Effective Methods for Desktop File Recovery on Windows

Why Do My Files on the Desktop Disappear?

Desktop files disappearing happens from time to time, and finding the reason is the key to solving the problem and preventing it from happening again. We have summarized several possible reasons below. Read them and you will know more about this common issue, then you can recover desktop data faster.

• Accidental deletion: Human error is the most common reason for desktop file loss. You may inadvertently delete your desktop files by mis-pressing the Delete key or dragging them into the Recycle Bin.
• Misplacement: Unintentionally moving desktop files to other locations is also a common cause of desktop files “disappearing”, especially on a cluttered desktop. Inadvertently dragging files into folders can also prevent you from finding them quickly.
• Overwrite: If you have a habit of editing the original file directly without saving a new copy, there’s a risk that your file could be overwritten. This is actually troublesome because most data recovery tools on the market are not supported to recover overwritten files.
• System errors: In some cases, your desktop files may disappear if there are system errors or glitches. This could be due to file system issues or software bugs.
• File hiding: Files may be hidden due to system settings or malware, making them appear as if they have gotten lost.
• Network issue: If some of your desktop files are stored on cloud or network drives, poor network connection can lead to syncing issues or connectivity problems, causing files to temporarily disappear. In this situation, to do desktop data recovery, you just need to keep your network in good connection.
• File corruption: Sometimes, your files may get corrupted, which can be caused by various factors, such as sudden power outages, hardware failures, or improper shutdowns. It will cause your files to disappear or be inaccessible.
• Antivirus mis-flagging:In certain cases, anti-virus programs may mistakenly flag your files as threats and quarantine or even delete them.

How to Perform Desktop File Recovery on Windows

Way 1: Check if the Files/Folders Are Hidden

When you find the desktop files disappearing, you should first consider whether they are hidden. Desktop files may be hidden due to human error, folder settings, and malware infection. Usually, you can simply unhide the files through File Explorer.

Step 1: Press Win + E to open File Explorer.

Step 2: Under the View tab, tick the option of Hidden items. Then go to your desktop and check if the needed files are displayed. Also, if your files are in a folder on the desktop, check that folder.

If the Hidden items option is not shown or not working, you can get solutions from this post: Show Hidden Files Button Not Working on Windows 10.

Way 2: Show Desktop Icons

There is another situation in which you are able to see nothing on the desktop. Do not be hurried to carry out desktop file recovery, because this is not file loss. It will occur when you mistakenly set all the icons on the desktop to not show up, and it can be easily fixed.

Right-click any blank area on your desktop. When you see the pop-up window, move the cursor to View, and then tick the Show desktop icons option. After that, your desktop icons, files, and folders should be displayed.

Way 3: Set Folders to Hidden and Read-Only (Applies to Files Not Showing in Folders)

In certain cases, inconsistency of the attributes of the folder and the files inside the folder may result in your files not being displayed. It rarely occurs but may be confusing to some of you. Continue reading to see how to deal with it.

Step 1: Open the target folder and tick Hidden items in the View tab, then close the folder.

Step 2: Right-click the target folder and select Properties.

Step 3: In the General tab, check Read-only (Only applies to files in folder) and Hidden, then hit Apply and OK to save changes.

Step 4: Open Properties of the target folder again, and untick Hidden this time. Then select Apply and OK.

Way 4: Search for Files

A poorly organized desktop can often make it tough to find specific files. If you cannot find desktop files but are not sure if the files are lost, try to search for them.

1. Open This PC and go to the View tab to check Hidden items.
2. In the upper right corner, you can see a search box. Type the target file’s name, then it will begin to search for your file.

Using the search box may be effective when you try to find several certain files. But if you’re looking for multiple files, the whole process will become cumbersome and time-consuming. Therefore, it is recommended that you begin to collate your files regularly if you are not used to doing it before.

Way 5: Restore Desktop Folders to Default Settings

Some reports have shown that accidentally merging the desktop folder with another folder will cause unnecessary clutter on the desktop. This may cause desktop files to be hard to find, lost, or even overwritten.

To fix this issue, you can restore your desktop folders to default settings.

Step 1: Open File Explorer and navigate to C:/Users/<username>, then create a new folder named Desktop if there is no Desktop folder.

Step 2: Open Run by pressing Win + R, then input regedit and press Enter.

Step 3: In Registry Editor, go to the following location:

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

Step 4: Double-click on Desktop and type C:\Users\<username>\Desktop under Value data, then click OK.

