How to Recover Permanently Deleted Google Documents

If you deleted important documents, they can be easily recovered

4 min. read

Updated onJanuary 25, 2024

updated onJanuary 25, 2024

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Key notes

Some of our readers have recently requested to know how to recover permanently deletedGoogle docs. There are possible instances when users later need some documents they had earlier deleted -and, at times, permanently deleted, for that matter.

Worry less; this article has provided some possible steps to recover your Google documents.

Where do permanently deleted documents go on Google Docs?

If you’ve recently deleted a file or folder and are wondering where to recover it, you can check the trash bin in your Google Drive.

Whenever you delete a Google document or file, the deleted file stays in the trash bin for 30 days before it is permanently deleted. Just like when youhide comments in Google Docs, they remain in the Resolved section.

However, this is only possible if you’ve not used the Delete Forever option whiledeleting the Google document.

Although Google Drive does not allow users to restore Google Docs that have been permanently deleted after 30 days, such Google Docs can also be recovered from a backup or offline copy, which was possibly once created or edited in the local folder before it was uploaded to Google Drive.

Now that you know where your permanently deleted documents will likely go on Google Docs, the next section will provide simplified steps to recover your files.

How do I recover permanently deleted Google Docs?

Before engaging in advanced troubleshooting steps, you should perform the following preliminary checks:

After confirming the above checks and recovering permanently deleted Google docs, you can explore the advanced solutions below.

1. Visit your Google Drive trash folder

This should be your first step when trying to recover your files. Your Google document may be in the trash folder, but if it’s not you can try the next fix.

2. Recover documents as an admin

However, remember that you need to be the administrator of a Google service to do that. If you work in an organization, ask the administrator to do that for you.

Also, keep in mind that you may only recover the data if they have been deleted within 30 days.

3. Recover your locally saved files

Another way to restore your Google docs is by checking your computer for files automatically synced while configuring it.

3. Use third-party apps

One of the backup services offered by the G-suite that can enable you to recover your lost files is Google Takeout. Aside from this, you can alsouse third-party backup apps.

And that’s it! Ensure you work your way through the provided fixes one after the other to know which works for you.

Similar to this reported error is a detailed solution provided onhow to recover your docs if your Google account is deleted.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please use the comments section below.

How to Recover Permanently Deleted Google Documents#

How do I recover permanently deleted Google Docs?#

1. Visit your Google Drive trash folder#

2. Recover documents as an admin#

3. Recover your locally saved files#

3. Use third-party apps#