How to Recover Deleted Videos from PC [2025 Guide]
Ever deleted a video from your PC and instantly regretted it? Maybe it was an important work clip, a travel vlog, or a sentimental family video—whatever it was, you probably Googled in a panic, “how to recover deleted videos from PC.”
Good news: you’re in the right place. Whether you emptied your Recycle Bin or used Shift+Delete by mistake, there’s still hope. In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything I’ve learned—both from personal experience and from digging through Reddit stories—on recovering lost videos from your Windows PC.
What Happens When You Delete a Video?
Let’s start with some basics. When you delete a file, Windows doesn’t erase it instantly. It simply marks the space as “free,” meaning new data can overwrite it. Until that happens, recovery is very possible—especially if you act fast.
There are three main types of video deletion:
- Soft delete (sent to Recycle Bin)
- Hard delete (Shift+Delete or emptied Recycle Bin)
- Accidental format (drive or SD card formatted)
Each case has its own solution, and I’ll cover all of them.
Step 1: Check the Recycle Bin
It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people skip this. Double-click your Recycle Bin, sort by “Date Deleted,” and look for your missing video. If it’s there:
- Right-click > Restore Boom—your file should be back in its original folder.
Step 2: Check Windows Backup or File History
If you’ve enabled File History or another backup solution:
- Go to the folder where the video used to be
- Right-click > Restore previous versions
- Browse available backups and restore
This works only if backups were enabled before the deletion—but it’s worth a shot!
Step 3: Use Free Video Recovery Tools (Even After Permanent Deletion)
If your video is gone from the Recycle Bin and you don’t have a backup, don’t worry. Free recovery tools can scan your drive and bring files back from the digital graveyard.
🔹 My Go-To: WinfrGUI
WinfrGUI is a free, beginner-friendly version of Microsoft’s Windows File Recovery tool. I tested it recently after I accidentally deleted a batch of MP4s from my SD card—and honestly, I was impressed.
Here’s how I used WinfrGUI to get my videos back:
- Downloaded it from the official site (super lightweight)
- Selected my SD card as the target drive
- Chose “Deep Scan” mode since the files were gone from the Recycle Bin
- Waited about 5 minutes for it to scan
- Previewed the recovered videos and saved them to a different folder
Result? Over 2GB of deleted videos recovered with zero corruption. And it didn’t cost a thing.
🛠️ Other Free Tools to Try
| Tool | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Recuva | Simple, quick scans | May miss deeply deleted files |
| PhotoRec | Powerful, supports many formats | No graphical interface |
| EaseUS | Good UI, high success rate | Free version limits recovery |
Real Stories: How Others Recovered Deleted Videos
Reddit is a goldmine for honest tech stories. I found some great ones while researching this topic:
“Used WinfrGUI after my USB got corrupted mid-transfer. Took a while, but it saved my entire video project folder.”
— u/DataSaver212, r/datarecovery
“Recuva actually worked when I deleted my OBS recordings. Just make sure to recover to a different drive!”
— u/TechtokThrowaway, r/techsupport
These success stories highlight how important timing and tool choice can be.
What If Recovery Doesn’t Work?
If the tools fail, it might be because:
- The data has already been overwritten
- The drive is physically damaged
- The video was never saved in the first place
In worst-case scenarios, consider a professional data recovery service. They’re expensive, but sometimes they’re the only hope—especially for hardware damage.
Pro Tips to Prevent Video Loss in the Future
- Enable File History or OneDrive sync
- Back up large video projects regularly
- Avoid Shift+Delete unless you’re sure
- Create a Windows recovery drive (just in case!)
Final Thoughts
So—how to recover deleted videos from PC? As you’ve seen, it’s entirely possible with the right steps and tools. Whether you’re restoring from the Recycle Bin, digging into backups, or using WinfrGUI for deep recovery, the key is to act quickly and avoid using the affected drive until you’ve finished recovering.
From personal experience and dozens of community posts, I can confidently say: don’t panic. Try the methods above, and chances are, you’ll get your videos back without spending a dime.
Got questions or success stories? Drop them in the comments—I’d love to hear them.
Also Read👉How to Recover Permanently Deleted Videos with Free Software
