How to Recover Deleted Files from Flash Drive Free
You aren’t the first person in the world if you’ve accidentally deleted the files from the flash drive. It's a common mistake many computer users repeat that can sometimes be really costly if the deleted files were important. Usually, when you delete anything from the computer it directly goes to the recycle bin and remains available for restoration unless emptied manually.
However, in the case of flash drives, data retrieval isn’t that easy. Fortunately, there are some other ways you can recover the deleted files from the flash drive. This article will explain the top 4 easy ways to recover deleted files from flash drive free.
Part 1: Can I Recover Deleted Files from Flash Drive Free
The simple answer to the question is YES, you can easily recover the deleted files from the flash drive. When you delete anything on the computer, the operating system only removes its path from the table. The data is still physically present on the computer unless it’s overwritten by the other files.
The success rate of recovering deleted files depends on various factors. The most crucial step to perform before you attempt the recovery process is to stop using the flash drive. Because every time you save/write new data on the flash drive, you overwrite the deleted files.
Part 2: How to Recover Deleted Files from Flash Drive Free with Software
The best way to recover deleted files from a flash drive is to use the professional tool 4DDiG Windows Data Recovery tool. Why the recovery tool? Manual recovery processes are usually complex and aren’t smart like programmed software.
4DDiG Free Data Recovery offers an easy, and simple data recovery with just a one-click process. It offers a user-friendly and self-explanatory user interface, making navigating the tool easier. Besides recovering data from flash drives , it also supports various other storage devices, such as external, and internal hard drives, SSDs, and memory cards.
Here’s how to recover deleted files from a flash drive free with 4DDiG Windows Data Recovery software:
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Connect the USB flash drive to the computer, and launch the 4DDiG Windows Data Recovery program. You’ll be presented with a layout showing all the available storage devices. Select the USB flash drive, and click on the Start button.
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The program will immediately start the scanning process to look for the lost/deleted files. You can pause and stop this process at any moment when the desired files are found. You can also use the filter options to narrow down your search to the targeted files.
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After the scanning process is completed, you’ll see the list of files available for recovery. Preview the files by double-clicking on them. Once you’re ready to recover the files, select, and hit on the Recover button.
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Part 3: How to Recover Deleted Files from Flash Drive Free without Software
If you aren’t comfortable using third-party software to recover deleted files from a flash drive free, there are alternatives available to perform the recovery process without using the software. Here’s how to recover deleted files from USB flash drive free without using software:
Way 1: Recover Deleted Files from Flash Drive Free via Restore Previous Versions
One of the simplest ways to recover the deleted files from USB flash drive free is via restoring the previous versions. It’s a Windows built-in feature and comes from a File History. You can easily recover the deleted files from the previous version if you had enabled it before the data loss.
Steps to recover the deleted files via restoring previous versions:
- Connect the USB flash drive to the computer, and right-click on This PC.
- Select the Properties option, then go to the Previous Version tab.
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Go through the list of available recovery options, then click on the Restore option.
Way 2: Recover Deleted Files from Flash Drive Free via CMD
CMD, better known as the command line interface, is the built-in Windows utility. It allows you to interact with the system using the commands. With CMD, you can perform various tasks, such as zip files, manage disk, and partition space, and recover files.
Here’s how to recover deleted files from USB flash drive free via CMD:
- Go to the Start Menu, search CMD, and launch it.
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Type "chkdsk X: /f" command, and execute it. Replace the “X” letter with the letter assigned to your USB flash drive by the computer.
- Next, type the "ATTRIB -H -R -S /S /D X:*.*", and press the enter key to execute. Replace the “X” letter with the letter assigned to your USB flash drive by the computer.
- Finally, wait and let the process get completed.
Way 3: Recover Deleted Files from Flash Drive Free via Windows File Recovery
Another way to recover deleted files from flash drives for free is via Windows file recovery. It’s a Microsoft recovery application that offers a quick recovery solution for recently deleted files. The only problem with it has a command line interface.
Steps to recover deleted files from the flash drive via Windows File Recovery:
- Go to the Microsoft Store, and install the Windows File Recovery.
- Connect the USB drive to the computer, and check the letter assigned to it.
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Launch the CMD as an administrator, and type the following command.
- Winfr F: C: /extensive
(Replace the F letter with the drive letter assigned to the USB flash drive, and replace C with the drive letter assigned to the storage device where you want to store the recovered files)
Part 4: FAQs about Recover Deleted Files from Flash Drive Free
Q 1: How to recover deleted files from USB using command prompt?
Launch the Cmd as an administrator, and type the “chkdsk E: /f” and “attrib -h -r -s /s /d X:\*. *” commands one by one. Replace the letter X with the letter assigned to your USB flash drive. Execute the command, and wait for the process to get completed.
Q 2: What Cause Flash Drive Data Loss?
The USB flash drive data can be lost due to various reasons, such as users' mistakes, physical wear and tear, and virus & malware attacks. Yanking the flash drive out of the computer can also cause the data corruption issue on the flash drive.
Q 3: Where do deleted flash drive files go?
Unlike the windows, the flash drive deleted files don’t go into the recycle bin. Instead, they aren’t sent anywhere but reside in the drive physically. The computer deletes the file's path and marks it as a free space.
Conclusion
Accidentally deleting or losing the important files on the flash drive can be stressful. However, there are several ways one can easily retrieve lost/deleted data. In this guide, we discussed how to recover deleted files from a USB flash drive free with the top 4 ways.The most efficient method to recover deleted/lost files from any storage device is professional software like 4DDiG Free Data Recovery, which offers a one-click solution to retrieve all of your data within no time.