After that, your desktop will return to its default state, and you need to copy the necessary files to the desktop from the merged folder.

Way 6: Restore Files From the Recycle Bin

If you still can’t find the file you’re looking for after trying the above steps, you can check the Recycle Bin. You may delete the files or drag them to the Recycle Bin accidentally.

Open the Recycle Bin and view the file list to check if there are any needed files. Once you find the target files, hold Ctrl and choose the ones you need, then right-click them and select Restore to recover desktop files.

Way 7: Recover Files From Backups

This method is suitable for you if you have the habit of backing up files regularly. You can back up files in a variety of ways, such as copying them to other internal disks or external storage, uploading files to cloud services, using professional data backup software to back up files, etc. Depending on the backup method, you have different ways to recover lost files. For example, you can transfer files from other disks, download files from cloud drives to local storage, or restore files using corresponding backup software.

Way 8: Perform Desktop File Recovery With Data Recovery Tool

Using a data recovery tool to recover files from the desktop is easy and effective. Here we recommend you to use MiniTool Power Data Recovery.

As a professional data recovery tool, MiniTool Power Data Recovery supports most file systems and file types and is popular among users. It allows you to recover files in many data loss situations, including accidental file deletion, disk damage, disk formatting, etc. More importantly, it provides an option to scan the desktop separately, which helps you get file scan results quickly.

In addition to desktop file recovery, MiniTool Power Data Recovery is also good at performing Recycle Bin data recovery, HDD file recovery, SSD data recovery, external hard drive recovery, SD card data recovery, and so on.

You can now get this data recovery software free, and recover up to 1 GB of files in size without paying a penny.

MiniTool Power Data Recovery FreeClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

Step 1: Launch MiniTool Power Data Recovery.

Step 2: In the Logical Drives tab, you can see all your partitions. In the Devices tab, you can see all storage devices connected to your computer. Place the cursor on a partition or device and the Scan button will appear. Click it to start scanning. Moreover, you can scan a specific location by choosing the options under Recover From Specific Location. To recover desktop files, you can select Desktop to scan.

Step 3: The scan may take a while to complete, and you need to be patient. The remaining time will be displayed near the process icon for reference.

Once it’s done, you can begin to select which files you want to recover. To do this quickly, you can use Type to view the files you need according to file type.

Or you can use the Search box to accurately find your files by typing the names of the files and then pressing Enter.

In addition, you are allowed to preview the files to check if they are the ones you need. Most types of files are supported to preview, including documents, photos, audio, and videos.

Step 4: After you have chosen all the files you want to recover, you need to select a location to save them. Pay special attention not to store the recovered files on the desktop because this may cause data overwriting. In addition, we do not recommend that you put the recovered files in the C drive, because the system disk files are prone to be lost due to system failure, virus attack, or system reinstallation.

Then the desktop file recovery is complete, and you can check if those recovered files are what you need.

Can I Change the Desktop Location?

The answer is yes. The default location is C:\Users\<Your Username>\Desktop, but you can customize the desktop location.

1. Press Win + E to open File Explorer.
2. Right-click Desktop and select Properties.
3. Go to the Location tab, then select More… and choose the location you want.

Once you complete the above steps, the desktop location will change to the location you selected.

Tips to Improve Data Recovery Success Rate & Prevent Secondary Data Loss

After learning how to do desktop file recovery, you also need to know how to improve the data recovery success rate and prevent secondary data loss.

• If a hard drive or storage device is making unusual noises or showing signs of physical damage, turn it off immediately.
• Once the data loss occurs in a drive, you need to stop writing new data to it.
• Regularly back up data to different local devices or cloud services.
• Make sure your hardware is in good condition and working properly and don’t use abnormal or damaged hardware.
• Use professional data recovery tools, such as MiniTool Power Data Recovery, MiniTool Partition Wizard, etc.
• Collate files regularly and put different files in different folders.
• Ensure that the antivirus software and firewall are functioning properly to protect the computer from malware and virus attacks.
• Keep your computer in good condition and avoid prolonged use of your computer if it is overheated.
• Learn standard computer operation, and do not tamper with file attributes.

Conclusion

Desktop file loss is a frequent occurrence, often caused by many reasons. If you are in the habit of backing up your files regularly, dealing with desktop file loss will be very easy. Also, robust data recovery software like MiniTool Power Data Recovery is of great help in recovering desktop files.