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LucasTurner's avatar
LucasTurner
Iron Contributor
Apr 14, 2025

How to recover files deleted or quarantined by windows defender on Windows 11?

Hi all, Windows Defender on my Windows 11 computer mistakenly deleted some of my important files, probably due to a false alarm. Now the files are either deleted outright or quarantined. Is there any way to recover files deleted or quarantined by windows defender? It would be best if I can restore from quarantine or is there any other data recovery method?

I tried to check the quarantine item in the "Virus and Threat Protection" of Windows Security Center, but I couldn't find the relevant option. Also checked the Recycle Bin and the deleted files are not there. I'm not sure if Windows 11 Defender has set up an automatic wipe or if the files can still be retrieved.

If any of you have encountered a similar issue and successfully resolved it, would like to share the exact steps. 

Regards,

Lucas

  • Sincerer's avatar
    Sincerer
    Iron Contributor

    If you're unable to recover files files deleted by Windows defender on Windows 11. The files were part of a larger system state or application, you might be able to perform a system restore to return the system to a previous point in time. This won’t help with standalone files, but it may be useful for recovering application states. If the data is critical and you can't recover it through software solutions, you might consider using professional data recovery services. These can be quite expensive but may yield better recovery results compared to DIY methods.

  • You can try Windows Security Center, which is a software that comes with your Windows system and requires no additional download. Through it, you are able to check the quarantine area and also recover files quarantined by Windows Defender.

    Step 1. Open Windows Security Center: Press Windows + S, type Windows Security Center and tap Open.

    Step 2. Access Quarantine: Tap Virus and Threat Protection > Protection History under Actions.

    Step3. Filter Quarantined Files: Select Quarantined Threats in the Filter to view the list of files quarantined by Windows Defender.

    Step 4. Recover files: Locate the destination file.

    Step 5: Click Action > Restore next to the file and the file will be restored to its original location.

    Step5. Verify the result: Open the recovered file and confirm that the contents are correct.

    To void Windows Defender deleting or quarantining files on Windows 11 in future, you can disable Windows Defender in settings. 

  • AmayaI's avatar
    AmayaI
    Iron Contributor

    About how to recover files deleted by Windows defender? While Recuuva is pretty good, it doesn’t guarantee that all your deleted files will come back — especially if they've been overwritten or if the file was deleted a long time ago. So, you might end up with some heartache when your favorite files don’t show up. If you’re not super tech-savvy, the interface can be a bit daunting at first. You might have to fiddle around with settings like deep scanning, and figuring out which options to select can be a hassle if you’re not familiar with them.

    Deep scanning is thorough but slow when you recover files deleted by Windows defender. If you’re in a hurry, waiting for the scan to finish can be a drag. I’ve spent what felt like ages watching that progress bar crawl along! Sometimes, even if you manage to recover a file, it might not be exactly how you left it. Corruption can happen, and you might find that important documents are either missing data or just can’t be opened.

    Although Recuuva runs locally, there’s still a slight risk whenever you’re dealing with recovery software—especially if you’re pulling files back from private spaces. Always make sure you're not exposing sensitive information in the process. If you're running an older machine or don't have tons of memory, running a deep scan could slow down your computer while it's chugging through the data. This could impact other tasks you might want to do in the meantime.

  • Windows 11/10 comes with a very useful feature called System Restore Points. The best thing about it is that it's completely free, all the functions are built into the system, and it can be used locally without the need for a network, which effectively protects the user's privacy. It can restore a wide range of deleted files as well as the system state, however, the time required for restoration varies depending on the size of the restore point, roughly 5 - 15 minutes.

    You can use this feature to recover files deleted or deleted or quarantined by Windows Defender:

    1. Press Windows + S, type Create Restore Point, click Open, and make sure the protection status of the C: drive is on.

    2. In the System Properties window, tap System Restore, select Next, and check the available restore points.

    3. Select Restore point before file deletion, tap Scan for affected programs to confirm that the file may be restored.

    4. Tap Next > Finish, the system will reboot and restore, after reboot, check the file 

    5. If the file is not restored directly, check C:\System Volume Information (requires administrator privileges).

    Note: This feature for recovering files deleted by Windows 11 Defender relies on enabling restore points in advance, and cannot be used if they are not set up in advance. The operation is complex and uncertain, may affect other files, and there is no guarantee that every restore will be successful. In addition, files may not always be included in the restore point, and files added, modified, or deleted after creating a restore point may not be recoverable, risking data loss.

  • Recuuva free data recovery software. This is an excellent open source data recovery software, the biggest advantage of which is that it is completely free, so users can use all the features without paying anything.

    It is one of the best free ways to recover files quarantined by windows defender on Windows 11. It runs locally and does not require an Internet connection, which effectively protects data security and privacy.

    How to recover files deleted by Windows Defender:

    Open the software in the wizard, select all files or documents, select the c: drive, point scanning, wait for the completion of the option to enable the depth of the scan to improve the success rate but take longer.

    We can start recovering files, do this and find the target file in the result list (e.g. sample.docx). Check the file and click Recover to save to a new location (e.g. D:\Recovered\sample.docx). Finally, open the recovered file and confirm the contents.

    Recuuva is very powerful, with the feature of deep scanning, which can accurately scan all corners of the disk. Even files marked as permanently deleted by Windows 11 Defender can be successfully recovered by Recuuva in many cases, which can help users avoid the trouble of data loss and provide reliable protection for their data security.

  • Zachariahh's avatar
    Zachariahh
    Iron Contributor

    I’ve been through this situation myself—accidentally deleting files that I thought were sketchy, only to find out they were important. But hey, don’t panic! There are ways to try and recover files deleted by Windows defender. Here’s the lowdown:

    1. Check the Quarantine
    First things first, you gotta see if Windows Defender has sent those files to quarantine instead of just deleting them. Here’s how you do it:

    • Open Windows Security: Hit the Start button, type “Windows Security,” and open it.
    • Go to Virus & Threat Protection: Click on that option.
    • Check Protection History: You might find a link that says “Protection History.” Click on it.
    • Look for Quarantined Files: Browse through the list, and if you find your files there, you can select them and choose to restore them.

     

    2. Use File History
    If you’ve got File History set up (which you should—it’s super handy), you could recover files deleted by Windows defender. Here’s how:

    • Go to Settings: Hit that little gear icon in your Start menu.
    • Select Update & Security: Click on that sucker.
    • Find Backup: You’ll see “Backup” on the side. Click it!
    • Restore Files: If you’ve set up File History, there should be an option to “Restore files from a current backup.” Dive in and check if your deleted files are chilling there.

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