March 16th, 2019 | Updated on March 19th, 2025
Have you ever lost an important file and wished you could turn back time?
Data loss is an all-too-common experience, whether due to accidental deletion, drive failure, or file corruption. If you’re here, you’re either planning ahead or urgently looking for a solution.
Having a data recovery software in such a situation is the only respite we have. Fortunately, the best data recovery software can help retrieve lost or deleted files from your computer, external storage, or even mobile devices.
When a file is deleted, it’s not always gone for good—it’s often just marked as available space, waiting to be overwritten. If you act quickly, there’s a good chance you can recover it before it disappears forever.
There are many free data recovery software which not only recover all your information but eliminate any possibilities of them getting lost again. But, which software is the most useful is a question worth pondering upon.
We have brought together a list of 20 free Data Recovery Software Tools which are the most useful for this purpose.
Data Recovery Software Tools
1. Puran File Recovery
Puran File Recovery is a free and efficient file recovery program designed to restore lost or deleted files with ease. The software is user-friendly, featuring quick disk scans and a straightforward interface, making it accessible even for beginners.
With Puran File Recovery, users can recover deleted files, lost partitions, and even files from formatted disks. It supports all drives detected by Windows, regardless of the file system. The tool offers a quick scan that lists deleted files within seconds and a deep scan mode that thoroughly examines the drive byte by byte, ensuring a higher recovery success rate. It supports FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, and NTFS file systems, making it a versatile solution for data recovery.
2. Pandora Recovery
When a file or folder is deleted on major file systems, only the filename is affected, often losing its first character, while the disk space it occupied is marked as available for new data. This process ensures fast deletion but leaves the actual data intact until it is overwritten.
Disk Drill (formerly Pandora Recovery) can recover such deleted files by using advanced recovery algorithms to retrieve lost data. Pandora Recovery allows users to restore accidentally deleted files from NTFS, FAT16, and FAT32 formatted drives or memory cards, even after they have been emptied from the recycle bin.
The program offers two scanning modes: a quick scan for recently deleted files and a more in-depth surface scan that thoroughly searches for all deleted data. The scan results provide a detailed list of recoverable files, along with a file preview and an estimated recovery success rate. Additionally, users can search for specific files based on name, type, size, and other criteria, making file recovery more efficient.
Read More: Best File Recovery Software
3. Glary Undelete
Glary Undelete is a versatile file recovery tool that supports multiple file systems, including NTFS + EFS, FAT, and NTFS. It is capable of recovering files that have been compressed, fragmented, or even encrypted on NTFS file systems.
The software automatically sorts recovered files based on name, size, and creation date, making it easier for users to locate and restore lost data. Once the search is initiated, the interface displays the found items along with relevant details.
Glary Undelete is a free yet powerful solution designed for FAT and NTFS file systems. It can recover files emptied from the Recycle Bin, deleted via the SHIFT key in Windows Explorer, or removed in a DOS window. Additionally, it restores files lost due to system crashes, bugs, or virus attacks.
Key features include support for FAT, FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, NTFS5, and NTFS + EFS file systems, as well as recovery of compressed, fragmented, and encrypted files on NTFS. It also supports both Basic and Dynamic Volumes and can undelete files from removable devices such as SmartMedia, Secure Digital, and MemoryStick. Users can filter recoverable files by name, date, size, and recovery state. The software is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, and Windows Server 2003 operating systems.
4. FreeUndelete
FreeUndelete is a user-friendly data recovery program designed to help users restore deleted or lost files on Windows. With its simple interface, the software makes it easy to retrieve files from NTFS (default in Windows XP/2000/NT) and FAT32 file systems.
Available as a free download, FreeUndelete requires no special technical knowledge to use. The recovery process is fully automated—users simply select a drive, press a button, and let the program scan the disk for recoverable files. Once the scan is complete, FreeUndelete provides a list of deleted files that can be restored, ensuring a hassle-free recovery experience.
5. iBoysoft Data Recovery Free
iBoysoft is a software company based in Chengdu, China, specializing in data security solutions. The company has developed various tools, including iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac and Windows, NTFS Assistant, iBoysoft Drive Manager, and iBoysoft File Protector.
iBoysoft Data Recovery is a free, efficient, and non-destructive software designed to recover deleted files, restore formatted drives, retrieve data from RAW drives, and recover lost partitions. It supports Windows 10/8/7/XP and Windows Server 2012/2008/2003, providing a fast and reliable solution for recovering lost data.
