Learn how to recover Notepad files in MiniTool. To recover unsaved Notepad files, check the autosave files or temporary files; to recover deleted files, check the Recycle Bin or use data recovery software. To repair corrupted Notepad files, restore a previous version.
Notepad files play an indispensable role in daily office work due to their small size and ease of reading and editing.
However, when these files are lost or corrupted, it can be frustrating, especially if they contain important notes or configuration data.
Before learning how to repair and recover Notepad files, it is important to understand what they are and whether they support autosave.
About Notepad Files
Read this part to learn what the Notepad files are and how to create and use this type of file.
What Is TXT
Notepad files (usually with the .txt extension) are one of the most basic and universal text file formats. They are created and edited by the Notepad program that comes with Windows systems.
These types of files store content in plain text format and do not contain any formatting information such as fonts, colors, or paragraph styles. Therefore, they have extremely high compatibility.
Whether on Windows, macOS, or Linux systems, .txt files can be easily opened and read. They are widely used for note-taking, saving logs, writing code snippets, or configuring files.
Notepad files are not dependent on any specific software or platform. It is an excellent choice when you want to quickly take notes, view logs or configuration files, or need cross-platform compatibility.
Here is how to create a Notepad file:
1. In the Windows search box, type Notepad and press Enter to open Notepad.
2. Type anything you want. Then, click File > Save As in the top left corner.
3. Choose a save location, enter a filename (make sure it ends with .txt), and click Save.
Does Notepad only allow manual saving? Does it have an auto-save feature? These are questions many users are concerned about. Now, find the answers in the following section.
Does Notepad Have an AutoSave Feature
Sometimes, Notepad files may remain unsaved due to accidental shutdown or system crash. At this point, automatic save becomes important and useful. Does Notepad have an auto-save feature?
In fact, the new Windows 11 Notepad already supports the auto-save feature. This feature automatically saves unsaved content and opened tabs when the application is closed, and restores them automatically on the next startup. It significantly improves the editing experience and data security.
This feature is enabled by default and can be controlled in Notepad settings. However, it does not save the content as an actual file; manual saving is still recommended to ensure data security.
On Windows 10, Notepad does not store unsaved content. To recover unsaved files, check the temporary data.
How to Recover Unsaved Notepad Files
Here is a quick video guide:
The methods to recover unsaved Notepad files differ between Windows 11 and Windows 10. Follow the steps for your Windows version.
On Windows 11:
Notepad’s auto-save feature automatically saves your session state and restores previously opened tabs. This includes any unsaved content and edits made in those tabs.
Additionally, you can go to the Settings to configure Notepad to either continue the previous session or start new session and discard unsaved changes each time it is opened.
On Windows 10:
In certain situations (such as program crashes, power outages, or improper shutdowns), Notepad automatically generates temporary files to save unsaved content on Windows 10.
These temporary files help recover lost data, ensuring you can retrieve recently edited content, even if it wasn’t explicitly saved.
Therefore, checking temporary files is a crucial step in the recovery process. Here is how to check it.
Step 1: Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.
Step 2: Type %temp% and press Enter to open the Temporary Files folder.
Step 3: Type *.tmp in the search bar and press Enter to filter temporary files.
Step 4: Browse these files to find any suspected unsaved files and open them with Notepad.
Alternatively, you can search the AppData folder, which contains temporary files.
Step 1: Press Win + R, type %AppData%, and press Enter.
Step 2: Search for .txt files or view subfolders such as Local or Roaming to find the target Notepad files.
What if the Notepad files were confirmed to be saved, but they were accidentally deleted or lost? Read on to learn how to get deleted or lost files back.
How to Restore Deleted/Lost Notepad Files
To recover deleted Notepad files, first check the Recycle Bin, then use File History (if enabled) or data recovery software.
Method 1: Restore from the Recycle Bin
On Windows, when Notepad files are deleted, they are first moved to the Recycle Bin rather than being permanently deleted.
The Recycle Bin is a temporary storage area in the Windows operating system used to store files and folders deleted from internal hard drives.
Deleted items can still be easily recovered before the Recycle Bin is completely emptied, preventing data loss due to accidental deletion.
Therefore, to recover Notepad files, the first step is to check the Recycle Bin. This is the fastest and safest method.
Step 1: Open the Recycle Bin and locate the deleted Notepad files.
Step 2: Select the target files, right-click them, and select Restore.
The Notepad files will be restored to the original location.
If you cannot find the files in the Recycle Bin, proceed with the next strategy.
Method 2: Recover with File History
If you’ve enabled File History beforehand, using it to recover your lost Notepad files is an effective method. This feature periodically backs up the contents of your Documents folder, including text files. Here’s how to recover with File History.
Step 1: Type Control Panel in the Windows search box and press Enter.
Step 2: Change the view to Large icons and click File History > Restore personal files.
Step 3: Expand the Documents folder to select the target txt files.
Step 4: Right-click the green button and choose Restore to.
Step 5: Choose a safe path and click Select Folder.
Now, open the destination folder to check your Notepad files.
If the File History hasn’t been enabled, attempt the subsequent step.
