How To Recover Deleted Files in QuickBooks?

This article explains how to recover QuickBooks company files. Use methods like checking the Recycle Bin, restoring QuickBooks backup files, or using AutoData Recovery to retrieve lost QBW files. For an easier and more reliable option, try Remo Recover, a tool designed to recover deleted QuickBooks files effortlessly. Download Remo Recover to start restoring your files.

Written by John Harris / Updated on July 05, 2025

QuickBooks helps you manage your business’s finances, inventory, transactions, and payroll, even without expertise. It stores critical business data in QuickBooks files. Losing these files can disrupt your business, making recovery essential.

Did you accidentally delete your QuickBooks files or lost them due to any reason? Are you wondering how to recover QuickBooks files from your desktop or laptop? Then this updated write-up has all the answers you want to know.

Table Of Contents:

  1. What Is The Location of QuickBooks Data Files?
  2. Sure-Shot Way of Recovering Deleted QuickBooks Files From Windows and Mac
  3. Other Possible Ways of Recovering QuickBooks Files
  4. Why Do You Lose Your QuickBooks Files?
  5. Conclusion

Where Are Your QuickBooks Files Stored?

By default QuickBooks starts saving the QuickBooks files in the following location.

- C:\Users\Public\PublicDocuments\Intuit\QuickBooks\Company Files

If you have deleted or lost the QWB, QBB, or any other files from here, then follow the methods mentioned in the following sections to restore files.

Wondering How To Recover QuickBooks Files That Were Deleted, Lost or Missing Easily?

To recover deleted QuickBooks files, check the Recycle Bin if the files were recently deleted. You can also restore backup copies if you have them. Another option is using QuickBooks’ AutoRecovery feature, which has helped some users recover files. For a fast and easy solution, use a specialized tool like Remo Recover to retrieve your QuickBooks data with just a few clicks.

Why Choose Remo Recover for Deleted QuickBooks Files?

Remo Recover is a renowned tool approved by millions of Windows and Mac users worldwide for deleted file recovery. The software is built with efficient algorithms capable of recovering more than 500+ file types, including QuickBooks files.

All you need to do is select the device or location from which you'd like to recover QuickBooks files. The tool is equipped with helpful features like Advanced Filters and a Search box that make it easy to locate the recovered QuickBooks files.

Available on both Windows and Mac, what are you waiting for? Download Remo Recover and start the QuickBooks data recovery process now!

Steps To Recover Deleted QuickBooks Files Using Remo Recover

Remo Recover is a user-friendly data recovery tool that makes restoring QuickBooks files easy. To use it, download, install, and set up Remo File Recovery Software on your Windows or Mac computer. Then, launch the application to start recovering your QuickBooks files.

Step 1: Select the Drive Where You Saved QuickBooks Files

If you are wondering how to recover QuickBooks data from Hard Drive? Or how to restore QuickBooks files from a flash drive?

Connect the hard drive, flash drive, or other storage device containing your lost or deleted QuickBooks files to the computer with Remo Recover installed.

From the list of drives, select the one where your QuickBooks files were stored and click the Scan button

launch the tool to recover deleted quickbook files

Wait for Remo Recover to scan for QBW or QBB files. Once the scan is complete, the software will display all recoverable files in the Dynamic Recovery View.

see a list of recovered quickbook files by clicking on dynamic recovery view

Step 2: Preview the Recovered QuickBooks data

Once the entire drive scan gets completed. A complete list of all recovered files will get displayed on your screen. Use the Advanced Filter option to find your QBW files.

use the filter option to find the quickbooks files

Tool will support you to identify QBW files from all the recovered data. Once differentiating the QuickBooks files, you can use the preview option to check the status of the recovered files.

Step 3: Save the Recovered QBW files

Select the files you want to recover and select a destination folder and click on the Recover button.

save the recovered quickbook file on a storage drive by browsing the storage location by clicking on recover

Voila, the quickbooks file recovery process has been successfully completed.

successful completion of the quickbooks file recovery

What All QuickBooks Files Can Remo Help You Recover?

As Mentioned earlier, Remo’s powerful Signature Search can identify and recover the following files.

Files File Types and Their Formats
Primary QuickBooks Files 1. QuickBooks Company file -   QBW
2. QuickBooks Backup file    -   QBB
3. QuickBooks Portable file  - QBM
4. QuickBooks Bank Statement file - QBO
Secondary QuickBooks Files 1. Layout Designer Template file - DES
2. QuickBooks Report Template file - QBR
3. QuickBooks Web Connector file - QWC
4. US Tax Table file - qbstbl2.usa
Accountant Files in QuickBooks 1. Accountant's Review Copy / Transfer file - QBX
2. Accountant’s Copy file - QBA
3. Accountant's Copy Import file - QBY
4. General Journal Entries file - QBJ
LOG Files and other Utility Files 1. Intuit Interchange Format file - IIF
2. Network Data file - ND
3. Transaction Log file - TLG
4. Event Log file - LOG
5. Entitlement file - ECML
6. QuickBooks Print file - QBP
Other QuickBooks Statement Writer Files 1. QuickBooks Statement Writer Template File - QST
2. QuickBooks Statement Writer Settings File - QSS
QuickBooks Files Specifically for Mac 1. Company file formats - QB2016, and QB2019
2. Backup file - MAC.QBB
3. QuickBooks Apple disk image file - DMG
4. Apple property list files - plist

What Are The Other Possible Ways To Perform Deleted QuickBooks File Recovery?

Doesn’t matter if you have saved your files or your QuickBooks files were never saved. The methods mentioned in this section can assist you in recovering deleted or lost QBW files easily.

