How to Recover Deleted Screenshots on Windows 11/10/8/7

How to Locate Missing Screenshots on Windows

Even the most organized individuals can misplace screenshots on their computer. The good news is that Windows offers a straightforward way to find your lost screenshots using the integrated File Explorer search feature.

Steps to Retrieve Lost Screenshots on Windows:

1. 1. Launch File Explorer.
2. 2. Click on "This PC" and enter your search terms in the "Search This PC" field. If you recall the specific folder where you saved the screenshots, you can focus your search there.
3. 3. Type in the screenshot name you're trying to find. If you don't remember the name or never assigned one, you can simply type "screenshot" to initiate the search.

File Explorer presents a wealth of details about each screenshot, including file name, location, date of creation, and file type. If you remember the date when the screenshot was captured, you can use the filter feature to further narrow your search results.

Where Are Captured Images Saved in the System?

There are various ways to take screenshots, and depending on the method you use, the images may get saved in different locations on your system. Knowing where your tool saves your data after taking a screenshot can make it easier to locate it every time. To help you with this, we have listed some of the most popular tools that are free and already installed on your system by default.

1. Snipping Tool. Snipping Tool is installed by default on Windows 10/8/7 and Vista. When using this tool, you can save your captured data wherever you like on your system in various formats, including JPEG, PNG, GIF, and more.

2. Snip & Sketch is the latest tool in Windows 10, which is modernizing the experience of taking screenshots. It combines the feature listing of Snipping Tool and Screen Sketch. To save the captured image using this tool, click on the "Floppy Drive" icon and save it wherever you like on your device.

3. Windows Print Screen Shortcut. Mostly all Windows systems, whether laptops or personal computers, come with an installed "Print Screen" button placed on the keyboard. This option allows users to take a screenshot of the entire screen, saving it to the clipboard. If you want to modify or interact with the captured image, paste it into paint, word, or Google doc.

4. Windows Key + Print Screen. To automatically save your captured screen image to your computer, press "Windows Key + Print Screen." Your system will automatically create a folder named "Screenshot" within "Pictures."

Remember to change the name to "screenshot 1," "screenshot 2," and so on whenever you save multiple screenshots. This will make the screenshot recovery process harder. Hence, it is better to give it a name so that when it comes to retrieving your deleted or lost data later, the searching process is hassle-free.

How to Recover Deleted Screenshots on Windows 11/10/8/7

DiskInternals DiskInternals Uneraser™ supports most file systems, all versions of Windows, and recovers lost photos from HDD, USB drive, SSD, SD card, etc., so this utility can legitimately be called universal.

It will be even easier to recover lost photos (despite the simplified interface of the application) if you use the built-in wizard of DiskInternals Uneraser™.

To ensure that your images can be recovered and that the recovery quality is truly the best, you can use the trial version of DiskInternals Uneraser™. It is completely free, and you can view all the files found in real-time for free and then think about the possibility of purchasing a license to export data.

You can always use technical support from the company's specialists, so if you have any questions - feel free to contact us! You will have this opportunity for 12 months after purchasing a license!

Reasons Why Screenshots Are Lost or Deleted

Loss of screenshots and other data can occur due to various reasons. The following are some of the reasons why it may be happening:

1. Corrupt Disk - A disk can become corrupt due to sudden power failure, interruptions while formatting the disk, or too many bad sectors. This makes the files saved on the disk inaccessible and disappear from the PC.

2. Accidental Deletion - Human error is the primary reason for mistakenly deleting files. Many people face this issue at least once in their lives.

3. Malware or Virus Attack - Viruses and malware are designed to target files and make them useless or worse.

4. Formatting - When a drive is formatted, all its contents are deleted. If the screenshots were stored on the formatted disk, they were most likely erased during the procedure.