I accidentally deleted a folder with a few PDF invoices from my laptop and already emptied the recycle bin. Is there any chance I can recover them without a backup?
Annoying one, but there is still a chance if you stop using that drive straight away, as new files can overwrite the deleted data. I’d try a recovery tool such as Recuva on another computer or from an external drive, then save anything found to a different drive. My old laptop managed to recover a few homework PDFs this way, though filenames were a bit messy.
First stop saving anything to that laptop, since new files can overwrite what you want back. Check your email and Downloads folder, and if you use OneDrive look in its recycle bin online. If File History was on, Windows can restore an earlier copy. Without a backup or sync copy, a recovery utility might help but don’t count on it.
@nicholasb23 Good call on the email check, that saved me once after I wiped a whole folder of scanned permission slips. I’d also peek at your printer or scanner software, since some keep recent scans tucked away in their own folder. Avoid installing the recovery tool on the same drive, that alone can overwrite the files you want back. Learned that the hard way.
I have done that with site contracts before and it is a real headache. Since you emptied the bin, your best bet is trying a free recovery tool like Recuva. Just make sure you do not save any new files until you run it, otherwise you might overwrite the space. What operating system are you running on there?
Had the same thing last month with some invoice PDFs from a job site. Stop using that laptop much so nothing overwrites the space. Recuva pulled most of mine back, though I’m not sure it works every time. I’d try that or the built in Windows File Recovery tool.
first thing i’d check is cloud sync like onedrive or google drive, sometimes files still sit there even after deletion. also peek at your pdf reader’s recent files list in case it cached them. if you have windows file history on that might have older copies too. most important is to stop saving new stuff to that drive so the old files don’t get overwritten.
Check if you saved them to email or a cloud folder at some point, sometimes that saves you.
If not, stop using that drive and try a free recovery tool like Recuva before you write anything else to it.
@hunter99 That email tip is what saved me too, and with invoices most vendors will just resend a copy if you ask, which beats any recovery tool. I’d still grab the free Recuva on a USB stick and run it from there, and go easy on the laptop in the meantime. Learned that the hard way after overwriting a grant report.
Stop saving new files to that drive right now so you do not overwrite them. Tbh, if they are invoices, the easiest fix is usually checking your sent or received email attachments to download them again.
Mia Cork has it right, the vendor resend route is honestly the fastest. I’ve found invoices get sent twice anyway, once to you and once to accounting, so there’s usually a copy floating around in email. Recovery tools are a last resort for me since results are hit or miss with emptied bins.