Have you ever experienced the horror of losing your job after typing on your phone or computer for hours? You press the wrong key and suddenly you accidentally delete the thing you spent so much time on.
Whether it's an email, a text message, a document, or anything else, it can be very frustrating and stressful when all the hard work is lost in the blink of an eye.
No panic. Even if you accidentally deleted something, that doesn't necessarily mean it's gone forever.
There are some tips you can use to recover your deleted works so you can breathe a little and not have to start from scratch.
1. Restore a tab that you closed
Many browser tabs are filled with well-intentioned elements, such as: E.g. articles you wanted to finish reading or emails that deserve a reply. So it's understandable that you're frustrated about losing them when you accidentally close a tab that you meant to keep open. However, there is a way to undo this and it works for every browser.
If you accidentally close a tab that you meant to keep open, click Command + Shift + T if you have a Mac or Ctrl + Shift + T if you are a Windows user. This will automatically restore the last closed tab, so you don't have to go through the reopening steps yourself.
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2. Undo an action on your computer
Another simple trick you can use for your computer is the Undo function. If you are a Windows user, this keyboard shortcut would be Ctrl + Zand if you are a Mac user the shortcut is Command + Z. Running these shortcuts will undo everything from accidentally deleting something from your Downloads folder to deleting a word you may have typed incorrectly.
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Keyboard shortcuts are a great way to save time on the computer. ( )
3. Use a file recovery tool
There are tons of free data recovery programs that can help you recover old files that you thought were gone forever. Most of them allow you to recover documents, videos, images, music and audio files, and more.
Get my top-rated data recovery programs for Macs and PCs here.
4. Restore old versions of your files
If you use a service like Google Docs, Dropbox, or Microsoft, they often offer steps to help you restore old versions of files you once had, so you never have to worry about losing your work.
Here are the best ways to save and restore these types of documents.
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Microsoft, Google, and Dropbox all have an autosave feature to restore old versions of your files. ( )
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5. Use your trash can
Every computer model should be equipped with a trash can. This is a recycle bin filled with files that you have previously deleted. These files typically stay in the Trash for about 30 days. If you accidentally delete something, you can restore those files directly from the Recycle Bin. Find out how to do it.
If you have a Mac:
- Press that Trash icon at the bottom of the screen
- Click on the file You want to restore and Pull it to the location where you want to save it (Desktop, Documents, Downloads, etc.)
If you have a Windows computer:
- Press that Trash icon at the bottom of the screen
- Right click on the file you want to restore
- Click Restore
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Recovering deleted texts is possible for iPhone and Android users. ( )
6. Recover a deleted text message
Now that we've discussed some computer tricks, let's now look at some telephone tricks. Sometimes we accidentally delete text messages. However, these text messages are not gone forever. How to restore old text messages on an iPhone or Android.
On an iPhone:
- Open yours Messages app
- Click < Filters in the upper left corner
- Scroll down to Recently deleted and tap on it
- Select the message you want to restore and click Recover bottom right
- Click Restore message confirm
On an Android:
Settings may vary depending on Your Android Manufacturer of the phone
- Open yours Messages app
- Tap on the 3 vertical points in the upper right corner
- Choose waste paper bin or Garbage (depending on your model)
- Long typing the message you want to restore
- Choose Restore
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7. Return a voicemail that you accidentally deleted
iPhones and Android devices also offer ways to recover accidentally deleted voicemails. You can find the instructions here.
On an iPhone:
- Open yours Phone app
- Press that Voicemail tab. at the bottom
- Scroll down and tap Deleted messages
- Click on that Voicemail You want to restore and then tap red symbol with the trash can
- Your deleted voicemail will be moved back to yours Voicemail inbox
On an Android:
Settings may vary depending on the manufacturer of your Android phone
- Open yours Phone app
- Press that 3 vertical points in the upper right corner
- Beat Settings
- Click Voicemail
- Beat Deleted messages
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8. Contact technical support for your device
If all else fails, you can always contact support for your device. They have specialists who may know a few secrets about how to get your lost files back.
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Kurt's most important findings
Now you know the various technical tips to recover accidentally deleted works and data. From restoring closed browser tabs and using the undo function on computers to accessing old versions of Google Docs, Dropbox files and Microsoft documents, to recovering deleted text messages and voicemails. These tricks offer great solutions to ease the fear of accidental deletion.
Have you ever lost something important or sentimental that you couldn't recover, such as an email, text message, or document? How did you feel and how did you deal with the situation? Let us know by writing to us Cyberguy.com/Contact.
For more tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report newsletter at Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.
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