6. Recuva
Recuva, developed by Piriform, is a free and user-friendly undeletion program for Windows that helps recover files marked as deleted by the operating system. It scans the disk to locate and restore lost files, even from formatted or damaged drives. One of its key advantages is its simplicity, making it accessible for all users.
Additionally, it includes a secure-delete feature for permanently erasing files and offers a portable version that can run directly from a USB stick without installation.
However, Recuva is not as powerful as some paid alternatives, and in some cases, it may incorrectly label files as “unrecoverable” even when they are still intact on the disk.
While it is a useful tool to have installed before data loss occurs, users dealing with more complex recovery needs may need to consider a more advanced paid solution.
7. CD Recovery Toolbox
Recovery Toolbox for CD Free stands out as one of the best tools in its class due to its advanced algorithms, ease of use, and extensive features. Unlike many of its counterparts, it is completely free, making it an accessible choice for users needing to recover data from damaged CDs.
The scanning process can take some time, depending on the disc’s condition and the level of damage, which may impact the recovery speed. Once the scan is complete, users can select specific files for recovery. However, the actual recovery process may also take a while, influenced by multiple factors such as file size and disc integrity.
While CD Recovery Toolbox Free is effective in retrieving lost data, it may not always succeed if the disc is severely damaged. Nonetheless, it remains a solid option for those looking to recover data from CDs at no cost.
Read More: 5 Best Data Recovery Software For Mac
8. SoftPerfect File Recovery
SoftPerfect File Recovery is a lightweight and portable application designed to help users retrieve lost or deleted files from their computers. One of its advantages is that it does not create new entries in the Windows Registry, and once uninstalled, it leaves no residual files on the hard drive.
The program features a simple interface with a standard window, allowing users to begin by selecting a local partition to scan for deleted data. It offers the flexibility to search for all available files or narrow the search by specifying a name or file extension.
After the scan is complete, the results display key details such as file name, location, size, attributes, and date. Users can then select the files they wish to restore, choose an output directory, and let the program complete the recovery process efficiently.
9. GetDataBack
GetDataBack is a well-known provider of data recovery software, offering solutions for file recovery, computer forensics, and file previewing. Its software is designed to retrieve lost data from computer hard drives, digital cameras, other storage media, and even email files. Available online, through OEMs, and in retail stores worldwide, GetDataBack has established itself as a reliable choice for data recovery.
For users facing issues with a damaged hard drive that restricts access to stored information, GetDataBack for FAT provides an efficient solution. The software scans the entire disk surface to locate and recover lost files, regardless of the cause of the damage.
The recovery process involves three simple steps. First, users select the drive they wish to scan. It is recommended to install the application on a separate drive and save recovered files to a different location to prevent data overwriting. Once the scan is complete, users can browse through the recovered files, select the ones they need, and copy them to a local folder.
10. Wise Data Recovery
Wise Data Recovery is a free and efficient data recovery software designed to address various data loss issues. Whether files were accidentally deleted, a drive was formatted, or a system crash occurred, this tool can help retrieve lost data from multiple storage devices, including hard drives, external hard drives, USB drives, memory cards, digital cameras, mobile phones, MP3 players, and other media. It supports file recovery from FAT (FAT12, FAT16, FAT32), exFAT, and NTFS disk formats.
Developed by WiseCleaner.com, Wise Data Recovery is capable of restoring different types of files, such as images, documents, audio, videos, compressed files, and emails. It works with various devices, including local drives, USB drives, cameras, memory cards, MP3 players, iPods, and other removable storage devices. Additionally, the software provides a recovery difficulty indicator, categorizing files as “Good,” “Poor,” “Very Poor,” or “Lost” to help users understand the chances of successful retrieval.
11. Windows File Recovery
Windows File Recovery is a dedicated tool designed to help users recover lost data in various situations, including inaccessibility, deletion, and formatting of hard drives. Recognized for its efficiency, this tool is a key part of Windows Data Recovery solutions. It is accessible via the Windows Store and is compatible only with Windows 10 build 19041 or later.
