How do you restore previous versions of files on a Mac or Windows PC?

1 Why restore previous versions?

Restoring previous versions of files can help you recover lost or damaged data, undo unwanted changes, or compare different versions of the same file. For instance, if you have accidentally deleted the file and emptied the trash bin, saved over the file with a different name or format, edited the file and want to revert to an earlier state, corrupted the file due to a virus, power outage, or disk error, or want to view how the file appeared before sharing it with someone else, restoring a previous version of the file can be beneficial.

2 How to restore previous versions on Mac

If you are using a Mac, you can restore previous versions of files using the Time Machine feature. This backup system saves snapshots of your files and folders at regular intervals. To restore a previous version, connect your backup drive to your Mac or make sure it is accessible over the network. Open the file in its default app and click on the Time Machine icon in the menu bar. Use the timeline on the right side of the screen to browse through different versions of the file, or use the arrows or search field to find a specific date or time. When you find the version that you want to restore, click on it and then click on Restore. Alternatively, you can click on the gear icon and choose Restore to... to save the version to a different location.

3 How to restore previous versions on Windows

If you are using a Windows PC, you can restore previous versions of files with File History. This backup system automatically saves copies of your files and folders in a different drive or location. To restore a previous version of a file, connect the backup drive to your PC or make sure it is accessible over the network. Then, open the folder containing the file and right-click on it. Select Restore previous versions to open a window with a list of available versions of the file. Use the date and time columns to find the version that you want to restore and click on Open to preview it before restoring. When you find the version that you want, click on Restore to replace the file, or click on Copy to save it to a different location.

4 How to restore previous versions with third-party tools

If you are in need of a backup system, or if you want more options and features, you can use third-party tools to restore previous versions of files. There are many tools available online to help you recover deleted, overwritten, or corrupted files from your hard drive, external drive, or cloud storage. For example, Recuva is a free tool that can scan your drive and recover deleted files, even if the recycle bin has been emptied. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is a paid tool that can recover lost or deleted files from formatted disks or inaccessible partitions. Disk Drill is also a paid tool that can recover deleted or lost files from corrupted or encrypted disks, as well as files from various devices and cloud services. To use these tools, you must download and install them on your computer and follow the instructions on their websites or user guides.