Expert Tips for How to Recover Deleted PDF Files

I. What is PDF?

Adobe developed the PDF in the 1990s to enable document sharing across different devices and operating systems without requiring the original application. Distributing reports in PDF ensures universal accessibility on devices like Windows and Mac computers or Android smartphones. Modern web browsers typically support direct PDF opening, maintaining a consistent layout and content across smartphones, tablets, and computers. PDFs can include text, images, embedded fonts, hyperlinks, videos, interactive buttons, and forms, offering robust integration, security, and reliability.

II. How to recover deleted PDF files?

If you accidentally delete a PDF file by mistake, or format the hard disk partition where the PDF file is saved, or delete the partition to make it “unallocated”, you can use the Renee Undeleter described below Scan and restore the partition.

1. Recover via Renee Undeleter (Windows/Mac)

①What is Renee Undeleter?

Renee Undeleter is a specialized software designed to recover a variety of data files. It comes in handy when you’ve mistakenly deleted important files, cleared the recycle bin, or formatted the disk/storage. This tool offers four key features: file recovery, format recovery, partition recovery, and image creation, addressing a wide range of data loss scenarios. It supports recovery from various storage devices such as internal hard drives, external hard drives, SD cards, and USB drives, as long as they can connect to a computer. Additionally, the software provides a file preview function to ensure users can accurately identify and recover the needed files.

②How to recover deleted PDF with Renee Undeleter?

Utilizing Renee Undeleter for scanning your hard disk and retrieving erased files is user-friendly. Windows users can proceed as follows: refer to the instructions below to begin your data recovery journey. If you’re on a Mac, make sure to consult the Mac version data recovery guide. It’s essential to disable System Integrity Protection (SIP) prior to initiating a scan on your internal drive.

Step 1: Download and install Renee Undeleter on your Windows PC. Launch the program and select ‘Whole Partition Scan’ from the main menu. Should your PDF remain undetected, proceed with ‘Whole Disk Scan’ for a comprehensive analysis.

Note: Do not install Renee Undeleter in the disk where data is lost to avoid data overwriting.

Step 2: Next select the hard disk partition from which PDF needs to be recovered. After the selection is complete, click (Next).

Step 3: Once the scan commences, patiently await its completion. To inspect a file, double-click it. Should it be the file you’re seeking, highlight it and select the Recover button. For sifting through numerous files, deploy the file filter by entering the desired file format in the format pdf and then press the search button to refine and exhibit all PDF documents.

Step 4: Click the (Browse) button to select another hard disk partition to save the file, and then click (Restore). Wait for the recovery to complete, click (Browse Recovered Files) to view the recovered PDF files.

2. Restore via Recycle Bin (Windows)

If you just right-clicked on the PDF file and accidentally selected the (Delete) option, it can be restored via the Recycle Bin, provided the Recycle Bin has not been emptied.

Step 1: Find (Recycle Bin) on the desktop and double-click the Recycle Bin icon.

Step 2: After opening the recycle bin, determine the PDF to be restored through the file name, original location, deletion date and other information, right-click the target PDF file, and select (Restore).

3. Recovery via File History (Windows)

Windows’ “File History” feature provides a reliable method to back up your files. To safeguard your PDF documents, navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Backup, turn on "File History", and within “More Options”, include the directory with your PDFs in the backup scope. Should you need to restore any deleted PDFs, File History has you covered.

Step 1: You can enter (file history) in the search bar, and click the (restore your files through file history) option.

Step 2: Access the file history utilizing the control interface. Employ the navigation buttons to peruse the backups corresponding to different dates. Identify and select the target file or folder, then initiate the restoration process by clicking the central restore button, effectively reverting the item to its initial location.

4. Restore via Trash (Mac)

Step 1: Start the Mac computer, double-click the (Trash) icon.

Step 2: Find the PDF file that needs to be recovered, right-click it, and select (Put Back).

5. Restore via Time Machine (Mac)

The “Time Machine” function on Mac devices can back up hard disk data. If the disk where the deleted PDF is located has been backed up by Time Machine, it can be restored by Time Machine.

Step 1: Connect your Time Machine backup disk to your Mac computer. Open the folder containing the deleted PDF files.

Step 2: Click on the Time Machine icon located in the menu bar and select (Enter Time Machine).

Step 3: Find the PDF file to be recovered through the timeline on the right edge of the screen, select the PDF file and click (Recover).