe place.
- If the list is empty, check File History, cloud version history or a recovery scan.
Step by step
Open Previous Versions
In File Explorer, right-click the file, or the folder that contained a deleted file, and choose Properties › Previous Versions. Windows lists the available dates and their source.
Open before you restore
Double-click a version to browse it. This lets you check that it is the right one without changing anything.
Copy rather than restore
Restore overwrites the current file. Dragging the file out of the opened version to another folder keeps both, which is safer.
Check File History
If File History was set up with an external drive or network location, open Control Panel › File History › Restore personal files and browse by date.
Look inside shadow copies directly
If Explorer shows nothing but System Protection was on, FileFix Ultimate can list the shadow copies of the drive and open one as a read-only source, which also lets you scan it for deleted files.
Where previous versions come from
Windows has two separate mechanisms. Restore points, created when System Protection is enabled for a drive, include Volume Shadow Copies: snapshots of the whole volume stored on the same drive. File History, and in older versions Windows Backup, copies your files to another drive at regular intervals.
System Protection is often on for C: and off for other drives. Shadow copies are deleted when their storage limit is reached, so older ones disappear over time. Both mechanisms must have been active before the loss; enabling them now will not help retroactively. You can check the current settings in System Properties › System Protection, which lists each drive and whether protection is on.
Why the list says there are no previous versions
No restore point or File History backup contains that item, System Protection is off for the drive, or the shadow copies were deleted. Major Windows updates and disk cleanups can remove them.
When it won't work
- System Protection and File History were both off before the loss.
- The shadow copy was created after the file was already damaged or deleted.
- Shadow copies were removed by an update, disk cleanup or lack of space.
- Ransomware often deletes shadow copies deliberately.
How FileFix Ultimate helps
- Lists all Volume Shadow Copies on the PC with their date and drive (administrator rights required).
- Opens a shadow copy as a read-only source so you can browse it or scan it for deleted files.
- Never creates or deletes shadow copies.
- Saves what you recover to a different volume.
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
Is Previous Versions the same as System Restore?
They use the same shadow copies, but System Restore rolls back system files and settings, while Previous Versions lets you open and copy individual files and folders.
How do I enable Previous Versions for the future?
Turn on System Protection for the drive in System Properties, and set up File History or another backup to an external drive.
Can I get previous versions of files on a USB stick?
Usually not. Shadow copies are generally created only for internal NTFS drives with System Protection enabled.