I accidentally deleted a very important video while cleaning up my computer. It is no longer in the Recycle Bin because I already emptied it. Is there still a realistic way to recover it, and what should I do first to avoid making things worse?
3 Answers
For the best chance of recovery, shut the computer down, remove the drive, and scan it from another computer. Tools like ddrescue, EaseUS, or GetDataBack can help. Using a write blocker is even safer because it prevents recovery software or the operating system from changing the drive.
Stop using that storage drive as much as possible. Deleted files may still be recoverable until their space is overwritten, so avoid downloading, copying, or installing anything onto the same drive. A recovery tool such as Recuva may be worth trying, but install it on a different drive if you can and save recovered files somewhere else too.
Before assuming it is gone, search the entire computer for the original filename rather than just the video extension. Some media players and editing programs create autosave files or duplicate the video under a different name or extension. If recovery software finds it, do not restore it to the drive you are scanning.

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