How to Recover .POL Files from Flash Drives: A Complete Guide

Have files been deleted due to a user’s error or software error? Have you formatted a disk by accident and need to know how to recover the files? Read our .POL file recovery guide for Windows, MacOS, Android and IOS in 2025.

How to Recover .POL Files from Flash Drives: A Complete Guide
Data Recovery Tool

What is a .POL file?

A POL file is a file created by Group Policy Object Editor, an administration tool for Windows. It saves registry keys created while authoring an Administrative Template and can specify local or global user settings. POL files are typically named Registry.pol

What Are Common Causes of ".POL" Files Lost or Failure?

There can be several common causes for ".POL" files lost or failure:

  1. Accidental deletion: Users may accidentally delete the ".POL" file while trying to clean up their system or remove unnecessary files.
  2. Software or hardware issues: Issues with the operating system or hardware components can lead to the corruption or loss of ".POL" files. This can happen due to system crashes, software conflicts, or hardware failures.
  3. Virus or malware attacks: Malicious software can infect and corrupt files on a system, including ".POL" files. Viruses or malware can delete, modify, or encrypt files, making them inaccessible.
  4. Improper system shutdown: Abruptly shutting down the system without properly closing applications or saving files can cause data loss, including ".POL" files.
  5. File system errors: Errors in the file system structure, such as file system corruption or bad sectors on the storage device, can lead to the loss or failure of ".POL" files.
  6. Human error: Mistakes made by users, such as accidentally formatting the wrong drive or overwriting the ".POL" file with incorrect data, can result in the loss or failure of ".POL" files.
  7. Software or system updates: Sometimes, during software or system updates, ".POL" files may get overwritten or deleted accidentally, leading to their loss or failure.
  8. Hardware or storage device failure: If the storage device containing the ".POL" files fails or becomes inaccessible due to hardware issues, such as a faulty hard drive or a damaged storage medium, the files may be lost.

It is important to regularly backup ".POL" files to prevent loss and have a data recovery plan in place to minimize the impact of any potential failures.

How to recover lost ".POL" files?

Sometimes while working with a computer, laptop or other stationary or mobile devices, you may encounter various bugs, freezes, hardware or software failures, even in spite of regular updates and junk cleaning. As a result, an important ".POL" file may be deleted.

Go to view
🧺 How to Recover Files and Folders After Sending Them to the Recycle Bin and Deleting? (Windows 11)

🧺 How to Recover Files and Folders After Sending Them to the Recycle Bin and Deleting? (Windows 11)

By no means should you think that the only way to recover a ".POL" file is always to create it once more.

Use programs for recovering ".POL" files if a file was lost after accidental or deliberate deleting, formatting the memory card or the internal storage, cleaning the storage device, after a virus attack or a system failure.

Programs to recover ".POL" files

Looking for a way to get files back? In cases when files were deleted and they cannot be restored by using standard operating system tools, use Hetman Partition Recovery.

Partition Recovery™ 5.1
The tool recovers data from any devices, regardless of the cause of data loss.
Download

Follow the directions below:

  1. Download Hetman Partition Recovery, install and start the program.

  2. The program will automatically scan the computer and display all hard disks and removable drives connected to it, as well as physical and local disks.

    File Recovery Software

  3. Double-click on the disk from which you need to recover ".POL" files, and select analysis type.

    Hetman Partition Recovery - Analysis Type

  4. When the scanning is over, you will be shown the files for recovery.

    Hetman Partition Recovery - Files that Can be Restored

  5. To find a file you need, use the program’s interface to open the folder it was deleted from, or go to the folder "Content-Aware Analysis" and select the required file type.

    Hetman Partition Recovery - Deep Scan

  6. Select the files you have been looking for and click "Recovery".

    File Recovery Software - Files List for Recovery

  7. Choose one of the methods for saving the files and recover them.

    Saving recovered files in Hetman Partition Recovery

How to open file with ".POL" extension?

Looking for how to open a stereo windows Policy File image file file?

Programs that open ".POL" files

Windows
Microsoft Group Policy Object Editor Microsoft Group Policy Object Editor
Registry.Pol Viewer Utility Registry.Pol Viewer Utility

Additional Information

  • File type: Windows Policy File

  • File extension: .POL

  • Developer: Microsoft

  • Category: System Files

  • Format: Binary

  • Mime-type: application/octet-stream

  • HEX: 50 52 65 67 01 00 00 00 5B 00

Feedback

We will be happy to answer your questions!

