When a file is deleted on a computer, it doesn’t immediately disappear from the system. Instead, it goes into a sort of recycle bin or trash folder where it can potentially be recovered if needed. The exact location of these recently deleted files depends on the operating system and configuration, but there are some commonalities across Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS.
Windows
On Windows PCs, deleted files are sent to the Recycle Bin by default. The Recycle Bin acts as a temporary holding place for deleted files, allowing you to restore them if you change your mind or delete something by accident. It’s essentially Windows’ version of a trash can.
The Recycle Bin is typically located on the desktop, but you can also access it directly by opening File Explorer and looking under “Quick access.” Here you’ll see a Recycle Bin icon which provides access to recently deleted files.
When you permanently delete files from the Recycle Bin, they are marked as free space on the hard drive and overwritten as needed when new data is saved. So deleting something from the Recycle Bin makes recovery extremely difficult, if not impossible, without specialized data recovery software.
In addition to the main desktop Recycle Bin, every drive partition on Windows has its own Recycle Bin. So deleted files on secondary hard drives, external drives, USB sticks, etc. will go to the Recycle Bin specific to that volume. This allows you to recover files deleted from other locations besides just the main system drive.
Changing the Recycle Bin location
While the Recycle Bin is normally on the desktop, it is possible to change its location if needed. Here’s how:
- Open the Recycle Bin properties window (right-click the Recycle Bin icon and select Properties)
- Click the Drive tab
- Under “Location of the Recycle Bin,” click the drop-down menu to choose another drive/folder location
- Click OK to save the new destination
This allows you to move the Recycle Bin off the desktop if needed, or store it on a different drive.
Permanently deleting files
If you want to permanently delete files from your Windows system without the option to recover from the Recycle Bin, you can do so by selecting “Permanently delete” when deleting files or right-clicking and shift-deleting files/folders. This bypasses the Recycle Bin entirely.
Files deleted this way will be marked as free space and irretrievable through normal means once they are overwritten by new data.
Mac
The Mac equivalent of the Recycle Bin is the Trash folder. When files are deleted on a Mac, they are sent to the Trash folder by default.
Like the Recycle Bin, the Trash provides easy access to recently deleted files in case you want to restore them. The Trash is located at the end of the Dock by default, but can also be accessed through Finder under “Locations.”
When files are deleted from the Trash, they are marked as free space and eventually overwritten by new files as needed. Permanent deletion makes standard recovery very difficult.
On Macs, each storage volume has its own Trash folder as well. So external drives, network shares, etc. will all have separate Trash locations that store deletes from those locations.
Emptying the Trash
To permanently delete files from a Mac and make space, you need to empty the Trash. This can be done in a few ways:
- Right-click the Trash icon on the Dock and select Empty Trash
- Open the Trash folder in Finder, click File > Empty Trash
- Use the keyboard shortcut Shift + Command + Delete
Emptying the Trash will permanently erase all files stored there, making recovery very difficult.
Secure empty trash
For more secure deletion, Macs offer a “Secure Empty Trash” option. This overwrites the disk space used by the deleted files several times to prevent recovery. To use this option:
- Open the Trash folder
- Click Finder > Secure Empty Trash
- Confirm you want to securely delete the files
This process takes longer but more thoroughly deletes the files and prevents recovery through standard means.
Linux
On Linux distributions like Ubuntu and Debian, the Trash takes the role of the Recycle Bin for deleted files. When using the GUI file managers, files are sent to the ~/.local/share/Trash/ folder on the same drive by default when deleted.
The Trash folder maintains the original folder structure of the deleted files and allows recovery until the Trash is emptied.
To permanently delete files on Linux and make space, emptying the Trash is required. This can typically be done by:
- Right-clicking the Trash icon and selecting Empty Trash
- Using the keyboard shortcut Shift + Delete while deleting files
- Running the command
rm -rf ~/.local/share/Trash/*
Once deleted from the Trash, file recovery is extremely difficult on Linux without advanced data recovery methods.
Bypassing the Trash
You can also bypass the Trash entirely by shift-deleting files in the file manager. Or by using the rm command rather than mv to remove files. Files deleted this way go straight to being marked as free space rather than being stored in the Trash temporarily.
Android
On Android devices, the trash or recycle bin equivalent is the “Recently Deleted” folder. When you delete photos, files, apps, etc. on an Android device, they get stored in the Recently Deleted folder for up to 30 days.
To access Recently Deleted:
- Open the Files app
- Go to Browse > Recent
From here, you can restore deleted items if needed, or tap and hold to permanently delete them before the 30 day period is up.
If you want to manually empty Recently Deleted to permanently erase files, tap and hold any file and select “Empty trash” at the bottom. This will permanently delete all contents.
Deleting without Recently Deleted
Some Android devices may allow you to disable the Recently Deleted feature entirely. This will cause files to bypass the trash and be immediately deleted when you remove them.
