Have you just finished moving a large number of files from one drive to another, only to have all of your work wiped away due to mistakenly pressing Ctrl+Z (Control+Z)? You’re not alone. This functionality has caused many Windows users to become victims of unintentional data loss.
We’re going to cover this issue today and look at what you can do if you’ve lost some of your files due to the Control+Z Windows command.
Table of Contents
What Does Control+Z Do on a Computer
The Ctrl+Z Windows keyboard shortcut is for the Undo command. This will undo your most recent action. For instance, if you move a file from one folder to another, pressing Ctrl+Z will move it back to its original location, effectively undoing the move. However, this doesn’t always work.
Although the Ctrl+Z shortcut is a convenient way to reverse mistakes, if you use it in the wrong instance, it can actually delete your data. For example, if you move data from a portable device (like an iPad) to your computer and issue the command after it has been locked, it’s likely that your data will disappear as it cannot return to its original location. Many Windows users have voiced their concerns after similar issues happened to them.
To familiarize yourself with other similar shortcuts that are commonly used, see the table below:
| Keyboard combination | Description |
| Ctrl+Z | Undo – The last action you made will be undone. This command can be used multiple times. |
| Ctrl+Y | Redo – The last Undo action will be reversed. |
| Ctrl+X | Cut – Cut a file, storing it in your clipboard until it is pasted elsewhere. |
| Ctrl+C | Copy – A copy of the selected file(s) or text is stored in the clipboard, ready to be pasted. |
| Ctrl+V | Paste – Paste the file(s) or text to the desired location. |
How to Recover Files Deleted With Control+Z
There are multiple ways to recover files after they’re lost due to the Ctrl+Z command. Try them below.
Method 1: Ctrl+Y Combination
The Ctrl+Y keyboard combination is for the Redo command. This will reverse the last Undo command and can be used multiple times, but only following the Undo command. This is useful if you want to quickly redo after pressing Ctrl-Z.
- Make sure the Windows where the mistake occurred is active.
- Press Ctrl+Y on your keyboard.
Method 2: Data Recovery Software
If your files aren’t restored with the Redo command, you should try data recovery software to restore your data. Disk Drill is a data recovery tool that can scan your drive for any lost data and allows you to recover the data to a safe location. Depending on your situation, it’s possible that the files were available on your drive momentarily, allowing Disk Drill to find them.
To avoid overwriting the lost data, ensure you’re installing Disk Drill to another drive or remove the drive and scan it from another computer.
- Download and install Disk Drill to another drive.
- Select the drive that your data disappeared from. Click Search for lost data.
- Click Review found items when the scan is finished.
- Mark the lost files for recovery. Use the filter buttons to organize the results and find exactly what you’re looking for. Then, click Recover.
- Select an appropriate recovery location and click Next.
Method 3: File History
Should you lose your files after using Control+Z on your computer, your files may be saved using File History. File History is a backup utility included with Windows that takes regular snapshots of specified folders, allowing you to restore them if needed. This method is only available for those who had File History set up to save a copy of the data that was lost.
- Open the folder where the files were stored. Click History in the Home tab.
- Select the data you want to restore. Use the navigational arrows to see different versions. When ready, click the green restore button.
Method 4: OneDrive
Microsoft has been pushing its OneDrive cloud solution quite heavily, and for good reason, as it also doubles as a quick and seamless backup option. If you have OneDrive set up, it’s possible that a copy of your data is available in your OneDrive storage. This works the same way as it would if you need to recover cut files that were lost before you could paste them, as long as they’re still available on OneDrive’s side.
- Go to onedrive.com and log in.
- Select your data and click Download.
Conclusion
The ever-so-helpful Ctrl+Z keyboard shortcut for Undo can quickly become a nightmare if it accidentally deletes your data without leaving a trace. If you’re lucky, you can press Ctrl+Y on your keyboard to issue the Redo command. If this doesn’t work, seek out a backup from a backup utility like File History or cloud-based storage solution such as OneDrive.
Should no backup be available, you can always fall back on data recovery software like Disk Drill to scan your drive and recover the data for you.
FAQ
- Click Files, then click Options.
- Click Language.
- Select English in both boxes (in the Choose Display Language section and set both as default.
- Click OK and restart Word.