Method 3: Restore Using Windows File Recovery
Windows File Recovery is a command-line file recovery tool officially released by Microsoft. It is used to recover deleted or lost files.
This tool can perform a deep scan of your hard drive, even if files have been emptied from the Recycle Bin. Here’s how to use it to recover Notepad files.
Step 1: Download Windows File Recovery.
Step 2: After the download process ends, type Windows File Recovery in the Windows search box and press Enter.
Step 3: Type Winfr C: Q: /regular /n *.txt in the window and press Enter. Replace C with the drive letter where your lost Notepad files were originally stored. Replace Q with the drive letter where you want the recovered files to be saved.
Step 4: When prompted to continue, type Y to scan and recover files.
When the file recovery is complete, go to the destination drive to view the files.
how-to-use-microsofts-windows-file-recovery-tool
Method 4: Retrieve via MiniTool Power Data Recovery
If all of the above methods fail, try third-party recovery software. If you’re unsure which one to use to do a text recovery, give MiniTool Power Data Recovery a try.
This software supports the recovery of various text formats, including .txt files. It is capable of recovering files lost due to accidental deletion, disk formatting, PC crashing, and so on.
This tool can recover files from hard drives, USB drives, SD cards, and other storage devices. It is compatible with Windows 11/10/8/8.1. The recovery process is safe and will not overwrite the original data.
In terms of usability, it’s easy to use, making it suitable for non-technical users to quickly retrieve files. This free file recovery software gives a free recovery capacity for 1 GB of files.
Step 1: Download and install the software
Click the following button to download and install MiniTool Power Data Recovery on your computer.
MiniTool Power Data Recovery FreeClick to Download100%Clean & Safe
Step 2: Launch the software and choose a scan location
Open MiniTool Power Data Recovery. When entering the main interface, you will be under the Logical Drives tab by default. Find the target drive, move the cursor to it, and click Scan.
Alternatively, in the Recover From Specific Location module, move your cursor to the Select Folder section and click Browse. Choose the target folder and click Select Folder to scan for data.
Step 3: Find the target Notepad files
When the scan process ends, files are listed under the Path tab. This part is suitable for finding files according to the file structure.
Next to it, the Type tab categorizes files based on the file type, such as documents, pictures, videos, etc.
In the upper left corner, the Filter allows you to narrow the scope by setting file type, modification date, file size, and file category.
The Search feature helps you filter the specific files. Type a full or partial name in the box and press Enter. The matching files will be displayed.
Step 4: Preview the file before recovery
MiniTool Power Data Recovery offers the Preview feature. This helps you confirm the completeness of the file content and whether it is the file you need.
Double-click any files you want to check. If the file supports preview, its content will be displayed. After you confirm the file, close the window and perform the last step.
Step 5: Save the files to a new and safe location
Check the desired files and click the Save button. A window will pop up prompting you to choose a destination. Choose a safe and new one, and then click OK to start the recovery process.
After recovering the Notepad files, continue reading the last part. It introduces an effective method to repair corrupted Notepad files, helping you recover important text content as much as possible.
How to Repair Corrupted Notepad Files
When using Notepad, unexpected power outages, system crashes, or disk failures can all lead to file corruption, making the file unopenable or displaying garbled characters.
“Restore previous versions” is a file recovery feature on Windows. It can retrieve an earlier state of the file from system-created restore points or File History. Use this feature to repair your damaged Notepad files according to the steps below.
Step 1: Right-click the corrupted Notepad file and select Restore previous versions.
Step 2: A window will pop up displaying a list of available versions.
Step 3: Select the latest version before the corruption occurred.
Step 4: Click Open to preview. After checking the file content, click Restore to restore it to a previous version.
After repairing the Notepad files, take a look at the differences between Notepad++ files & Notepad files
Differences Between Notepad++ Files & Notepad Files
Notepad is a basic text editor, while Notepad++ is an advanced editor for developers, supporting syntax highlighting, plugin extensions, and more. Here are the differences between them.
| Functions/Categories | Notepad | Notepad++ |
| File format | .txt | .txt, .html, .cpp, .xml, etc. |
| Syntax highlighting | Not supported | Supports syntax highlighting for multiple programming languages |
| Multi-tab editing | Not supported | Multiple files can be opened simultaneously |
| Find and Replace function | Supports basic search and replace | Supports regular expressions and multi-line replacement |
| Plugin extension | Not supported | Supports installing plugins to enhance functionality |
| Use cases | Simple text recording and log viewing | Programming development, configuration file editing, batch text processing |
After reviewing the differences, it should be clear which option to use in different cases.
Final Words
Recovering Notepad files may seem simple, but the key is taking timely and correct measures. Whether using the Recycle Bin, Windows File Recovery, or MiniTool Power Data Recovery, all can effectively reduce the risk of data loss.
To repair Notepad files, try restoring a previous version. Hope this article can help you recover important content.
For any inquiries about the MiniTool product, contact us at [email protected].
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Chelsea graduated from university with a major in English. She has a strong interest in English writing. It is this passion for writing that led her to become an English editor. Her articles mainly focus on data recovery and other computer industry news. As an energetic and outgoing girl, Chelsea enjoys listening to music, singing, riding bikes, and eating in her spare time.
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