Unlike traditional recovery software, Windows File Recovery is a console-based application, meaning it lacks a standard graphical interface. While this might not be ideal for regular users, those familiar with command-line tools can easily access it by typing “winfr” in the Windows console, followed by specific parameters.
This tool can recover files from internal, external, and portable storage devices, though it does not support shared network files or cloud storage. Despite its command-line nature, it remains intuitive and easy to use, even for those with little experience in the Windows console.
12. Restoration
Restoration is a lightweight, portable, and user-friendly free data recovery program for Windows. While it may lack some advanced features found in other recovery software, it offers unique functionalities that can be useful for users looking for a simple recovery solution.
This straightforward tool allows users to undelete files that were removed from the Recycle Bin or deleted directly from Windows. Upon launching, users can scan for recoverable files and refine search results using a specific term or file extension.
Additionally, Restoration includes a feature to wipe discovered files beyond recovery, ensuring permanent deletion if needed. The program is compact, requires no installation, and supports FAT, NTFS, and digital camera cards, making it a versatile option for file recovery.
Read More: How To Recover Data And Important Files From Your SD Card
13. CrashPlan
CrashPlan® for Small Business offers automatic data loss protection, providing small businesses and organizations with peace of mind. Whether facing a disaster, human error, a stolen laptop, or ransomware, CrashPlan helps users recover quickly and efficiently.
This innovative utility allows users to back up their computers to another system or an external drive, either manually or on a schedule. For households with multiple computers, CrashPlan enables device-to-device backups. Additionally, users can back up their data to a friend’s computer and extend the same invitation, creating a collaborative and secure backup network.
14. ADRC Data Recovery Tools
ADRC Data Recovery Software Tools is a comprehensive collection of DIY data recovery utilities that support various drives and file systems. Designed with novice users in mind, the software features an extremely simple GUI, ensuring ease of use.
It focuses on essential recovery functions with minimal complexity, allowing users to undelete files, create disk image backups, restore backups, copy files from hard disks with bad sectors, perform disk cloning, and edit and restore boot parameters. With its straightforward approach, ADRC Data Recovery Software Tools provides full control over the recovery process, making it a reliable solution for data retrieval.
15. OnTrack EasyRecovery
Ontrack EasyRecovery, developed by the world’s leading data recovery provider, is a powerful yet user-friendly tool designed to handle various data loss scenarios. It enables precise file recovery from accidental deletions, reformatted drives, and other common issues.
The software supports recovery from SSDs, traditional hard drives, memory cards, USB drives, flash drives, and optical media. Users can recover up to 1GB of free data using this do-it-yourself solution, which efficiently retrieves deleted, damaged, and lost files from formatted or corrupted storage volumes.
16. Undelete My Files Pro
UndeleteMyFiles is a free and efficient tool designed to recover accidentally deleted files from hard disks, USB flash drives, CF and SD cards, and other storage media. It simplifies the recovery process, making it easy to retrieve lost files that once resided on your system.
Beyond basic file recovery, UndeleteMyFiles offers additional powerful features. With its user-friendly interface, users can quickly select the target drive and begin the file rescue process, ensuring a smooth and effective recovery experience.
Read More: Why Mac Is The Best Operating System For You To Lost Data
17. iCare Data Recovery Free
iCare Data Recovery is a comprehensive data recovery solution designed to handle various data loss scenarios. Whether dealing with wrong formatting, unexpected operations, inaccessible drives, raw file systems, virus attacks, deleted partitions, or software crashes, iCare ensures easy access to lost files.
The software supports recovery of various file types, including photos, documents, music, emails, and presentations. It is effective for recovering data from hard drives, removable drives, SD cards, USB drives, and even Android microSD cards.
As a 100% free data recovery tool provided by iCareAll Inc., iCare Data Recovery Free Edition allows users to retrieve lost data from digital devices. The latest edition enables unlimited data recovery after scanning storage media, making it a reliable choice for hard disks, laptops, memory cards, and USB flash drives.
18. MiniTool Power Data Recovery
MiniTool Power Data Recovery is a user-friendly and powerful tool for recovering lost or deleted data from various storage devices. Whether you’re a professional or a business user, this all-in-one data recovery software offers a straightforward recovery process with an intuitive interface suitable for all levels of users.
