How to Recover Files Deleted by Antivirus using CMD and Software  

How to Recover Files Deleted by Antivirus using CMD and Software

Updated on Nov 11, 2023 | by Jeremy

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Unfortunately, once antivirus software has deleted a file, it's usually gone for good. However, you can try running a file recovery tool like Recuva or Deep Data Recovery Wizard, which can scan your computer for deleted files and attempt to recover them. Keep in mind that the success of file recovery depends on various factors, such as the type of file, the amount of time that has passed since the deletion, and the presence of other files on your computer. If you're unable to recover the files, you might consider contacting the antivirus software's support team to see if they can provide any assistance.

Antivirus software is essential for protecting your computer and files from virus attacks, but sometimes it can mistakenly delete important files. If this happens, you may need to recover the deleted files. Fortunately, there are ways to do so. Here, we'll discuss three methods for recovering files deleted by antivirus software.

Method #1. How to Recover Deleted Files by Antivirus Using CMD

To recover deleted files by antivirus using CMD, you'll need to have some basic computer knowledge. If you're not familiar with computer techniques, it may be challenging to complete the task. However, by following these steps, you can successfully recover deleted files.

1. To open the Command Prompt, click the Windows icon at the bottom left of the screen, or use the shortcut "Windows + R" keys to open the Run dialog box, then type in "CMD" and press Enter.

recover deleted files by antivirus using cmd

2. To recover deleted files, type the letter of the hard drive where the antivirus deleted the files used to stored and click Enter. For example, if the deleted files were saved in F, you need to type in "F:".

recover files  deleted by antivirus using cmd

3. To recover deleted files, type the command "F:attrib -h -r -s /s/d" in the Command Prompt and press Enter. This will attempt to recover deleted files from the specified drive. If successful, you can copy and paste the recovered files to a safe location on your computer.

Method #2. How to Recover Antivirus Deleted Files from Quarantined Items

Files infected with a virus are typically saved in the Quarantine or Vault folder of antivirus software, where they are stored until they are deleted after a certain period of time. To recover files deleted by a virus from the Quarantined Items, you can follow a set of steps.

1. If you've installed external antivirus software, open it and navigate to the "Menu". From there, click on "Quarantine" or "Virus vault", find the deleted files, and click "Restore" to save them on your computer.

2. To find the default Quarantine folder of the Windows Defender program on your computer, you can follow these steps: The folder is usually located at C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Quarantine. Alternatively, you can also search for it in the Start menu by typing "Quarantine" and selecting the appropriate result.

Step 1. Launch Windows Defender by clicking on it in the search results.

Step 2. Next, click the "History".

recover files deleted by antivirus

Step 3. From the History window, you need to click the "Quarantined items".

recover antivirus deleted files

Step 4. Click the "View" button to access the deleted files, then select the target files and click "Restore" to recover them.

Method #3. How to Recover Deleted Files by Antivirus with Software

If you haven't succeeded in recovering files deleted by antivirus, try the professional software Deep Data Recovery to retrieve antivirus deleted files. It's a trustworthy software specially designed for users to recover important files from the computer, flash drives and other external hard drives.

Your Effective Recover Antivirus Deleted File Software

If you've accidentally deleted files due to antivirus software, don't panic! First, check your antivirus software's settings to see if it's configured to automatically delete files it considers malicious.

Step 1. Install Deep Data Recovery

Click the DOWNLOAD button to get the installation package of the data recovery software. Install the software on your computer afterwards.

Step 2. Select Antivirus Deleted File Types

After installing the software, launch it immediately. In the new window, you'll see all supported file types selected. Deselect the unwanted file types and only select the ones you want. Then, click "Next" to proceed with restoring files deleted by Kaspersky, AVG, McAfee, and other software.

Step 3. Select the Drive Where Target Files Were Saved

In the next window, select the drive where the antivirus deleted files were saved. Click "Scan" to let the software scan this location, searching for the target antivirus deleted files.

Step 4. Recover Antivirus Deleted Files

Wait for the software to finish scanning, then filter and preview the found files, select and recover the target files.

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