Recover Deleted QuickBooks Data FilesĀ 

Losing vital data, particularly regarding financial records kept in QuickBooks, may be inconvenient. However, you may attempt a few other approaches to recover deleted QuickBooks data files. Here is a detailed manual to walk you through the procedure:

  1. Check the Recycle Bin or Trash: First, you should check your computer’s Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash (Mac). A file is often relocated to the Recycle Bin or Trash instead of wholly deleted when you remove it. Look for the deleted QuickBooks files by opening the Recycle Bin or Trash. If you locate them, you have to put them back where they belong.
  2. Use QuickBooks Auto Data Recovery: You may recover lost or deleted data using a built-in tool in QuickBooks called Auto Data Recovery (ADR). ADR makes an automatic backup of your QuickBooks data files. The ADR consists of two parts:
    • QuickBooks Auto Data Recovery location: Typically found in the exact location as your business file, this folder was created by QuickBooks. The. QBW.adr file and the.TLG.adr files are the two different sorts of files in the folder.
    • Original Transaction Log File: QuickBooks tracks changes made to your business file since the previous backup using transaction log files (.TLG). A transaction log file is automatically created by QuickBooks when you launch it. It is possible to utilize the original.TLG file in the data recovery procedure if it is still accessible.

Follow these procedures to employ ADR and recover your data:

  • Find the ADR folder in the location where QuickBooks was installed. The ADR folder’s default location is:
    • For Windows, go to C:\Users\Public\Documents\Intuit\QuickBooks\Company Files\
    • Mac: Drive/Users/Shared/Documents/Intuit/QuickBooks/Company Files/
  • Search for files with the. QBW.adr and.TLG.adr extensions. These files serve as a reminder of the ADR backup.
  • Copy both. QBW.adr and.TLG.adr files, then paste them into a brand-new desktop folder.
  • Eliminate the. adr suffix from the filenames. Rename “company_file.QBW.adr” to “company_file.QBW” and “company_file.TLG.adr” to “company_file.TLG”, for instance.
  • Open QuickBooks and go to the newly created folder where the restored files were saved. Double-clicking the QBW file will make it visible.
  • QuickBooks will automatically identify the transaction log file (.TLG) to recover the data. To finish the recovery procedure, adhere to the instructions.
  1. Restore from a Backup: You may recover the deleted files from a backup copy if you routinely back up your QuickBooks data. You may back up and restore your business files using the built-in backup function of QuickBooks. To restore from a backup, do the following actions:
    • Launch QuickBooks and choose the “File” option.
    • Choose “Open or Restore Company” before selecting “Restore a Backup Copy.”
    • Choose the backup file that includes the deleted data by following the on-screen instructions.
    • Pick the place where the backup file should be restored. The corporate file may be either overwritten or restored to a different place.
    • Open the restored company file to view the recovered data when the restoration is complete.
  1. Use Data Recovery Software: If the techniques above don’t work, you may attempt to recover your deleted QuickBooks data files by utilizing data recovery software. Several third-party programs, such as QuickBooks data recovery, are available and focus on data recovery. The general procedures for using data recovery software are as follows:
    • Conduct thorough research before choosing a reliable data recovery program that supports QuickBooks data recovery. To prevent downloading harmful software, be cautious about choosing your program from a reliable source.
    • On your computer, download and install the data recovery program.
    • Run the application and choose the disk or location where the QuickBooks files were kept before being deleted.
    • Launch the scanning operation. The program will look for deleted files on the chosen disk or location and show those that may be recovered.
    • Search the list of recoverable files for the deleted QuickBooks data files. You may preview the files before recovery using specific data recovery applications, which can help you confirm the accuracy of the recovered data.
    • Choose a place to store the recovered files, then choose the deleted QuickBooks files you wish to recover. To prevent overwriting any existing data, storing the recovered files to a new disk or location is advised.
    • Completing the recovery procedure by the data recovery software’s instructions.

Remember that several variables, like the degree of file fragmentation, the time after deletion, and the activity on the storage device, affect how well data may be recovered using the software. Although there is no assurance that all deleted data will be recovered, data recovery software often succeeds substantially.

  1. Speak with a specialist: Recovering data sometimes needs a specialist’s assistance. Suppose the data is essential, and you cannot recover it alone. In that case, you may consider contacting a company specializing in recovering QuickBooks files. These experts can recover deleted data from different storage devices using cutting-edge technologies and methods.

Be prepared to provide a data recovery expert with specific details about the deleted QuickBooks files, such as file names, file kinds, file sizes, and the estimated date of deletion, when you speak with them. They will use this information to analyze the problem and provide you with the best recovery choices.

Remember that you must move immediately if you want to recover deleted QuickBooks data files. The longer you wait, the more the deleted data may be overwritten and unrecoverable. Regularly backing up your QuickBooks data is also essential to avoiding data loss in the future and ensuring that you have a trustworthy restoration point in case of crises.