Can I Recover Accidentally Deleted Google Drive File?

The Internet and the cloud are almost synonymous these days. We often store some of the most important files, valuable personal data, business documents, and project materials on the cloud. Sometimes, we accidentally delete an important file from Google Drive only to realize that it shouldn’t have been deleted in the first place. Worry not, we’ll walk you through several ways to get back your accidentally deleted file.

Method 1: Using the Trash

When you delete a file from Google Drive, it is moved to the Trash, where it stays for the next 30 days, and then permanently deleted.

Important: You will have up to 30 days to restore files from your Trash folder.

Windows/ Mac/ Linux

Method 1:

1. Sign in to your Google Drive account.
2. Click the Trash icon on the left.
3. Select the files and folders you want to restore.
4. Right-click on the selection, and choose the Restore option.

Method 2:

1. Open your Google Drive.
2. In the Search box, type in the name of the file you want to restore, followed by “is:trashed”. For example: If you’re looking to restore a file named “cat.jpg”, type “cat.jpg is:trashed”.
3. If the file exists in the Trash, it will be shown. Right-click on it and select the Restore option.

Method 3:

If you don’t remember the exact name of the accidentally deleted file, this method can be helpful:

1. Open your Google Drive.
2. Click the Trash icon on the left.
3. Click on the Date Binned column head.
4. The deleted files will be sorted by their date of deletion. Recently deleted files will appear first.

Android & iOS Devices

1. Open the Google Drive app.
2. Tap on the Menu icon, followed by the Trash option.
3. Look for the file you accidentally deleted.
4. If found, tap on the More icon (three dots) and choose the Restore option.

Method 2: Look for the Deleted File in Your Other Synced Devices

If you’re using the Google Drive desktop app and syncing the same Google Drive with multiple computers at home or work, you might be able to recover the accidentally deleted file.

Important: This method assumes that you had the Google Drive app installed on the secondary machine and it was set up to store offline copies of your files. It is also assumed that you did not connect the secondary machine to the Internet since the moment you lost the file.

1. First, turn off the router/ modem at your home/ office.
2. Turn on the secondary device synced with the same Google Drive account.
3. Switch off the Wi-Fi just in case it scans and connects to other saved networks such as mobile hotspots.
4. Open the Google Drive folder from File Explorer, and look for the offline synced copy of your accidentally deleted file.
5. If the file is found, make a copy of the file and store it on your desktop or anywhere outside of your Google Drive folder.

Method 3: Request Google to Un-delete Your File

To your surprise, the search-engine giant gives users an option to request its technicians for personalized file recovery. Obviously, there are some limitations that we would discuss here.

Important:

• Google technicians can only restore files that were owned by you. You cannot request Google to restore files that were owned by someone else and shared with you.
• Google can only recover files that were deleted during the last 25 days. If your files were deleted a long time ago, there is no way to get them back. They are permanently lost.
• If you’re a free user, don’t expect Google technicians to prioritize the recovery of your files.

Steps:

1. Sign in to your Google account.
2. Open the Google File Recovery form.
3. Fill up your first, last name.
4. Specify whether the file was deleted in the last 25 days, and agree to Google’s consent agreement.
5. Submit your request.