When a file is deleted from a computer, it may seem like it has vanished into thin air. However, that is usually not the case. Deleted files can often be recovered, even if you emptied the Recycle Bin or Trash. So where exactly do deleted files go? Here is an explanation of what happens when you delete a file and how deleted files can sometimes be retrieved.
Where do deleted files go on a Windows PC?
On a Windows PC, when you delete a file it gets sent to the Recycle Bin. The Recycle Bin acts like a temporary holding place for deleted files. When you empty the Recycle Bin, those files get marked as free space on your hard drive. This means they are ready to be overwritten by new data.
However, even once deleted files are marked as free space, they aren’t necessarily gone for good. Those deleted files still exist on your hard drive until they get overwritten. This provides an opportunity to use data recovery software to scan for and restore accidentally deleted files.
How the Recycle Bin works
Here is a bit more detail on how the Recycle Bin functions in Windows:
- When you delete a file, it gets moved into the Recycle Bin.
- The Recycle Bin stores deleted files until it empties out or you manually empty it.
- By default, the Recycle Bin has a storage limit before it will automatically empty itself.
- Manually emptying the Recycle Bin permanently deletes all files stored in it.
- Manually deleted files stay in the Recycle Bin until you empty it out.
So when a file gets deleted, it sits in the Recycle Bin, taking up space just like any other file. It only gets permanently deleted when you manually empty the Recycle Bin. Then that space becomes available for new data.
Recovering deleted files from the Recycle Bin
As long as you have not emptied the Recycle Bin, recovering deleted files is easy:
- Open up the Recycle Bin – typically desktop shortcut or in Explorer sidebar.
- Find your deleted file listed.
- Right click on the file and select Restore.
- The file will be restored to original location.
However, once you empty the Recycle Bin, your best option for recovering deleted files is via data recovery software.
Where do deleted files go on a Mac?
The process works similarly on a Mac as on Windows. When you delete files on a Mac, they get sent to the Trash. The Trash works like the Recycle Bin in Windows.
Files remain in the Trash until it is emptied. You can restore files from the Trash back to their original location easily. But when the Trash gets emptied, either manually or when it reaches its size limit, the files get marked as free space on your hard drive.
How the Trash works
Here are some key facts about how deleting files and the Trash works on a Mac:
- Deleted files sit in the Trash until it is emptied.
- You can restore files from the Trash back to original location.
- The Trash has a maximum storage size limit.
- The Trash auto-empties when size limit is reached.
- Manually emptying the Trash permanently deletes all files inside it.
- Manually deleted files remain in Trash until you empty it.
This shows that as with Windows, deleted files on a Mac get sent to a temporary holding place, in this case the Trash. They only get permanently deleted when the Trash gets emptied, either manually or automatically when the maximum size is reached.
Recovering deleted files from the Trash
To recover deleted files from the Trash on a Mac:
- Open up the Trash – dock icon or Finder sidebar.
- Find your deleted file listed.
- Right click on the file and select Put Back.
- The file will restore to original location.
If you’ve emptied the Trash, you will need data recovery software to attempt to get deleted files back.
What happens when the Recycle Bin or Trash is emptied?
When you permanently delete files by emptying the Recycle Bin in Windows or Trash on a Mac, those files are not necessarily erased instantly. Instead, they get marked as free space on your hard drive.
This means the data for those deleted files still exists on the drive until it gets overwritten by something new. So it remains possible to recover emptied files, although more challenging without the file system still tracking them.
Effects of emptying the Recycle Bin or Trash
- Emptied files are no longer tracked by the file system.
- The space they occupied is marked as available for new data.
- Emptied files remain intact until overwritten.
- Special software can sometimes still recover emptied files.
- The more new data written, the less likely recovery is.
Due to file systems marking deleted data as available free space, emptied files won’t necessarily disappear right away. But the sooner new data overwrites them, the less recoverable they become.
Recovering permanently deleted files
If you need to recover deleted files after emptying the Recycle Bin or Trash, third party data recovery software provides your best shot. Data recovery software scans your drive looking for traces of deleted data.
There are various data recovery programs available, but some popular options include:
- Recuva
- EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
- Stellar Data Recovery
- Disk Drill
The catch is that recovering deleted files becomes less likely the more new data writes to the drive after the file deletion. So recovering recently emptied files has a higher success rate. That’s why it’s important to use data recovery software very soon after permanent file deletion.
Tips for recovering permanently deleted files
- Use data recovery software ASAP after deletion.
- Avoid writing new data to the drive.
- Scan for file types you need rather than full drive.
- Try more than recovery software for best results.
Overall, the sooner you scan for deleted files, the better your chances of getting them back. Also avoid saving new files to the drive to prevent overwritten deleted data.
Does deleting files free up space?
When you first delete a file, it may not free up space immediately on your hard drive. That’s because deleted files in the Recycle Bin or Trash still take up space.
But once you empty the Recycle Bin or Trash, then deleting files does free up space. The deleted data is marked as available for new files to be written there instead. So over time as new data overwrites the deleted files, that space gets freed up.
Freeing up space from deleted files
- Initially deleted files still take up space until Recycle Bin/Trash is emptied.
- Emptying the Recycle Bin or Trash frees up space from deleted files.
- The freed up space becomes available for new files to be written.
- New data overwrites deleted file data over time.
- The more new data written, the more space is freed.
So while deleting files may not free up disk space instantly, emptying the Recycle Bin or Trash ensures space will become available as deleted files get overwritten down the road.
Ways to permanently delete files
If you want to permanently delete files so they are unrecoverable, you need to use secure deletion techniques. Standard file deletion through the Recycle Bin or Trash won’t cut it. Here are some ways to more securely erase files:
Securely wiping free disk space
One option is using disk utility software that can overwrite free disk space. This helps ensure leftover deleted file data gets wiped out by writing over it.
Using file shredder software
File shredder or file wiping software can target specific files and overwrite their data multiple times. This makes recovery impossible by replacing file data with gibberish.
Erasing full drive with secure wipe
You can also perform a full drive secure erase using drive wiping programs. This will overwrite all drive data to make everything unrecoverable.
Physically destroying drive
For ultimate data destruction, you can physically damage the hard drive. However this makes the drive unusable. Options include drilling holes, smashing with hammer or full drive degaussing.
So in summary, standard file deletion doesn’t permanently erase data. For secure deletion, you need tools that can overwrite file data making it unrecoverable.
Conclusion
When you delete a file on your computer, it may seem to vanish instantly. But in reality deleted files initially get sent to the Recycle Bin in Windows or Trash on Mac. They only get permanently deleted when you empty the Recycle Bin or Trash.
Even then, the deleted data still exists on the drive until new data overwrites it. So it’s often possible to recover deleted files using data recovery software, unless they have been overwritten.
Once space is freed up from deleted files, new data can write over them instead. Securely wiping files requires overwriting the data to make it unrecoverable. But with standard delete operations, traces of deleted files stick around until replaced with new data.
So in summary:
- Deleted files go to the Recycle Bin or Trash initially.
- Emptying these locations marks the files as free space.
- The data remains until new data overwrites it.
- Data recovery software can often recover deleted files.
- New data writing causes permanent deletion over time.
Understanding where deleted files go and how they are handled by your computer’s file system can help you either recover valuable data, or permanently erase sensitive information.
