You might not use the AppData folder in your daily life but it is a very important folder for your Windows PC. It includes your app settings and other important application data. So losing it can be really troublesome because it will impact the performance of the apps installed on your computer. Moreover, it may even prevent them from working properly.
If you have lost the AppData folder somehow then don’t worry because in this article I will show you how to recover deleted AppData folder on Windows 10 PC. So without wasting any time let’s begin.
Quick links
- What Happens If AppData Folder Is Deleted?
- Why Is AppData Folder Missing From My Computer?
- How To Recover Deleted AppData Folder?
- Is It Possible To Get Back Deleted AppData Folder In Windows?
- FAQs
What Happens If AppData Folder Is Deleted?
All the software or applications installed on your computer have a database file where they store their data and other important information. The database files of all the applications are saved in the AppData folder which is stored in the C drive. In case you lose your AppData folder then you will lose all your saved app data like your Skype messages, Word files, etc. In some cases, your PC may crash and you may not be able to start it.
Why Is AppData Folder Missing From My Computer?
There can be many reasons why your AppData folder is missing from your computer. For example, it may be due to the fact that you manually deleted the file or it was a mistake. It is also possible that your PC was attacked by a virus that deletes files and folders.
In case you had multiple users on Windows, then all of the users will have a separate AppData folder. In case you delete a user their respective AppData folder will also be deleted. Now if you want to know “can I recover the AppData folder of the deleted user on Windows 10” then keep reading the article, and you will surely get an answer.
How To Recover Deleted AppData Folder?
1. Restore AppData Folder Using Data Recovery Software
In case the AppData folder is deleted and you can’t find it in the Recycle Bin then it means it is permanently deleted. Don’t worry, you can still recover data even after deleting it from the recycle bin with the help of data recovery software. If the AppData folder was missing because of the deleted user on Windows 1o then also you can get it back with the help of a professional data recovery tool.
There are lots of data recovery software available for Windows, but the one I would like to recommend for this task is EaseUS Data Recovery. You can read my EaseUS data recovery software review to get more insights on it.
- To use the software first you need to download it from the official website and install it on your computer. After that, launch the software and choose a drive to scan for the lost AppData Folder. In most cases, the AppData folder is in the C drive, so select it.
- Next, select quick or deep scan. I prefer deep scan because there are more chances of recovering a lost file or folder in it.
- Once the scanning process is complete, find and preview the data you wish to restore. You can search for the file or folder by entering its name in the search field. After finding the folder select and recover it.
Sometimes when the AppData folder is deleted then the PC might not start due to the loss of some important files. In that case, you can boot in Safe mode and follow the above steps to restore the deleted AppData folder in Windows.
The steps to boot in the Safe mode are different for different computers based on their brands. You can refer to your PC’s user manual to get more details about it.
2. Use Previous Versions To Recover AppData Folder
If a data recovery software is not helpful in recovering the AppData Folder then you can make use of the Windows Previous Version feature to get it back.
Note: This process might not be able to restore all data that was stored in the AppData folder. However, it is still better than recovering nothing at all.
- To retrieve a deleted AppData folder this way, you will need to create a dummy AppData folder with the same name i.e. AppData. Make the folder in the same location from where it was deleted i.e. C drive.
- Next, you need to right-click on the folder and go to Properties. Then simply restore to Previous Versions.
If you are lucky enough then you may recover all the lost data from the AppData folder using this method.
Is It Possible To Get Back Deleted AppData Folder In Windows?
Recovering a deleted AppData folder is quite possible on a Windows PC given that you know how to. After reading this article, I am sure you know the right way to do it. I recommend you start off with the Previous Version feature of Windows, if it doesn’t work then you can try the data recovery software.
To prevent such things from happening in the future you may also back up your important Windows files on your computer. This way even if you lose your AppData folder, you don’t have to look for third-party solutions.
FAQs
Does System Restore Recover Deleted AppData Folder?
Yes, System Restore can restore the AppData folder provided that you have enabled System Restore on your computer before the folder was deleted.
What Is The Shortcut for AppData?
Type %AppData% command in the Run app and then hit Enter.
Is AppData A Hidden Folder?
Yes, it is a hidden folder but you can easily find it at the location C:UsersUsernameAppData.