  1. Restore Deleted QuickBooks Files From Recycle Bin
  2. Restore Deleted Files From The QuickBooks Backup
  3. Recover Lost QuickBooks Data Using Auto Data Recovery

Method 1: Restore Deleted QuickBooks Files From The Recycle Bin

If you have intentionally or accidentally deleted your QuickBooks files, we recommend you try to find them it the Trash Bin of your Windows or Mac system.

How To Restore Deleted QuickBooks Files From Windows Recycle Bin?

1. Open the Bin Folder, type in the file name in the search bar.

2. A list of all deleted QuickBooks files will get displayed on your Screen.

3. Select the QuickBooks file(s) that you want to restore. Right-click and from the drop-down menu, click on the Restore button.

How To Restore QuickBooks Files From Trash Bin on Mac?

1. Open the Trash Folder on your Mac system, use the search bar to find the deleted QuickBooks files.

2. Select the QuickBooks files that you want to restore.

3. Right-click and from the drop-down menu, click on the Put Back option.

Hopefully this method has worked out well for you. You need to be very careful when you delete any file(s). If you have deleted files using the Shift + Delete option or used command line utility to delete those files permanently. In such cases, we recommend you try other methods mentioned below.

Method 2: Restore QuickBooks Backup Files

QuickBooks, a top Accounting Tool, is widely used. Corruption or data loss of company files can cause massive chaos and sleepless nights. Regular backups are crucial. With a backup (QBB) of your Company files, you can recover from QuickBooks Data loss

If you have a backup (QBB) of your Company files, then this methods can help you solve the problem of QuickBooks Data loss.

How To Restore QuickBooks Backup File?

Step 1: Open the QuickBooks Application, click on the File option that is located on the top of the screen. Followed by clicking on the Open or Restore Company option.

Step 2: Click on the Restore a Backup copy option, Select the location from where you want to restore the backup copy of the Company file and click on the Next button.

Step 3: Select the file and click on the Open button.

Step 4: You will be prompted to choose a location where you want to restore the backup file.

Step 5: Click on the Next button and continue the process.

If you don’t have a backup of your original QuickBooks files, use a powerful QuickBooks deleted file recovery software to restore the deleted files.

Method 3: Recover Lost QuickBooks Data Using Auto Data Recovery

QuickBooks integrated Auto Data Recovery in the year 2010 to restore damaged or lost QuickBooks files. However, it is not available in the accountant's edition and it also cannot create ADR files which are exceeding 1.5 GigaBytes in size.

To be clear you can recover two types of QuickBooks files using auto data recovery.

  • QBW.adr files (QuickBooks for Windows)
  • .tlg files (Transaction Log files)

How Can AutoData Recovery Feature Help Me Recover Lost QuickBooks Files?

ADR restores lost (older) transactions from the current Transaction Log File as we as for a copy of Company File.

Note: you cannot recover deleted QBB files or QuickBooks Backup files, you definitely require a data recovery software to recover QBB files.

How To Recover Lost Or Deleted QuickBooks Data Using Auto Data Recovery Option?

Step 1: Open the file where your Company File is located. You can find the company files location by tapping the F2 button from the QuickBooks application home screen. After locating the company files folder, open it and locate QuickBooksAutoDataRecovery folder.

Step 2: Once in the Auto Data Recovery folder, manually search for files with the extension .QBW or .tlg for recovering QuickBooks Transaction Log files.

Step 3: To recover Actual QuickBooks files, search for files with the extension QBW.adr. Select and copy the files you required to recover and paste them on the desktop.

Step 4: Open the recovered QBW files using the QuickBooks desktop application.

However, you can only recover files that are a couple of hours old. The latest data might not be available in QuickBooks Auto Data Recovery.

Since the QuickBooks application is providing an auto data recovery option any user's first intuition will be using ADR (auto data recovery). However, there are certain limitations that are explicitly mentioned by QuickBooks.

  • You cannot use ADR to recover QuickBooks files in the accountant edition.
  • QuickBooks will not create ADR files exceeding 1.5 GB in size. So, if your QuickBooks files are larger than 1.5 GB you cannot use ADR for QuickBooks data recovery.
  • QuickBooks Auto Data Recovery Feature only works in QuickBooks Pro, Premier, Enterprise Version. So if you are using an Accountants Version, we recommend you try any other solution.

Since QuickBooks files or QBW extension files are unfamiliar file formats using other data recovery software might not yield better results. In contrast, Remo Recover is designed to detect and recover the deleted or lost QuickBooks files from any storage device.

Therefore, it is best to use a Specialized QuickBooks recovery tool such as Remo Recover.

Why Do You Lose Your QuickBooks Files?

You lose your important QuickBooks files from your system for various reasons. Mentioned here are a few of them.

  1. Accidentally or intentionally deleting QuickBooks files.
  2. Files getting deleted or misplaced after a virus attack.
  3. Your QuickBooks files might get corrupted due to sudden power surge or power cut.

Regardless of the reason behind losing your QuickBooks company files, you can always count on tools like the Remo Recover can quickly bring them back.

Conclusion:

QuickBooks is the best application for tracking your entire business operations, expenditures, and inventory hence it is really crucial for you to recover lost or deleted QuickBooks files. Fortunately, QuickBooks is integrated with an auto data recovery option that allows users to recover deleted or lost QuickBooks files without using any third-party software.

However, this auto data recovery option is not available in all the editions and you cannot recover files larger than 1.5 GB. To overcome that issue you can take advantage of Remo QuickBooks Data recovery software that recovers QuickBooks files. Not only QuickBooks files you can also recover lost excel sheets, Word documents, PowerPoint Presentations, and Audio and video files of various file formats with the help of Remo.

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