Comments (1)

  • Hetman Software: Data Recovery
    Hetman Software: Data Recovery 18.12.2019 12:33 #
    Leave a comment if you have any questions about Recovering lost .POL files after deleting, cleaning or formatting!
    Reply
Post comment
User
Leave a reply(Hetman Software: Data Recovery).Cancel reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Updated:
  • Evaluations:
  • 3
  • /
  • :
Vladimir Artiukh

Author: Vladimir Artiukh, Technical Writer

Vladimir Artiukh is a technical writer for Hetman Software, as well as the voice and face of their English-speaking YouTube channel, Hetman Software: Data Recovery for Windows. He handles tutorials, how-tos, and detailed reviews on how the company’s tools work with all kinds of data storage devices.

Oleg Afonin

Editor: Oleg Afonin, Technical Writer

Oleg Afonin is an expert in mobile forensics, data recovery and computer systems. He often attends large data security conferences, and writes several blogs for such resources as xaker.ru, Elcomsoft and Habr. In addition to his online activities, Oleg’s articles are also published in professional magazines. Also, Oleg Afonin is the co-author of a well-known book, Mobile Forensics - Advanced Investigative Strategies.

Share

Questions and answers

  • What is a ".POL backup" file and how is it created?

    A ".POL backup" file is a backup of the Group Policy Object (GPO) settings in a Windows operating system. Group Policy is a feature in Windows that allows administrators to manage and configure settings for multiple users and computers in a network.

    The .POL backup file contains the configuration settings, policies, and preferences defined in the GPO. It can be used to restore the GPO settings in case of accidental deletion, corruption, or to transfer the settings to another system.

    To create a .POL backup file, you can use the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) or the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) depending on the scope of the GPO.

    Here are the general steps to create a .POL backup using GPMC:

    1. Open the Group Policy Management Console.
    2. Navigate to the Group Policy Objects folder.
    3. Right-click on the desired GPO and select "Back Up..."
    4. Specify the location to save the backup file and provide a name.
    5. Click "Backup" to create the .POL backup file.

    Using the Local Group Policy Editor, the process is slightly different:

    1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor by typing "gpedit.msc" in the Run dialog (Win + R).
    2. Navigate to the desired GPO settings.
    3. Right-click on the GPO or specific policy and select "Export..."
    4. Choose the location to save the .POL backup file and provide a name.
    5. Click "Save" to create the backup.

    It's important to note that .POL backup files are specific to the Local Group Policy Objects (LGPO) and may not be compatible with domain-based GPOs.

  • How can I restore a ".POL backup" file to revert back to a previous policy configuration?

    To restore a ".POL backup" file and revert back to a previous policy configuration, you can follow these steps:

    1. Open the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) on your Windows computer. You can access it by typing "gpmc.msc" in the Run dialog (Win + R) or by searching for "Group Policy Management" in the Start menu.
    2. In the GPMC, navigate to the Group Policy Object (GPO) where you want to restore the policy configuration. This can be a specific domain, organizational unit (OU), or site.
    3. Right-click on the desired GPO and select "Import Settings" from the context menu. This will launch the Import Settings Wizard.
    4. In the Import Settings Wizard, choose the option to restore from a backup. Then, click "Next."
    5. Browse to the location where you have stored the ".POL backup" file. Select the file and click "Open."
    6. The wizard will display a summary of the settings to be imported. Review the information and click "Finish" to initiate the restoration process.
    7. Once the restoration is complete, the previous policy configuration will be applied to the selected GPO. The changes will take effect on the client computers during the next Group Policy update cycle.

    Note: It's important to exercise caution while restoring policy configurations, especially if you are reverting to an older backup. Make sure to validate the backup file and understand the potential impact of the changes before proceeding.

  • Are there any specific tools or software programs that can be used to open and view the contents of a ".POL backup" file?

    There are several tools and software programs that can be used to open and view the contents of a ".POL backup" file. Some of these tools include:

    1. Group Policy Object Editor: This is a built-in Windows tool that allows you to view and edit Group Policy settings. You can open a .POL backup file using this tool by navigating to "Local Computer Policy" or "Group Policy Object Editor" and selecting "Open Backup…" from the "File" menu.
    2. Policy Plus: It is an open-source alternative to the built-in Group Policy Editor. Policy Plus can also open and view .POL backup files. You can download and install Policy Plus from its GitHub page.
    3. Microsoft Security Compliance Toolkit: This toolkit includes various tools, including the LocalGPO tool, which allows you to apply security baselines and view Group Policy settings. The LocalGPO tool can also open .POL backup files for viewing.
    4. PowerShell: You can use PowerShell scripts to extract and view the contents of a .POL backup file. By using the Import-GPO cmdlet, you can import the backup file and then use the Get-GPOReport cmdlet to generate a report that contains the settings.

    These are just a few examples of tools that can be used to open and view .POL backup files. Depending on your specific needs and preferences, you may find other tools or methods that suit your requirements.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Description