3.2 Find a file and recover a mistaken deletion

Look in the right folder before assuming a file has disappeared.

1. Open the likely folder, such as Documents or Downloads. Use its search box with part of the filename; check the folder and date on a result.
2. For a local file deleted normally, open Recycle Bin. Select the intended file and choose Restore to return it to its original location.
3. If it is not there, check your backup or the service’s own recycle bin. Ask for help before trying recovery tools or overwriting more data.

Recycle Bin is not a backup. Emptying it, Shift+Delete, some removable drives, and cloud services can have different recovery behavior.