Lost files: what to do in the first few minutes

Pause before trying a recovery tool

A missing file is not always immediately erased, but continued use can overwrite the space it occupied. Stop downloads, installations and copying on the affected drive. Do not install a recovery application on that same drive. If this is your system disk, seek advice before continuing everyday work.

Look for an existing copy

If there are no signs of physical damage, check whether the file was moved rather than deleted. Prefer a different device when reviewing cloud backups and deleted-item folders. Synchronisation is not the same as a separate backup: a deletion may also reach other devices.

• Note the file names, types and last known folder.
• Record when the loss occurred and what happened immediately beforehand.

Recognise warning signs

Clicking, a burning smell, failure after a drop or repeated disconnections call for stopping further attempts. Do not repeatedly power up the drive to check it. Never open a hard drive's sealed enclosure, heat it or put it in a freezer. A software scan cannot repair physical damage.

Prepare for an assessment

Share the device model, incident history and any recovery attempts already made. Identify which files matter most and their approximate size. Encrypted storage may require a recovery key; do not post it in public messages. Recovered files belong on a separate drive. A reliable assessment cannot promise complete recovery before examining the problem.