The free version allows recovery of up to 1GB of data, provided there is no physical damage to the hard drive. For larger recovery needs, users must upgrade to the paid version, which costs $69. While effective, MiniTool Power Data Recovery faces competition from more mature and versatile alternatives in the data recovery market.
19. Disk Drill
Disk Drill is a powerful data recovery software available for both Mac and Windows. It specializes in recovering lost or deleted files from various storage devices, including internal and external hard drives, USB flash drives, memory cards, and even iPhones or iPads.
For Mac users, Disk Drill provides specialized recovery modules tailored for Android, iOS, and macOS devices. It offers two scanning modes: QuickScan for faster results and DeepScan for thorough recovery. Users can preview results in real-time without waiting for the scan to finish.
A standout feature of Disk Drill is its Vault protection, which proactively saves deleted files from selected folders, making future recovery easier. Its efficient scanning algorithms and user-friendly interface make it a strong contender in the data recovery market.
20. PC Inspector File Recovery
PC INSPECTOR™ File Recovery 4.x is a free data recovery tool designed to support FAT12/16/32 and NTFS file systems. It offers an advanced capability to automatically detect lost partitions, even if the boot sector or file allocation table (FAT) has been erased or damaged. One of its standout features is the ability to recover files with their original time and date stamps, ensuring data integrity. Additionally, the software supports saving recovered files directly to network drives, making it convenient for users working in networked environments.
A unique aspect of PC INSPECTOR™ File Recovery is its special recovery function, which allows the retrieval of files even when their header entries are no longer available—something that many competing recovery tools fail to achieve. It supports a wide range of file formats, including DOC, XLS, PDF, MP3, ZIP, JPG, and more, making it a versatile solution for data recovery. The software also provides a user-friendly step-by-step guide to assist users in recovering mistakenly deleted files, ensuring accessibility for both novice and experienced users.
21. Data Rescue 6
Data Rescue 6 offers a clean and intuitive interface, making data recovery accessible to users. However, despite its simplicity, the software comes with a steep price—$399 per year for a single-user license—making it impractical for most home users.
While Data Rescue 6 includes advanced features like drive cloning and automatic RAID detection, its multi-step recovery process can feel unnecessarily complex. Users looking for a straightforward recovery tool may find the process more complicated than expected.
The software supports various file systems, including FAT, exFAT, HFS+, and NTFS, and is compatible with Windows 7+ and macOS 10.12+. A free demo is available, with paid plans starting at $79 for a 30-day license.
22. Wondershare Recoverit
Wondershare Recoverit is one of the best data recovery tools in its price range, supporting a variety of storage devices, including camcorders, hard drives, and USB flash drives. It offers a sleek design, strong recovery rates for common file types, and compatibility with both Windows and Mac file systems. The software also includes useful tools like bootable USB creation and photo/video recovery.
However, the free version is limited to recovering just 100 MB of data, and the preview feature supports only a handful of file formats. Scan results often contain duplicates, and recovery struggles with less common file systems. Despite these drawbacks, its ease of use—requiring just three simple steps to recover files—makes it a solid choice for everyday users.
Wondershare Recoverit offers three pricing options: $47.99 for a one-month license, $69.99 for a one-year license, and $129.99 for a perpetual license. It supports NTFS, FAT, HFS+, APFS, and other common file systems and runs on Windows (XP to 11) and macOS.
23. DiskGenius
DiskGenius is an all-in-one solution for data recovery and partition management, catering to both professional and home users. It offers features like disk cloning, OS migration, and virtualizing Windows into a VMware machine. The software also includes advanced tools such as a HEX data editor and bootable USB creation for recovery tasks.
Despite its powerful capabilities, DiskGenius lacks an intuitive interface, and the free version limits recovery to files smaller than 64 KB. Additionally, its file previews are clunky, and it lacks a session manager. While it provides a broad range of functionalities, it is often considered a “jack of all trades but master of none.”
The recovery process is straightforward, involving three steps: selecting a partition or drive, scanning for lost data, and previewing files before recovery. Notably, DiskGenius can retrieve data from VMware, VirtualBox, or Microsoft Virtual PC images—an edge over many pricier competitors.
