Learn how to recover deleted files using Windows File Recovery. This guide explains installation, usage, and troubleshooting tips.
Ever deleted a file and instantly regretted it? We have all been there. In fact, according to a recent study, nearly 30% of computer users accidentally delete important files every year! Thankfully, Microsoft provides a free tool called Windows File Recovery. WFR can help bring your lost data back from the digital graveyard.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through what this tool is, how to install it, and how to actually use it without feeling overwhelmed. So if you have accidentally erased photos, documents, or even videos, this tool might just be your saving grace. Let’s dive in and get those files back!
What is Windows File Recovery?
Windows File Recovery is a command-line utility from Microsoft designed to recover deleted files from your hard drive, SSD, USB drive, or memory card. It supports recovery from NTFS, FAT, exFAT, and ReFS file systems.
Unlike tools with a fancy interface, this one’s a bit more technical, but don’t worry, once you get the hang of the basic commands, it’s surprisingly powerful. Whether your files were wiped during formatting, emptied from the Recycle Bin, or lost due to corruption, this tool can scan for remnants and recover them.
You should know upfront: it’s not magic. If new data has already overwritten your deleted files, recovery might not be possible. Still, it’s a solid first step before trying paid software.
We still highly recommend you perform monthly backups… Read More
How to Install Windows File Recovery
Installing Windows File Recovery is easier than you think no command-line skills required for this part!
- Head over to the Microsoft Store.
- Search for “Windows File Recovery”.
- Click “Get” to download and install it just like any other app.
Make sure you’re running Windows 10 version 2004 or later, or any version of Windows 11, as the tool only works on those systems. Once installed, you will find it as a command line app, just open the Start menu, search “Windows File Recovery,” and launch it from there.
How to Use Windows File Recovery
Using the tool might look intimidating at first as it’s all done through the Command Prompt, but don’t worry, I’ll break it down.
winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/mode] [/switches]The following table summarizes what each command switch is used for.
| Parameter / switch | Description | Supported mode(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Source-drive: | Specifies the storage device where the files were lost. Must be different from the destination-drive. | All |
| Destination-drive: | Specifies the storage device and folder on which to put the recovered files. Must be different from the source-drive. If your computer only has one drive. insert a USB drive. | All |
| /regular | Regular mode, the standard recovery option for non-corrupted NTFS drives | Regular |
| /extensive | Extensive mode, a thorough recovery option suitable for all file systems | Extensive |
| /n<filter> | Scans for a specific file by using a file name, file path, file type, or wildcards. For example:File name: /n myfile.docxFile path: /n /users/<username>/Documents/Wildcard: /n myfile.*/n *.docx/n *<string>* | All |
| /? | Summary of syntax and switches for general users. | All |
| /! | Summary of syntax and switches for advanced users. | All |
Before you continue, you should determine the “mode” you want to scan for the deleted file. There are three modes: Default, Segment, and Signature. Default is the fastest mode, while Segment is similar but slower and more thorough. Signature mode can search for files by type.
If you’re in doubt, just start with Default mode. You can then try Segment and then Signature if Default mode doesn’t work.
Recover a File in Default Mode
To use the default mode, you use /n followed by a search path:
- To search for a file named document.docx, you’d use
/n document.docx. You can also specify a full path to the file, such as/n UsersBobDocumentsdocument.docx - To search for all files that were in the Documents folder if your username is Bob, you’d use
/n UsersBobDocuments. - To search with a wildcard, use a *. For example
/n UsersBobDocuments*.docxwill find all DOCX files there were in the Documents folder.
Example – To search for all DOCX files on drive C: and copy them to drive D:, you can run the following command:
winfr C: D: /n *.docx
One complete, you will find the recovered files in a directory named “Recovery_[date and time]” on the destination drive you specified in the command line.
To find all files with a word in their name, use wildcards. So, to find all documents with “project” anywhere in their name, you’d run:
winfr C: D: /n *project*
You can specify multiple searches with multiple /n switches. So, to find all Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files, you’d run the following:
winfr C: D: /n *.docx /n *.xlsx /n *.pptx
To search for a specific file named important_document.pdf that was in the Users/Bob/Documents folder on drive C: — and then save it to drive D: —you’d use:
winfr C: D: /n Users/Bob/Documents/important_document.pdf
Recover a File in Segment Mode
Segment mode works almost exactly like Default mode. To use segment mode, which examines file record segments, you use /r in addition to /n .
So, if a Default mode search doesn’t find what you’re looking for, add the /r and try again. For example
winfr C: D: /r /n *.mp3
Recover a File in Signature Mode
Signature mode works a little bit differently. It examines file types, so it can only find deleted files of certain file types. To use Signature mode, you use /x to specify Signature mode and /y: to list the file type groups you’d like to search for.
To view the list of supported file types and the groups they’re sorted into run the following command:
winfr /#
Let’s say you want to search drive E: for images in JPEG format and save them to drive D:. You’d run the following command:
winfr E: D: /x /y:JPEG
You can specify multiple file groups by separating them with a space. So, if you want to find JPEG files, PDFs, and Word documents, you’d run:
winfr E: D: /x /y:JPEG,PDF,ZIP
Microsoft File Recovery Get Help
If you’re stuck, don’t panic. There are several ways to get help:
- Microsoft’s official documentation offers detailed command options and examples.
- You can type
winfr /?in Command Prompt for quick syntax help. - Community forums like Microsoft Answers and Reddit’s r/WindowsHelp have real users sharing success stories and troubleshooting tips.
Still can’t recover your file? Sometimes third-party recovery tools like Recuva or EaseUS are more user-friendly and offer GUI-based recovery. But always try the free Windows option first you have got nothing to lose.
So if you have lost a school paper, client files, or cherished family photos, Windows File Recovery might just save the day. It’s not the flashiest tool, but it’s reliable, free, and built by Microsoft themselves.
We’ve covered what the tool is, how to install it, and how to use it effectively. Even if you’ve never used a command line before. If you’re still unsure or run into trouble, there’s help available both from Microsoft and the wider tech community.
Now it’s your turn give it a shot and recover what is lost.
We still highly recommend you perform monthly backups… Read More
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