EUC - Restore Data from a Network Shared Drive in Windows

This KB provides instructions any Libraries staff member can follow to revert / recover any file or folder saved to a network shared drive in Windows. macOS device users should reach out to the LTG Help Desk. For assistance with this article, please contact the End User Computing (EUC) team.

Processes

Revert a File to a Previous Version

If the file still exists, but you want to revert it to a previous version of itself, do the following:

  1. Determine the name of the file you want to revert and the network location where it exists.
  2. Launch File Explorer.
  3. Navigate to the folder where the file you want to revert exists.
    • Think of this as the Parent Folder: it’s the folder that contains older versions of the file you want to revert.
  4. Right-click the file you want to revert.
  5. Click "Restore previous versions."
  6. A new File Explorer window will appear showing previous versions of the file.
  7. Click on a version of the file from a date & time you'd like to revert it to.
    • Example: if you want to revert the file to a version that existed yesterday, click an entry from at least one (1) day ago.
  8. Click "Restore."
  9. Read the warning message that appears very carefully; if you proceed to the next step, you will overwrite the current version of the file with the older version you selected in the previous step.
  10. Click "Restore."
  11. Repeat this process for any other files you'd like to revert.

Recover a File that No Longer Exists

If the file no longer exists, and you want to recover it, do the following:

  1. Determine the name of the file you want to recover and the network location where it used to exist.
  2. Launch File Explorer.
  3. Navigate to the folder where the file you want to recover used to exist.
    • Think of this as the Parent Folder: it’s the folder that used to contain the file you want to recover.
  4. Right-click in an empty space.
  5. Click "Properties."
  6. Select the Previous Versions tab.
  7. Click on a version of the Parent Folder from a date & time when you know the file you want to recover existed.
    • Example: if you know the file you want to recover existed yesterday, click an entry from at least one (1) day ago.
  8. Click "Open."
  9. A new File Explorer window will appear showing the contents of the Parent Folder as it used to exist.
  10. Locate the file you want to recover.
  11. Right-click the file.
  12. Click "Copy."
  13. Return to your original File Explorer window.
  14. Right-click in an empty space.
  15. Click "Paste."
  16. Repeat this process for any other files you'd like to recover.

Revert a Folder to a Previous Version

If the folder still exists, but you want to revert it to a previous version of itself, do the following:

  1. Determine the name of the folder you want to revert and the network location where it exists.
  2. Launch File Explorer.
  3. Navigate to a folder just above where the folder you want to revert exists.
    • Think of this as the Parent Folder: it’s the folder that contains older versions of the folder you want to revert.
  4. Right-click the folder you want to revert.
  5. Click "Restore previous versions."
  6. A new File Explorer window will appear showing previous versions of the folder.
  7. Click on a version of the folder from a date & time you'd like to revert it to.
    • Example: if you want to revert the folder to a version that existed yesterday, click an entry from at least one (1) day ago.
  8. Click "Restore."
  9. Read the warning message that appears very carefully; if you proceed to the next step, you will overwrite the current version of the folder—including all the files & folders inside of it—with the older version you selected in the previous step.
  10. Click "Restore."
  11. Repeat this process for any other folders you'd like to revert.

Recover a Folder that No Longer Exists

If the file no longer exists, and you want to recover it, do the following:

  1. Determine the name of the folder you want to recover and the network location where it used to exist.
  2. Launch File Explorer.
  3. Navigate to a folder just above where the folder you want to recover used to exist.
    • Think of this as the Parent Folder: it’s the folder that used to contain the folder you want to recover.
  4. Right-click in an empty space.
  5. Click "Properties."
  6. Select the Previous Versions tab.
  7. Click on a version of the Parent Folder from a date & time when you know the folder you want to recover existed.
    • Example: if you know the folder you want to recover existed yesterday, click an entry from at least one (1) day ago.
  8. Click "Open."
  9. A new File Explorer window will appear showing the contents of the Parent Folder as it used to exist.
  10. Locate the folder you want to recover.
  11. Right-click the folder.
  12. Click "Copy."
  13. Return to your original File Explorer window.
  14. Right-click in an empty space.
  15. Click "Paste."
  16. Repeat this process for any other folders you'd like to recover.


Keywords:
network share, network drive, network file, network folder, share, drive, file, folder, windows, revert, recover, restore previous version, previous version, version, file explorer, backup
Doc ID:
153168
Owned by:
Dylan R. in Libraries
Created:
2025-07-11
Updated:
2025-07-11
Sites:
UW-Madison Libraries