Methods to Recover Deleted Files after Windows Update

Read time: 7 minutes

Windows updates take place from time to time. But a lot of users report that their system settings get altered and the files get misplaced. Some users have even reported that their files stored on desktop get corrupted after updating their Windows OS. This is actually a known bug particularly in Windows 10, wherein your system creates a Temp profile to use for the update and sets aside your user profile till the update is completed. However, this error is not limited to Windows 10 only, similar data loss or temp file error are common in past versions of Windows.

Why Do Files Get Deleted After Windows Update?

Files don’t get deleted permanently after updating a Windows system, they simply get misplaced because of these reasons:

Temporary profile error: Sometimes, when a Windows system gets updated, it launches the system with a temporary profile rather than your default user profile. Even though you can’t access your files, they’re still safe in your user profile.
Damage to the user profile: Sudden power loss or interruption between updates can potentially corrupt your system’s registry keys, thus restricting Windows from accessing your user profile.
Data shifted to Windows.old: When you shift OS versions, for example, from Windows 10 to 11, the system automatically creates a folder with all your data named Windows.old. This folder is only retained for 10 days after you’ve moved your data, past which the data gets permanently deleted.
File path relocation: Sometimes the default locations change for the saved data during Windows Updates. This doesn’t mean that they’re lost, you can find them on your system by the search feature.

How to Recover Deleted Files After Windows Update?

There are some quick methods to recover deleted files after Windows update. But first, you must keep these things in mind:

Always take a backup of the system before performing any update.
Turn off the automatic updates option. You can perform the updates once the data is protected.
If you have downloaded the Windows version 21H2/2004 manually, do not install it. You must wait till a new update is available.

Method 1. Restore Files from Windows.old Folder

When you shift from one Windows version to another, Windows moves all your data in a separate folder named Windows.old before updating the OS. If any of your data has been misplaced, you can easily recover it with the help of this folder. But this folder is only available for 10 days, so make sure you recover all the data before this period ends. Follow the steps below to easily recover your data:

Go to Local Disk (C: drive) and navigate to the “Windows.old” folder.
Find the missing files from each folder.
Copy and paste the old files from each folder to the updated Windows folder.

Method 2. Check the Temporary Profile

If your desktop appears blank and you can’t find any files saved on your system, Windows might’ve given you a temporary file. Check this with the steps below:

Go to Settings and select the Accounts option.
Select Sync your settings.
If you are logged in with a temporary profile, a message will be displayed stating that you are logged on with a temporary account, and roaming options are currently unavailable.
Restart the system and sign in again to get the data and account settings back.

Method 3. Restore Data from System’s Previous Restore Point

A System Restore Point is a snapshot of your entire system’s data including system files, registry keys, system drivers, and all the applications you’ve installed till now. If your data has been misplaced, you can try restoring it with the help of the saved Previous System Restore Points on your device. Follow the steps below to do this:

Press Win + R, type Control Panel and press Enter.
Select Recovery from the given options to open a new window.
Click on Open System Restore and select the Restore Point of your choice to restore your data.

Method 4. Re-enable Windows Administrator Accounts

Open Computer Management from the Windows search box.
Select ‘Local Users and Group’ from the left pane.
Open the Users folder.
If the user name Administrator has a down arrow, it implies that it is disabled. You have to re-enable it.
Double-click on the Administrator icon, and under the General tab, uncheck the box named Account is disabled. Select Apply. Click OK.
Log out and log in to Windows again with the Administrator account.

How Can I Recover the Files that Windows Update Deleted?

If you’re unable to find your missing files on your system and the retention period to recover files from Windows.old is over, you should verify if there’s even a small chance of file recovery. Avoid making any new changes to the affected drive like deleting any files or installing a new software so that the deleted data doesn’t get overwritten. Kernel for Windows Data Recovery can help in such cases as it scans the affected drive for deleted and inaccessible files and recovers them at their original location. This proves to be helpful when the files can’t be found by the normal search function, but the recovery might be still possible.

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Final Insights

Many users lose their important data after Windows updates. While it is easy to recover the lost files after a Windows update , the system data can get corrupted at times if the update wasn’t installed properly. Keeping a backup of all the files and folders prior to a Windows update is by far the best solution to avoid data loss.

If you’re unable to locate your files after a Windows update, search them on your system or look for them in Windows.old folder. Make sure that you don’t make any unnecessary changes to the drive so the chances of data loss and drive corruption are reduced. Recovery is possible of your files as long as the data hasn’t been overwritten so try the methods given in this blog and avoid making any changes to the affected drive.

Frequently asked questions

Q1. Where did my files go after I updated my Windows system?

A. Try to find and recover files from the Recycle Bin, user folders, or the Windows.old folder. Also check that you’re operating with your own user profile, not a temporary profile.

Q2. Does Windows update delete files on versions other than Windows 10 and 11?

A. Yes it does. Files can appear to be missing on versions other than Windows 10 and 11 because of a similar temporary profile bug or due to some other reason. The way to deal with is same by searching for files or looking in the Windows.old folder.

Q3. Can I recover my files from Windows.old folder after the retention period ends?

A. Once the retention period expires for Windows.old folder, you cannot recover your data by any means.