Most users believe files move to their computer’s Recycle Bin after their removal from a network drive. However, the network drive conserves its own rules during deletions, which diverge from typical PC disposal procedures.
That’s why the users face difficulty when trying to reclaim files from a network drive. So, that leaves them pondering over how to recover a file deleted from a shared drive. In the following article, we’ll reveal what actually happens to removed network drive files. We’ll also share 4 approaches to recover deleted files from network drive and under what circumstances you can get them back!
Part 1: What Happens When You Delete a File From a Network Drive?
The path to learning how to recover deleted folder from shared drive remains complex to execute. Storage devices on local networks that include external hard drives, NAS, servers, or shared computers constitute network drives. When you remove a file from a network drive, Windows instructs the network system to erase it.
However, unlike local files, erased network files are immediately removed from the server and don’t go to the Recycle Bin unless they’re configured to move to the server’s Bin. But you can recover deleted files from network drive shared folder with a specialized shared drive deleted file recovery tool until overwritten. You can also reclaim the files through a backup or from a remote computer’s Recycle Bin.
Part 2: How to Recover Deleted Files/Folders From Network Drive?
Here’s how to recover deleted files from shared folder using 4 options based on your circumstances:
Option A: Check the Recycle Bin of the Remote Computer
Removed files from a shared network drive may go to the server’s Recycle Bin, depending on the server’s configuration. If you have permission, you can access and recover deleted files from shared drive on Windows 10. Otherwise, you may have to talk to your administrator for help. Here’s how to recover a file deleted from a shared drive by checking the Bin of the remote computer:
Step 1: Make sure you have access to the remote computer.
Step 2: Then, open its Recycle Bin. Find the removed files. Right-click on them. Next, select “Restore” to return them to their original location.
Option B: Use a Professional File Recovery Software
When you have access to the remote computer, a professional shared drive deleted file recovery tool could also get them back. However, the files in question must not be overwritten in the shared folder. 4DDiG Data Recovery software is a specialized tool to recover deleted files from shared drive on Windows 10/11. Moreover, it offers to:
- This app can restore 2000+ file formats, including audio, images, documents, videos, and so forth.
- This recovery tool can extract files from the network drive shared folder, SD cards, hard disks, USBs, drones, digital cameras, etc.
- It can reclaim files lost due to malicious virus attacks, missing partitions, system crashes, formatting, deletion, corruption, and so forth.
- It offers a high recovery rate, allows you to pick the file types you wish to extract and inspect recovered files.
- This data extraction app supports both Windows and Mac.
Here’s how to recover deleted files from shared folder with this tool:
Step 1: Download, install, and execute this shared drive deleted file recovery tool on your computer. Then, choose the network drive shared folder on the tool’s interface.
Step 2: Pick the file types you wish to extract. Then, hit “Scan.” The tool will look for your chosen files. You can pause or stop the scan when it recovers those files. Inspect them by their name or path.
Step 3: Hit “Recover” to move those files to your computer or a cloud drive.
Option C: Restore Previous Version
The file recovery software will fail to operate when your file gets overwritten in the shared folder. However, Windows provides users with the built-in File History backup utility. Shadow copies are automatically created as snapshots through this feature, and the files stored in the shared folder become accessible through their previous versions. If you’ve activated File History, here’s how to recover deleted folder from shared drive with it:
Step 1: Right-click the shared folder from where you lost the file. Then, select “Restore previous versions.”
Step 2: In the “Previous Versions” tab, pick the desired version of the file.
Step 3: Hit “Restore” to replace the file or “Copy” to save it elsewhere.
Option D: Inspect Other Backup Location
In case you don’t have a File History backup of your network drive shared folder, then your organization might have its backup in other places. Here’s how to recover a file deleted from a shared drive by looking for other backup locations:
Step 1: Check if your organization has a backup for the network drive.
Step 2: Contact IT for help restoring deleted files.
Step 3: If needed, ask IT support for other recovery options.
Part 3: How to Prevent Future Data Loss From Network Drive?
After learning various options for how to recover deleted folder from shared drive, you must also take some concrete steps to prevent future data loss. Here’s what you can do to implement a combination of recovery and data protection:
- Set Up a Strong Backup System: Use local backups for quick recovery, cloud backups for remote safety, and offsite storage for extra protection. Also, regularly test backups to ascertain they work.
- Enable File Versioning: Store previous versions of files to recover lost or overwritten data. For this, use tools like cloud storage or version control systems.
- Ascertain High Availability: Keep critical data accessible with redundancy methods like RAID, load balancing, and database clustering to reduce downtime.
- Monitor Systems Proactively: Employ tracking tools to check system performance as well as storage levels while alerting users to insufficient disk space and atypical activities.
- Improve Security and Access Control: Offer users the needed permissions, audit logs for all abnormal behaviors, and deploy multiple authentication factors (MFA).
- Protect Against Cyber Threats: The implementation of firewalls should be combined with endpoint protection and network segmentation to stop attacks from happening.
Final Words
It’s not as simple as it sounds to recover deleted files from network drive because they don’t move to the Recycle Bin like local files after removal. However, possible methods to recover lost files span from examining your external Recycle Bin to manual restoration from previous version backups or by accessing saved data locations.
But the best way to know how to recover deleted files from shared folder is through a comprehensive retrieval solution like 4DDiG Data Recovery. It allows effortless retrieval of 2000+ file types from different storage devices and data loss scenarios with high success.
Also Read: How to Fix External Hard Drive Not Showing Up on Mac in 2025
