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Recover Deleted Files on Windows 10 & 11

Restore files emptied from the Recycle Bin, lost after a Windows update, or wiped during a reformat. SafeRestore reads NTFS, exFAT, and FAT32 volumes at the sector level to bring back documents, photos, videos, and email archives even when the file table is gone.

Why SafeRestore

NTFS Sector-Level Scan

Reads the raw NTFS journal ($MFT) and free clusters to rebuild files Windows itself can no longer see, including those past Recycle Bin retention.

200+ File Signatures

Carves DOCX, XLSX, PDF, JPG, RAW, MP4, OST/PST, and more by header signature — works even on reformatted or RAW-mounted volumes.

Read-Only & Local

Mounts target drives read-only to prevent overwriting. Nothing is uploaded — recovery happens entirely on your PC, suitable for confidential work data.

How Recovery Works

  1. Stop Using the Drive. Stop saving new files to the affected drive. New writes can overwrite the deleted file's clusters and make recovery impossible.
  2. Run Free Scan. Install SafeRestore on a different drive, point it at the affected volume, and run a Quick Scan first then Deep Scan if needed.
  3. Preview & Recover. Preview recovered files in-app to confirm they're intact, then save them to a separate drive — never the source.

Common Windows File Loss Scenarios We Recover

Recommended: SafeRestore Recovery — $19.99

Full deep scan + file carving + 200+ formats. One-time purchase, lifetime license.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover files after emptying the Recycle Bin on Windows?

Yes — emptying the Recycle Bin only removes the file table entry, not the actual data on disk. SafeRestore's Deep Scan reads raw NTFS clusters to find and rebuild deleted files. Success rate is highest if you stop using the drive immediately after deletion.

Does Windows have a built-in tool for this?

Microsoft offers a command-line utility called Windows File Recovery (winfr.exe) on Windows 10/11. It works for some cases but has no preview, no GUI, and only supports certain file systems. SafeRestore gives you an interface, file preview, and broader file-system support including reformatted drives.

Will recovery work on a formatted hard drive?

Yes. A quick format only clears the file table; the underlying data stays on disk until overwritten. SafeRestore's Deep Scan rebuilds files by signature even after formatting. A full format (zero-fill) erases data and is not recoverable.

Can SafeRestore recover from a drive that won't boot?

Yes. Connect the unbootable drive to a working Windows PC as a secondary drive (USB-to-SATA adapter or mounting in another PC). Run SafeRestore on the working machine and point it at the connected drive.

Is there a file size or count limit?

No file size or count limit on the paid Recovery tier. The free scan shows you everything that's recoverable; you only pay when you decide to actually save the files.

Does it work on Windows 7 or 8?

Yes. SafeRestore runs on Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11 (64-bit). For older versions, the file-system support is the same — NTFS, FAT32, and exFAT all work identically.

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