You can also sometimes bypass Recently Deleted by deleting items from within the app itself rather than through the Files app.
iOS
On iOS devices like iPhones and iPads, there is no central Recycle Bin or Trash location. However, the operating system implements a “soft delete” for many types of files.
When you delete photos, messages, notes, and other data on iOS, they get marked as deleted but may not get immediately removed from the storage. This provides a window of about 40 days where you can recover recently deleted items if you have made a mistake.
For example, deleted photos can be recovered using the Recently Deleted album in the Photos app. Deleted notes go to the Recently Deleted folder in Notes, and so on.
To permanently erase deleted data on iOS:
- Use the “Empty Album” or “Empty Folder” options in the appropriate apps
- Turn off iPhone/iPad completely, then turn back on after some time has passed
This will force iOS to purge any data that was marked for deletion. Complete recovery becomes very difficult at this point without resorting to professional data recovery services.
The bottom line
While the exact location and temporary store may differ, most operating systems use a version of a Recycle Bin or Trash folder to hold deleted files for a period of time. This allows accidentally deleted files to be recovered.
To truly delete a file permanently, it has to be removed from this temporary storage, either manually or automatically after a certain number of days. At that point, recovery becomes extremely difficult without professional data recovery assistance.
So in summary:
- Deleted files go to a temporary Recycle Bin or Trash location
- They can be recovered from there until that temporary store is emptied
- Permanent deletion happens when the files are removed from the temporary store
- Once permanently deleted, standard recovery is unlikely without professional help
Knowing where your deleted files are stored temporarily gives you a window to recover them if needed. But be sure to empty the Recycle Bin/Trash periodically to permanently erase items and make disk space.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you recover permanently deleted files?
It becomes very difficult to recover files after they have been permanently deleted, but it can be possible in some cases. With advanced data recovery software and techniques, some or all of a deleted file may be able to be retrieved from the disk if the space has not been completely overwritten with new data yet. But there is no guarantee.
Where do permanently deleted files go?
When a file is permanently deleted, it doesn’t “go” anywhere. The space it previously occupied on the storage drive is simply marked as available to be overwritten by any new data. The file itself no longer exists in a retrievable way unless recovery software can find and reconstruct some of the data before it gets overwritten.
Can deleted files be recovered after emptying recycle bin?
It becomes more difficult to recover deleted files after emptying the Recycle Bin or Trash, but not necessarily impossible. As long as the space on the disk has not been overwritten by new data yet, recovery software may be able to find and restore some or all of the deleted data. But there is no guarantee of success.
Is it possible to recover permanently deleted files from SSD?
It is generally more difficult to recover deleted files from solid-state drives (SSDs) compared to traditional hard disk drives. This is because SSDs handle deletions differently at the hardware level. However, advanced data recovery techniques may still be able to restore some deleted data in fragments. But there is no standard way to undelete files from SSDs once permanently erased.
Can files be recovered after formatting hard drive?
If a hard disk drive or storage device has been completely formatted or repartitioned, it becomes extremely difficult to recover the old files. The formatting process specifically overwrites the existing file system and marking everything as free space. However, with professional help, some fragments of files may still be recoverable from parts of the disk that were not overwritten by the formatting.
Is it possible to recover deleted files after reinstalling Windows?
When Windows is reinstalled from scratch, typically the disk is reformatted which makes file recovery very difficult. However, if an “in-place” upgrade is done without formatting, then data recovery software may still be able to find remnants of old files in their previous locations that were not overwritten. But there is no guarantee – a full reinstall with formatting makes recovery unlikely.
Can you recover permanently deleted files from external hard drive?
The chances of recovering a deleted file from an external hard drive depend on whether the specific disk space has been overwritten with new data yet. As long as the file can still be located intact and reconstructed from the disk before being overwritten, advanced recovery software offers the best chance of restoring it. But there are no guarantees when it comes to permanently deleted files.
What is the best free deleted file recovery software?
Some top options for free deleted file recovery software include:
| Software | Details |
|---|---|
| Recuva | Recovers files deleted from hard drives, memory cards, USB drives, etc. Simple interface. |
| TestDisk | More advanced tool that can recover lost partitions as well as undelete files. |
| Photorec | Specializes in recovering photos, videos, music and other media files. |
Paid recovery software sometimes offers more advanced features, but these free tools can recover deleted files in many cases.
Conclusion
In summary, most operating systems use a temporary Recycle Bin or Trash folder to store deleted files for a period of time before final removal. This allows accidental deletes to be reversed. Once a file is permanently deleted from that location, standard recovery becomes extremely unlikely without the help of advanced data recovery techniques. So be sure to empty your Recycle Bin or Trash periodically to purge files you don’t need anymore and free up disk space.
