Where Do Images & Graphic Files Go When Permanently Deleted?

Where Do Images & Graphic Files Go When Permanently Deleted?

The permanent deletion of files remains a mysterious topic for many users. 

While we know well and explain what happens to files during temporary deletion, permanent erasing is surrounded by myths. 

This article will dwell on two questions – what happens to files when removed permanently and the best ways to recover such files. 

Is Erasing Files and Pictures from a Computer As Easy As It Seems?

Permanent deletion presupposes that a user removes this file from a hard drive. But once you do it, the file doesn’t immediately become erased. 

The point is that the operating system is designed so that this file can remain on the hard drive, and it only becomes invisible in the virtual storage place. 

The system truly erases only the path to this document or picture. This file becomes permanently deleted when the path is no longer available despite its bits remaining on the hard drive. 

So, the operating system ‘forgets’ how to find it. This happens every time you empty your Trash bin. 

Another way to intentionally delete files permanently is the combination ‘Shift’ + ‘Delete.’ 

Since permanent deletion isn’t a guarantee that the file is removed from a PC, there is some good news for everyone who erased the image or document and is now trying to retrieve it. 

There is a whole range of specific tools able to get such data back in a short time. 

Best Proven Ways to Retrieve Permanently Deleted Files

The modern advances in technology and IT let us recover permanently deleted images quickly in a few simple steps. 

So, let us look at both professional methods to recover deleted photos standard tools. 

So, here they are, our top methods of media file recovery. 

Method 1. With File History. 

This is a standard way for the Windows 10 system. Go to the previous file location, right-click the mouse, and choose History, then Previous. 

Choose the wanted file among the suggested ones and press ‘Restore.’

If this method doesn’t help, check out other ways.  

Method 2. Try Previous versions. 

This is also a standard feature that every Windows has. Again, go to the file’s previous location, right-click to launch the menu, and choose the ‘Properties’ option. 

After that, Windows will show you the previous versions of the file you erased. 

Method 3. Through Disk Drill.

The software is not a part of your operating system, but you can download it and start searching for the needed file right away. 

Disk Drill is a do-download tool considered a leader among the instruments that recover deleted photos. It is capable to:

• Retrieve different files in nearly 300 formats, even the rare NTFS, HFS+, and EXT. 
• Recover deleted photos from an SD card, camera, tablet, or USB flash drive. 
• Scan external drives on Windows and Mac and restore files from iPhones and formatted flash drives. 

There is absolutely nothing too hard for Disk Drill. 

If you tried all of the previous methods that wouldn’t work, go for Disk Drill and complete data restoration in a few steps. 

Step 1. Download Disk Drill.

Step 2. Choose the hard drive to scan/connect the target storage device to the computer. 

If you are sure that you kept the images on this device or hard drive, it won’t take long to get them back. 

Launch scanning and choose from the suggested list of files you think might be that file. 

Don’t worry; there is a preview function in Disk Drill Pro so that you won’t restore the wrong picture. 

Step 3. Select these files and click ‘Restore’.

The free version of Disk Drill allows you to make basic scanning but to restore the files, you will need to get a paid Pro version. 

Video tutorial: