Upgrading to the latest Windows is essential, especially if you care about getting security updates to protect your PC or to get additional features to enhance your user experience. If you lose data in the process, we show you how to fix the loss.
Many people, therefore, upgrade from Windows 7, 8.1, and even 10 to Windows 11. However, this process is flawless as you can keep all your data intact until the process ends.
Table of Contents
Content Summary
Method 1: Remove The Temporary Account
Method 2: Restore Lost Files With Backup
Method 3: Find Lost Data With Search
Method 4: Enable Administrator Account Created For Upgrade
Method 5: Recover Files Without Backup
However, some instances may lead to data loss in the process or after upgrading to Windows 11. The reasons can be so many, and we have listed some of them below.
- The records got erased accidentally during the upgrade.
- The account used before the upgrade has stopped working.
- You are supported with a temporary Windows account.
- The documents have been moved to different areas.
Method 1: Remove The Temporary Account
It becomes complicated to track down and recover deleted files on Windows 11, especially after updating your Windows. If you have lost data while upgrading to Windows 11, follow the steps below to attempt recovery.
Step 1: Check if you have a temporary account backup.
Step 2: Open “Start > Settings > Account” and sync your settings. If a message appears at the top saying, “You are signed in with a temporary profile. Roaming options are presently unavailable,” restart the PC and sign in again to eliminate the temporary account and make the documents accessible.
Step 3: Sync the Settings page.
Step 4: If you see a message that says, “We can’t sign in to your account,” restart the computer and log in again. You can also quickly resolve the issue by logging out and logging in again.
Method 2: Restore Lost Files With Backup
If you have been using Windows 7, you can quickly restore lost files after Windows update by opening “Start” and going to “Setting,” then “Update,” “Security,” and “Backup.” Select Restore my documents and follow the command prompts that follow to recover the lost files.
Also, you can restore documents by making another one with a similar name and typing in some cases. Here’s what to do:
Step 1: Select Properties.
Step 2: Select the previous versions tab.
Step 3: Pick the document type to recover it.
Method 3: Find Lost Data With Search
The other method for data recovery after updating to windows 11 is using the search box on the taskbar. Look by either the name of the file or the types of files. For instance, if you have lost an excel record and need to recover it, search with *.xlsx or use the document’s name to be searched.
Here are the other things to try for file recovery in case the steps above fail to recover your files:
- You may have removed some portions of your documents due to the Windows update. Press and hold the files you discover and select the “Open File Location” to access and check the location of the documents. You can then duplicate all the records that you need to move to alternative locations.
- During updates, Windows may tow some documents from view. Key “File Explorer Options” in the search box on the taskbar and select the View tab. Under the confidential records, select “Show Hidden Document” and check to see if you can get some of your lost documents.
Method 4: Enable Administrator Account Created For Upgrade
Once the update to Windows 11 ends, there are chances the administrator account you made may be automatically disabled. If this happens, the documents you stored on the broken administrator account will not appear anymore. You will therefore need to activate the report to be able to perform the data recovery for PC.
Step 1: Type “Computer Management” in the search box on the taskbar. Open it.
Step 2: Tap on “Local Users and Groups” on the left side of the pane.
Step 3: Now double-click users on the right side of the pane.
Step 4: Double-click “Administrator” to launch properties.
Step 5: Tap on the “Account is disabled” box to uncheck it if it is ticked already.
Step 6: Click “Apply” followed by “OK.”
Step 7: Sign in with your administrator account and try to find the lost documents.
Method 5: Recover Files Without Backup
If all the other methods fail to restore your data after the Windows update, it is a sign that the records got erased in the process. To retrieve them, we recommend you use third-party data recovery software such as Disk Drill by CleverFiles. Follow the steps below:
Step 1: Download and install the software.
Step 2: Select a local disk from where you lost the data after the update.
Step 3: Scan the hard drive for data.
Step 4: Preview the files and select the right ones for recovery.