GNOME Documentation Project
gnome-doc-list@gnome.org
David King
amigadave@amigadave.com
Deleted files are normally sent to the Trash, but can be recovered.
Daniel Șerbănescu
daniel [at] serbanescu [dot] dk 2016, 2019

# Recover a file from the Trash

If you delete a file with the file manager, the file is normally placed into the Trash, and should be able to be restored.

# To restore a file from the Trash:

Open the Activities overview and start typing Files.

Click on Files to open the file manager.

Click Trash in the sidebar. If you do not see the sidebar, press the Show Sidebar button in the top-left corner of the window.

If your deleted file is there, click on it and select Restore From Trash. It will be restored to the folder from where it was deleted.

If you deleted the file by pressing Shift Delete , or by using the command line, the file has been permanently deleted. Files that have been permanently deleted can’t be recovered from the Trash.

There are a number of recovery tools available that are sometimes able to recover files that were permanently deleted. These tools are generally not very easy to use, however. If you accidentally permanently deleted a file, it’s probably best to ask for advice on a support forum to see if you can recover it.