5 Ways for How to Recover Deleted Games on Windows 10 PC [2021 Guide]
Deleting games accidentally on PC can be frustrating, not just because you lose the game, but also the associated game data, which means you'll have to start from scratch if you reinstall the game. Fortunately, there are ways to recover deleted games on PC, and I've outlined five methods for you to try. Alternatively, you can also use Deep Data Recovery to recover the deleted game data.
If you've accidentally deleted a game on Windows 10 after making progress in it, or deleted one after getting frustrated with a tough boss or level, you might be regretting your actions. Fortunately, there are methods to recover deleted games on your Windows 10 PC. In this tutorial, you'll learn 5 different ways to retrieve your deleted game, so you can get back to playing without starting from scratch.
Method 1: Restore Deleted Games on PC by Restoring from Recycle Bin
If you deleted a game from your Windows 10 computer by mistake, the first place to check for recovery is the Recycle Bin. When files are deleted from a computer, they are often temporarily stored in the Recycle Bin, allowing you to recover them if needed. So, if you deleted a game due to intense emotions or simply by accident, checking the Recycle Bin is the most common way to recover it.
1. Double click on the recycle bin to open it.
2. To locate your game file in the recycle bin, go through the files in the bin and search for the game file. If you can't find it, try checking the bin's contents in detail, and if it's still not found, you might want to restore the deleted file from the recycle bin or contact the game's support for further assistance.
3. Once your find it, right-click on the game file.
4. Click on Restore in the list that shows.
Restoring a game file will put it back in its original location, undoing the deletion that occurred.
Note: The file will only be in the recycle bin if deleted using the delete command or Shift key, but not if permanently deleted using Shift+Del, and it won't be there if deleted from an external drive.
Method 2: Use Software to Recover Deleted Games on PC
If you've permanently deleted a game file and it's not in the recycle bin, you can still recover it using Deep Data Recovery software. This tool allows you to scan for deleted files using two efficient modes, making it easy to recover your game file even if it's been completely deleted from your system. The software is user-friendly and doesn't require special training to use, and it's compatible with various file types, so you can be confident in recovering your game file.
Deep Data Recovery is a software that can recover lost or deleted data from various devices and storage media. To use it, you would need to download and install the software, then follow the on-screen instructions to select the type of data you want to recover and the location where it was stored.
1. Download and launch the software from an external device, preferably, to increase your chances of recovering your game file.
2. Choose the file type you want to recover, selecting all file types by default, then click "Next" to proceed to the next step, or cancel unnecessary file types and check "All File Types" to increase recovery chances.
3. After clicking "Next", you'll need to select the location to scan for the game file, choosing the partition or disk drive where it was previously located, including external storage devices. The program will then scan the selected location and display the search results. For locations like desktop, favorites, or libraries, you may need to select the system partition to recover deleted files on your Windows 10 PC.
4. The program will list all the found files, and you can search through them to locate your game file. If a quick scan doesn't find it, you can perform a deep scan, which is a more intense search that takes longer but is more efficient at data recovery. This should allow you to locate your game files.
Note: Using software to recover data involves data restructuring, so it's essential to refrain from installing anything on your computer before the data recovery process to avoid ruining your chances of recovering your data.
Method 3: Use Windows File Recovery Tool
To recover your game files for free, you'll need to download and install the Windows File Recovery Tool from the Microsoft store, which requires some training and understanding. This tool is not preinstalled on your computer, so you'll need to check if your Windows 10 version supports it (it's available for Windows 10 version 2004 and onwards).
Window Recovery Tool operates in three different modes:
Recuva is a software tool that specializes in recovering deleted files from NTFS partitions/volumes. It can recover files that were deleted recently, and is capable of restoring them to their original location or to a specified location.
Segment Mode is a feature that can recover files that were deleted a long time ago, as well as files from a formatted or corrupted NTFS disk.
In situations where Segment mode fails or when dealing with non-NTFS volumes/partitions, Signature Mode is employed as an alternative.
To recover a deleted game from Windows 10 using the Windows Recovery Tool, you can follow these steps: First, go to the Microsoft Store and download the Windows Recovery Tool. Once installed, open the tool and select the "Recover" option.
1. Download and install the tool from Microsoft Store.
2. Once the installation is complete, the tool will automatically launch. If not, you can open it by searching for it in Windows search.
3. Click on Yes if the User Control Window comes up.
4. To recover files using the Winfr command, type "winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/switches]" in the cmd interface, pressing Enter afterwards. Ensure the source and destination drives are different, as the command cannot recover files from the same drive.
The default mode command is used to search for files. An example of this command is "winfr D: F: /n \Users\John\Princeofpersia", where "John" is your username. If the search filter contains spaces, enclose the search string in double quotes.
For example winfr D: F: /n "D:\Prince of Persia"
For segment mode, add the "r" switch at the end of the code, such as `..
In segment mode, recovered files are grouped into subfolders based on their file types.
When a non-NTFS volume or segment mode fails, the system falls back to signature mode, which can be initiated with the "/x" switch.
For example winfr D: F: /n \Princeofpersia /x
Note: The `USER` command is used to recover a specific deleted file, rather than retrieving all deleted files. This is helpful when you need to recover a particular file that was mistakenly deleted, without having to sift through every deleted file.
The recovery process may take some time, depending on the size of the information being recovered.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by the process, don't worry - there are easier alternatives. You can use a hard drive recovery program, which is a simpler solution compared to this method. Alternatively, you can also refer to the methods that follow, which may be more straightforward and effective.
Method 4: Use Windows System Restore Points on Windows 10 to Restore Deleted Games
If the previous method fails, you can restore your game file using a recent backup. Windows System Restore Point functions by making an image copy of Windows files and other information. This allows you to recover files like your games by restoring Windows to a state where it contained these deleted files. To do this, you can use the System Restore feature to revert your system to a previous point in time when the game file was still available. This can help you recover your game file if the previous method fails.
1. In the search, type in Create a Restore point and press the Enter Key.
2. Once the Window appears, press System Restore and click on Next.
3. Now, choose the recently created restore points and click on "Scan for affected programs" to see which programs will be affected by the system restore.
4. Windows 10 will then scan all the files you have, and then click on Next.
5. To restore your system to an earlier state and recover the deleted game file, click on the "Finish" option. This will initiate the system restoration process, bringing back the previous state of your system that included the deleted game file.
6. Restart your computer after the restoration of your system.
Method 5: Use File History to Restore Deleted Games
To recover deleted games on Windows using File Explorer, go to File History, and restore a previous version of the application, which will help you recover the lost game.
1. Pressing the Windows key and the letter E at the same time will open File Explorer.
2. Then, open the folder than contained the game file.
3. Once you find the game folder, right-click from within it and choose Properties.
4. In the Window that follows, click on Previous Versions tab.
5. You will be able to see copies of the deleted game, then choose a recently removed file, press Apply and click on OK.
6. Once you are done, restart your computer to make the changes effective.
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