A .gd script is text source code, often tracked in a repository. Check the branch history, editor backups, and another collaborator's checkout before scanning a deleted local copy.
Search the original project folder by name and extension, including the Recycle Bin and other project locations. Check the application's recovery or backup area and any repository or team version history. A missing entry in a recent-files list does not prove that the file was deleted.
Keep the project.godot file and scene references. Do not run an unfamiliar recovered script until you review its code.
Identify the Windows-visible physical drive that held the missing Godot script (.gd). Stop saving new project versions, downloads, or exports to that drive. Prepare another physical disk for recovered results. If the source has hardware faults or disconnects repeatedly, avoid stressing it with repeated scans and seek specialist help.
Confirm whether the missing item was actually saved locally. A deleted-file scanner cannot retrieve a cloud-only file from a remote service or recreate unsaved work. Use the service's version history or the application's own recovery feature first when those are available.
Qiling Deep Data Recovery can search local Windows-visible storage for deleted files. It cannot guarantee recovery if the blocks were overwritten or cleared by SSD TRIM. Keep the scan and recovery output off the source when possible.
Open the program and match the mode to the loss: Fast Scan for a recent local deletion, Recycle Bin Scan after emptying the bin, USB/SD Scan for a removable source, or Format Scan if the original partition was formatted. The mode depends on the event, not the project file extension.
Select the disk or partition that actually stored the file. Confirm its drive letter and capacity, especially if several external disks are connected. Do not choose the separate destination disk as the source.
When results appear, search by project name and extension if available. Compare location, size, timestamp, and related files. Keep more than one plausible copy. If the source is healthy but the first pass misses the file, try the deeper scan option before changing the disk.
Select likely candidates, click Recover, and save them to a different physical drive. Keep the recovered originals unchanged and test copies in a separate project workspace; do not overwrite a working backup.
Compare functions and signals with a known revision, check syntax in a copied project, and run only in a controlled test.
If the file opens but content is missing, compare other candidates, application backups, and linked assets. A correct filename or successful preview is not proof that every referenced item survived. Back up the verified project and its dependencies.
They may point to its path, but usually not contain the full script.
Restore the .gd at the referenced path and check its dependencies.
Save the result on a different physical drive until it has been checked. Then make a separate backup of the complete project folder.