# How to Undelete Overwritten Files and Restore Old Data Saving a new version of a file by accident over an important file can lead to frustration. You can lose out on the important information, photos, and work that you took hours to develop. Fortunately, ways exist to search for an earlier version. To [**undelete overwritten files**](https://notchox.com/resources/how-to-recover-files-from-overwritten-disk/), a better method would be to check backups, previous versions of files, and recovery. # Can Overwritten Files be Recovered? Data recovery from an overwritten file depends on the manner in which the data was overwritten. In some cases, a previous version is available via a backup, cloud storage, or application version history. In such instances, an original copy may be recovered without special equipment. When new data has completely replaced the data on the same storage sectors, however, it's difficult to recover data. If possible, taking prompt action and refraining from further changes may help preserve recoverable information. If you've accidentally overwritten a file, you can recover it from backups. You can also restore a file that was accidentally overwritten from a backup. When dealing with a file that has been overwritten, the first question that springs to mind is how to recover the lost file. If these features were activated before the replacement of the file, Windows users can use the "File History" or "Previous Versions" options. Previous versions can be viewed, and the desired version can be downloaded. For Mac users, things are a bit easier, with Time Machine backups and version history in supported applications. Cloud services like OneDrive and iCloud might also retain previous versions of files. Depending on settings and backups, one or more of the following is available. # Is Data Recovery Software a solution to the problem? Data recovery software can run a scan on the storage device to look for files that have been deleted or other fragments left behind on the disk. But it has no way of recreating data that is completely erased. Its value relies on the sort of data loss that has taken place, the storage device, and whether this original information is still accessible. If you are going to use recovery software, then do not install it on the infected drive. Save recovered files to a different location to minimize the chances of overwriting other data. # How to Prevent File Overwriting in the Future One of the easiest ways to ensure the safety of important files is by regularly backing them up. Use cloud storage with version history, if possible, and enable Windows File History or Mac Time Machine. The Save As option can also be used to make a copy of a document to work on before editing an important document. # Conclusion The first step in learning to undelete overwritten files is to go back through backups and previous versions. If the original data has been completely overwritten, it may not be able to be recovered. In cases where there are no built-in recovery methods, [**Notchox**](https://notchox.com/) could be a solution for data recovery for potentially recoverable deleted or inaccessible files, but it cannot recover data that is completely overwritten.