One of the most used document formats for maintaining and distributing business data and information are PDF files. Businesses favor this file format primarily for managing sensitive information because of its security and dependability. Unfortunately, there may be times when you lose certain PDF documents, just like with any other form of file. Data loss can occur for a variety of causes, but the good news is that you can typically recover deleted PDFfiles and access all of your lost data.
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What Leads to Deleted, Corrupted, and Unsaved PDF Documents?
Find out what might have started the issue before we go into the specifics of how to restore a deleted PDF file. You run the risk of losing your PDF files because:
- Difficulties with downloads or file transfers.
- Accidentally deleting a file.
- Corruption on a hard drive or storage device.
- Formatting a drive or partition by mistake.
- Virus or malware infections.
- Damage to a storage device that is logical or physical.
Don’t Fret! In this blog we will cover the best methods on how to recover permanently deleted PDF files.
Are PDF Files Recoverable?
Yes, PDF files can often be recovered, but in order to do so properly, you must arm yourself with the best PDF recovery software. In order to set up the conditions for a successful PDF document recovery, you must also take a few safety measures. There can be a few instances where you recover corrupted PDFfiles that can be fixed as described below along with a section on how to recover unsaved PDF later in this blog.
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Tried & Tested Methods To Recover PDF Files
Here are the 4 of the best methods on how to recover permanently deleted PDF files. You can try each method one by one and check which method helps you to recover PDF files. If you want a quick solution then we suggest you skip to method 4 that involves using a File Recovery Software. Without further ado, let us start on how to recover permanently deleted PDF files.
Method 1: Recovering PDF files from the Trash/Recycle bin
Unless you have removed a file by hitting Shift+Delete on the keyboard, every file that is deleted from your Windows computer goes straight to the Recycle Bin. Therefore, the first place to check for an unintentionally deleted PDF file is the Recycle Bin. To retrieve the deleted PDF from the Recycle Bin, follow the instructions listed below.
Step 1: To open the recycle bin, make a right click on its desktop icon and select Open.
Step 2: Find the PDF document you erased.
Step 3: Right-click the chosen file and from the context menu that opens, click on Restore.
Step 4: Your file will be returned to its original location so that your programs may access it.
For recently deleted files that are still in the Bin, use this technique. But for files that are not present here, you will have to move to the next method.
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Method 2: Recover from an earlier backup
Making many copies of your file on various devices and updating them frequently is a good habit. This way, you can consider using your backup to restore your data in the event that it was lost or deleted. Similar to this, you can quickly restore your lost PDF file from a previously saved backup if you’ve lost it. Additionally, you may make backups on a variety of internal and external storage devices, including USB drives and hard drives. They could be kept on a cloud storage system as well.
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Method 3: Use The Windows File History Feature to Restore PDF Files
Utilizing Windows File History is one the best ways to ensure that your vital data is safeguarded in case something goes wrong. By restoring the data from a folder or drive to any earlier date or time when the lost files were present on the system, users of Windows 10 and Windows 11 can recover lost files using the helpful File History function.
Step 1: In the taskbar search field of your PC, enter “restore files.”
Step 2: Choose “Restore your files with File History” option.
Step 3: Find your lost PDF file and use the arrow keys to switch between multiple versions of the file to choose the one you want to restore.
Step 4: Click on Restore button and the file will be available in its original location. If you wish to save the file to a different location then you have to choose the Restore To option and specify the new location.
We hope that your File History was enabled and this will resolve your query on how to recover permanently deleted PDF files.
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Method 4: Restore PDF Files Using Recovery Software
The final method to recover deleted PDF files, in case all the above methods fail, is to use a power file recovery software. These apps are designed to scan the depths of your hard disk and pull out deleted files that are not visible on your PC. This can only happen if the deleted file exists within the sectors of your hard disk and is not overwritten by another file.
We prefer using Advanced File Recovery for all issues related to file recovery. This amazing app has been beneficial to us in many cases where we lost our files on both internal and external drives. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Download & Install Advanced File Recovery.
Step 2: Launch the software and then choose the drive that contained the lost files.
Step 3: Click on the Next button and choose Scan Documents to recover PDF files.
Step 4: Click on Start Scan button and wait for the app to display the list of the files that can be recovered.
Step 5: Select the PDF files you wish to recover and then click on the Recover Now button.
Note: It is important that you choose a different location to save the recovered PDF files. This way the files in the original location will not be overwritten.
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How to Recover Unsaved PDF Files
The majority of PDF programs, including Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat, provide crash recovery features. This is to minimize data loss following an unexpected interruption that could be caused by a hardware malfunction, a power failure, or a simple user error. The temporary files are contained in the following location in Adobe Reader. For other PDF readers, you will have to check the Program Folder for the app folder.
"C:\Users\%UserName%\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Acrobat\1X.0\AutoSave\"
Just remember that the temporary files won’t exactly resemble the actual ones. Even worse, they can have a totally different file extension. If so, convert the files to PDF format and attempt to open them with Adobe Reader. The files should open without any problems if you’re lucky. Hope this answers your query on how to recover unsaved PDF.
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How To Repair Corrupt PDF Files
If you have tried to recover corrupted PDFfiles, then they might not work properly and you will need to fix them. If nothing seems to be working, try searching online for a solution. There are many tools available that can fix your damaged PDF files. One such program that performs admirably is iLovePDF. The actions you must take in order to recover deleted PDF files with this utility are listed below.
Step 1: Open your default browser and navigate to the I Love PDF website.
Step 2: Go to Repair PDF file section and hit the Select PDF File button.
Step 3: Choose the damaged PDF file from your computer.
Step 4: Click on Repair PDF.
Step 5: Download and save the repaired file to your computer after it has been fixed.
These are the steps to fix PDF files if you have recovered corrupted PDF files while PDF file recovery.
Also Read: How to Repair a Damaged or Corrupt PDF Files On Windows
The Final Word On How To Recover Deleted, Unsaved Or Corrupted PDF File
Data loss happens regularly and is more frequently unforeseen. To keep your contents safe, we advise you to take certain precautions including maintaining several data backups, using a dependable data recovery tool, and utilizing AutoSave features. Situations involving data loss, however, might occasionally catch you off guard. The procedures described in this article are reliable and simple to use, despite the fact that data recovery can appear to be a time-consuming and expensive operation. With no hazards or difficulties, they can assist you in recovering your PDF files in just a few easy steps. In actuality, each of these techniques is affordable and risk-free.
Please let us know in the comments below if you have any questions or recommendations. We would be delighted to provide you with a resolution. We frequently publish advice, tricks, and solutions to common tech-related problems. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Flipboard, and Pinterest.
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