There are many instances through which people lose data on personal computers. If you use a shared laptop for instance, people might easily delete files accidentally and you can be affected. This makes data protection very important and you should consider using passwords to protect your work in public computers.

On the other hand, you may have just updated your laptop computer from Windows 10 to Windows 11. This update is more likely to contribute to the loss of your data if you forgot to back them up. You will therefore need an immediate recovery solution.

Apparently, there are many ways you can recover data including by using data recovery software. Check out these proven methods to recover deleted files on Windows 11 among other devices. Below are some of the proven methods to restore lost data from a Windows 11 Laptop. 

Method 1: The Undo Command

If you have just lost your data through accidental deletion, you may have more chances. You might have just realized that you deleted the wrong files. The undo command helps you in such a situation but only if undertaken within the shortest time possible. 

Fortunately, the command is much easier to execute. Below are the steps just in case you are not sure where to start.

Step 1: Locate the undo button on the top left corner of your window if you are using Microsoft documents such as word.

Step 2: tap on the button to undo the changes and your data will be restored. 

The two steps should quickly get you back the deleted files. Otherwise, use the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl + Z.” quickly undo the files you have deleted. Some of the operations you can undo include copy, delete, rename etc. 

Some things to note for effectively using the undo function include:

• Do not delete the files from recycle bin
• The operation is very time-sensitive and must be carried out immediately to be effective
• If your laptop went off and you need to restart it to perform this operation, you will not be able to restore lost data with this method.

Method 2: Recover from Recycle Bin 

The Recycle Bin is designed by Windows systems as a means of protecting you from unwarranted data losses caused by accidental deletion. It is where all the data you delete are automatically sent to for temporary storage. 

All Windows computers including Windows 11 laptops have this feature and you will be able to use it to restore your data. You may however not be able to use it if your data was deleted more than 30 days ago or if they were deleted with the shift button. This is because permanently deleted files are removed from the Bin and can only be recovered with a data recovery software. 

If you feel your files were deleted a few minutes or days ago and they are still in the Recycle Bin, proceed with this method to restore lost data on your laptop. Follow the steps below.

Step 1: Open Recycle Bin by right-clicking on it or by double-clicking on it

Step 2: Select the files you need to recover by clicking on them to highlight them. 

Step 3: Now tap the “Restore” button to restore the selected files.

If you emptied the recycle bin after deleting your files in Windows 11, they will not be available for recovery by this method. If this is the case, you will require backups or an existing history to recover the files. You can also use data recovery software to improve your recovery experience.

Method 3: Restore from Previous Backup

Backups are an easy way to recover lost files from Windows 11 Laptops. If you have the habit of backing up files and the files you lost had been previously backed up, you will easily get them back with this method. 

There are several methods people use to back up files. Some of these include: 

• Windows File History
• Backup and Restore 
• OneDrive
• System Image Backups

There are also third-party backup and restore methods such as:

• Google Drive
• Dropbox Backup
• MiniTool ShadowMaker

You could have used any of the backup tools above to secure your files before they were deleted from your Windows 11 laptop. Each of the methods have different ways of retrieving lost files from the computer. We will show you how to use Google Drive below. 

If you backed up your files on Google Drive, then you can recover them by following the steps below. 

Step 1: Go to Gmail login and sign in with your email and password.

Step 2: Locate the “Drive” from the menu and tap on it. 

Step 3: Select the files you backed up from the list by clicking on them.

Step 4: Tap “Download” on the menu appearing on the top right corner.

Method 4: Recover Data with Windows 11 Data Recovery Software

You may have lost very important files especially with Windows 11 upgrade. If the methods above cannot help you restore the data, then you will need a versatile data recovery software. That is where Disk Drill by CleverFiles comes in. 

Data recovery software is the most effective and efficient method to get back lost data on any device. Currently there are many data recovery software most of which claim to perform data recovery of all forms of data and support any storage device. 

Disk Drill is the best data recovery app for Windows 11 and comes with both quick and deep scan features that will help you scan and retrieve all lost data in record time. 

To use this software, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Visit the official CleverFiles website to download and install the software

Step 2: Launch it and search for the lost files with the 

Step 3: Preview the files in the preview window after search results are displayed

Step 4: Select the ones you need to restore, click “Restore” and choose where to send them

Step 5: check if your files are back in their original location.

Conclusion

Retrieving lost data from a Windows 11 laptop is made easier now. If you can read the methods discussed again, you will quickly master the art of laptop data recovery with this guide. However, we also encourage you to follow strict precautions with your laptop to avoid constantly losing your data.