Folders deleted in windows 11

[Glitchfix]

I am reaching out in desperation just in case anyone can help! 

 

Not sure how it happened (side note may have been my dog when I left my laptop on the sofa. That's all I can think of) but 3 or 4 folders have been permanently deleted from my onedrive/file Explorer. It seems the warning emails from M365 were in my junk folder so I have subsequently lost access to them in the recycling bin as its been too long.

 

I used a tool called recoverit to see if I could retrieve the files and I could but..... they are all too damaged to repair and don't open. 

 

I have tried changing the file extension so if it was docx changing it to pdf for example. Moving the recovered files from my usb drive that I recovered them to, to a folder on my C drive. Using the open and repair tool built into Word/Excel and running the sfc /scannow tool. As well as uploading them to Google drive to see if they will open. Nothing has worked. The folders had my CV and tons of documents and spreadsheets that I have now just lost. So if anyone can help I would massively appreciate it. Im gutted  

[Glitchfix]

Oh and I also used the repairit tool to fix the files and it came back with too badly damaged to fix, when I tried to repair the files.

[W1ll1aming]

3 hours ago, Glitchfix said:

It seems the warning emails from M365 were in my junk folder so I have subsequently lost access to them in the recycling bin as its been too long.

Were the files saved / cached locally? In that case they should be equally recoverable as any other deleted file on Windows

 

It is unlikely you will get any help from Microsoft with files beyond the bin:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/onedrive-accidentally-deleted-files-beyond-recycle/dbee4a2f-edef-4160-9181-6a9edf067afa

 

Have you tried any other tools than recoverit? Maybe you will have more luck with other tools?

 

 

Microsoft has a tool for it:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-file-recovery-61f5b28a-f5b8-3cc2-0f8e-a63cb4e1d4c4

 

If you dont like the command line, follow the video and you should be fine, he explains it well there

 

For a file to be unrecoverable they must first be overwritten, no file is truly ever deleted before it is overwritten, its just marked as free space. 

 

How long is it since you accidentally deleted the files and realized their were gone?

 

More than 30 days?

If your disk is low on space then it is more likely to overwrite deleted files like that, likely would've caused the files to be corrupted

 

3 hours ago, Glitchfix said:

have tried changing the file extension so if it was docx changing it to pdf for example.

If it was dockx it wount work changing it to pdf, not even without a corrupted file,they are simply different. Different content, and such. 

[Glitchfix]

@W1ll1aming Thank you ever so much for the advice. I really appreciate it. I tried windows file recovery. Recovered the entire C drive but unfortunately the files were either restoring with complete gibberish when I open the file or windows file recovery said when I tried to restore by different file extensions ie .pptx .xls no recoverable files were found. 

 

I do have a laptop and a pc so im going to try the windows file recovery app on my PC as this was done on my laptop. Although it looks like the files may have been deleted from the laptop. 

 

I think everything was on onedrive but has been deleted locally and on onedrive by the looks of it.

 

They were deleted over 30 days ago. It's annoying that I have only just realised. Im slightly worried someone has access somehow now, as I recieved another email today advising a large amount  of files have been deleted and I haven't deleted anything, so there may be a wider issue. I do have bitdefender on both so I will run some scans. 

 

Looks like I may have lost everything important

[Glitchfix]

Update! Recovered the files Not sure how but after removing the usb with all the recovered files and putting it back in my laptop the files just opened! Literal turn it off turn it on again. So Thank you something did something! Don't care how! I have them back! 

[W1ll1aming]

On 6/21/2025 at 12:35 AM, Glitchfix said:

Update! Recovered the files

Thats great news!

Make sure to make copies so it does not happen again!

 

For the issue where you think someone may have access to your onedrive:

 

Change your password, enable two factor if not already, and sign out all active devices. 

 

That can be done from the microsoft account page. 

 

However onedrive does email you on occasion when large deletes occur, but they usually email you a short time after the deletion, as a heads up.  Usually not 30 days after. 

 

But anyway great to hear you recovered the files!