How do I access windows file recovery?

Minimize use of the affected drive now, first check whether the files were moved or hidden, and then install and run Windows File Recovery from the Microsoft Store if they were actually deleted.

1. Check whether the files still exist

Before attempting recovery:

1. Open File Explorer and select This PC.
2. Search for the exact name of a missing file. You can also search by type, such as *.docx, *.pdf, or *.jpg.
3. To show hidden files, open Settings → System → Advanced → File Explorer, then enable Show hidden and system files.
4. Check the Recycle Bin.
5. If the files were stored in OneDrive, check Find lost or missing files in OneDrive. Windows files may have been relocated rather than deleted, especially following an update.^1^

If you locate a file through Search, right-click it and select Open file location.

2. Access Windows File Recovery

Windows File Recovery is a command-line application for recovering deleted files from local internal drives, external drives, and USB devices. It does not recover from cloud storage or network shares.^2^

1. Connect an external USB drive with enough free space. The recovery destination must be a different drive or physical partition from the source.
2. Open the Microsoft Store, search for Windows File Recovery, and install it.
3. Press Windows, type Windows File Recovery, and open the application.
4. Select Yes when Windows asks for permission.
5. Run a recovery command using this structure:

winfr source-drive: destination-drive: /mode /n filter

For example, if the missing files were in Documents on C: and the external drive is E::

winfr C: E: /regular /n \Users\<username>\Documents\

Replace <username> with the folder name shown under C:\Users.

To recover Word and PDF files:

winfr C: E: /regular /n *.docx /n *.pdf

Enter Y when prompted. Recovered files will be placed in a folder named Recovery_<date and time> on the destination drive.^2^

3. If Regular mode finds nothing

For an NTFS drive with recently deleted files, start with /regular. Use /extensive if the files were deleted longer ago, the drive was formatted or corrupted, the source uses FAT/exFAT, or Regular mode found nothing:

winfr C: E: /extensive /n \Users\<username>\Documents\

For missing JPEG and PNG images:

winfr C: E: /extensive /n \Users\<username>\Pictures\*.JPEG /n \Users\<username>\Pictures\*.PNG

Avoid downloading, installing, or saving anything else to the affected drive. Deleted-file space is marked as available, and continued use can overwrite the recoverable data. If Windows is installed on the affected drive, install the recovery app and write recovered data only to the external destination drive.^2^

If the drive is making abnormal noises, disconnecting, or disappearing from File Explorer, stop software recovery attempts; those symptoms require a hardware-recovery assessment rather than further writes or scans.

References

1. Find lost files after upgrading Windows | Microsoft Support
2. Windows File Recovery | Microsoft Support