How to Recover Windows Defender Deleted Files [Recovery and Prevent Tips]

Windows Defender is a built-in virus cleaner utility that can help you scan and remove the virus from your computer. Sometimes, this utility can make mistakes and delete essential files which look suspicious.

When you find Windows Defender deletes files, don't worry! We will provide four possible methods to help you recover Windows Defender deleted files:

Now, let us start with the first method!

Method 1. Recover Windows Defender Deleted Files with Windows Recovery Software

You may not find Windows Defender deleted files in Recycle Bin, and applying a reliable data recovery tool can save a lot of time. It will waste your time if you search in Google for data recovery software and download different programs to try. We recommend EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Pro, and you can download this software now. It is free to download and will cost no money until you want to upgrade to the pro version.

EaseUS data recovery software can solve many data issues, especially accidental deletion:

• Recover permanently deleted files that Windows Defender accidentally deleted.
• Recover deleted MP4 files, JPEG, PNG, MOV files, and Microsoft Office files.
• Deal with data loss problems on devices like HDD, SSD, external hard drives, USB flash drives, SD cards, etc.

Here is a written tutorial to help you learn how to recover files deleted by Windows Defender with EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard:

Step 1. Choose the exact file location and then click the "Search for Lost Data" button to continue.

Step 2. After the process, locate the deleted or lost files in the left panel using the "Path" or "Type" feature. Or, you can apply the "Filter" feature to find the deleted files.

Step 3. Click the "Recover" button and save the restored files – ideally, it should be different from the original one. You can choose a cloud storage, such as OneDrive, Google Drive, etc., and click "Save" to save your recovered files.

Have you recovered personal files deleted by Defender? Don't forget to share this useful recovery tool with more Windows users!

Method 2. Restore Quarantined Files in Windows Security Settings

Do you know where Windows Defender deleted files go? The deleted files will not move to the Recycle Bin, and you can easily find these items in the Windows Defender quarantined area. Check the detailed tutorial here:

Step 1. Type in Windows Security in the Windows search box, and select the first result. If the Windows 11 search bar is not working, right-click the taskbar, choose "Taskbar settings", and search for Windows Security app.

Step 2. Click the "Virus & threat protection" tab and "Protection History".

Step 3. Open the Filter menu and choose "Quarantined Items".

Step 4. Find the files you want to restore, and choose "Actions"> "Restore". 

Hope this method is helpful for you to recover files deleted by antivirus!

Method 3. Restore Defender Deleted Files with CMD

This method can be a backup method when you cannot find wanted items in the Quarantined Items window. If you are unfamiliar with command lines and the Command Prompt, choosing the first method is better.

Step 1. Launch the Command Prompt as an administrator. You can easily launch the utility with the search option.

Step 2. To locate the Windows Defender folder, type in cd C:\Program Files\Windows Defender.

Step 3. Type in mpcmdrun -restore -listall and press enter to list all the quarantined items.

Step 4. To restore the items, type in MpCmdRun -Restore and add the file name.

If you want to learn more information about file recovery with CMD, check the following passage now:

How to Recover Deleted Files Using Command Prompt

Accidentally deleted files or lost data from USB flash drive, hard drive, SD card on Windows 10/8/7? Read more >>

Method 4. Get Back Defender Deleted Files with Data Recovery Services

None of the methods work? Methods are too difficult for you? Don't worry! Here's the last solution, and it does not need advanced computer knowledge. Applying EaseUS data recovery services can make data recovery easier, and you can communicate with professional data recovery experts online anytime. Click the following link to start a chat window now!

EaseUS HDD Repair Services

Click here to contact our experts for a free evaluation

Consult with EaseUS data recovery experts for one-on-one manual recovery service. We could offer the following services after a FREE diagnosis

• Repair corrupted RAID structure, unbootable Windows OS, and corrupted virtual disk file
• Recover/repair lost partition and re-partitioned drive
• Unformat the hard drive and repair the RAW drive (Bitlocker encrypted drive)
• Fix disks that become GPT-protected partitions

How to Stop Windows Defender Delete Files Automatically

After learning how to recover Windows Defender deleted files, you may want to disable Windows Defender to avoid this issue. Actually, you can stop Windows Defender from deleting files automatically by adjusting the settings.

Here's how you can do it:

Step 1. Go to "Windows Security"> "Virus & threat protection".

Step 2. Scroll down to find "Virus & threat protection settings", and click "Manage settings".

Step 3. Scroll down to click "Add or remove exclusions". Then, you can add some important files/folders to stop Windows Defender from deleting files on Windows 11.

If you think the recovery methods and prevention tips are helpful, you can share this passage on social media to help more readers!

Conclusion

While using the Windows operating system, some programs will automatically delete files for different reasons. No matter how you lose the files and what files you have lost, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard can help you restore them. Download this advanced data recovery tool today!

Windows Defender Deleted Files Recovery FAQs

Here are some extra questions about Windows Defender deleted files recovery:

1. Where do files deleted by Windows Defender go?

The files will not go to the Recycle Bin; you can find Windows Defender deleted files in the Quarantined folder. You can go to this folder to check the deleted files: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Quarantined.

2. Does Windows Defender delete files automatically?

Yes, Windows Defender will delete files automatically. While scanning for malware and viruses, Windows Defender will remove suspicious files and folders from your computer to keep other data safe.

3. How can I recover files deleted by Windows Defender?

We have listed multiple recovery tips in this passage:

• Apply EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
• Restore from Quarantined folder in Windows settings
• Use CMD to restore from the Quarantined folder
• Contact EaseUS data recovery services