24. Stellar Data Recovery
Stellar Data Recovery has been a trusted name in data recovery since 2000, offering a simple and user-friendly interface for both Windows and Mac users. It supports a wide range of storage devices, provides a useful preview feature, and even repairs photos and videos that won’t open post-recovery. The software also displays S.M.A.R.T. data and allows byte-to-byte backup creation.
Despite its strengths, Stellar Data Recovery is relatively expensive and delivers inconsistent recovery results. The free version is limited to 1 GB of data recovery, and there is no real-time recovery during scanning. Additionally, if a scan is interrupted, it doesn’t resume automatically, which can be frustrating for users dealing with large storage devices.
The software supports NTFS, exFAT, and FAT-formatted drives, along with SSDs, USB flash drives, and memory cards. There are multiple paid versions, with the Professional and Premium editions priced at $89.99 and $99.99 per year, respectively. While the Premium version includes video and photo repair capabilities, both versions share the same intuitive interface, making data recovery accessible even to beginners.
25. TestDisk & PhotoRec
Unlike other tools on this list, TestDisk is primarily designed for recovering lost or deleted partitions, repairing file systems, and fixing boot sectors. It’s free, open-source, and supports multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. It works with a variety of file systems like FAT, NTFS, and ext2/ext3/ext4, making it a solid choice for advanced users dealing with corrupted storage media.
However, TestDisk isn’t ideal for recovering individual files, as its main focus is on restoring partitions and file systems. While it can undelete files from certain file systems, this feature is hidden within the advanced menu and lacks a file preview option. Additionally, it relies on a command-line interface, making it less accessible for non-technical users.
Despite its steep learning curve, TestDisk remains a top choice for IT professionals and advanced users who need a robust, lightweight, and portable recovery tool. If you need to recover files rather than partitions, its companion tool, PhotoRec, may be a better option.
26. EaseUS Data Recovery
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is one of the most popular data recovery tools, praised for its ease of use and reliable performance. It simplifies the recovery process, making it accessible even for non-technical users. The software supports a wide range of file systems, including NTFS, FAT, exFAT, and HFS+, and can recover lost files from hard drives, SSDs, USB flash drives, and even the Recycle Bin.
The free version allows up to 2 GB of data recovery, which is more generous than some competitors. However, the software does have its drawbacks. It includes unrecoverable files in the scan results, which can be misleading, and only previews files smaller than 100 MB. Additionally, its estimated scan time is often inaccurate, and the frequent pop-up ads can be frustrating.
Pricing is a major downside, with the Pro version costing $69.95 per month—almost as much as some competitors charge for a lifetime license. The lifetime license costs $149.95, which is steep for software that lacks advanced features like disk cloning or partition management.
Despite these drawbacks, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard remains a solid choice for users looking for a simple and efficient recovery solution, especially for everyday file recovery tasks.
27. R-Studio
R-Studio is a powerful data recovery tool for professionals, supporting multiple file systems like NTFS, FAT, exFAT, Ext2/3/4, HFS+, APFS, and UFS. It allows running multiple recovery jobs simultaneously, includes a hex editor, disk sanitization tools, and predicts recovery chances.
However, its outdated interface, lack of real-time scan results, and a trial limit of 256 KB make it less ideal for casual users.
💰 Pricing:
- R-Studio FAT – $49.99 (FAT, exFAT, Ext2/3/4)
- R-Studio NTFS – $59.99 (adds NTFS support)
- R-Studio – $79.99 (full version)
- R-Studio Network – $179.99 (network recovery)
- R-Studio Technician – $899.00 (enterprise use)
28. AnyRecover
AnyRecover is a versatile data recovery tool available for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. It supports over 1000 file formats and 2000 devices, handling more than 500 data loss scenarios. In testing, it successfully recovered 92% of deleted files with filenames intact, 64% of files from a formatted drive without filenames, and nearly all files from a corrupted drive after selecting the “Couldn’t Find Location” option.
Pricing starts at $79.99 per month (currently $59.99 on promotion), $99.99 per year (discounted to $79.99), and a lifetime license usually costs $159.99 but is now available for $99.99. The free version allows users to preview files and recover up to 100MB. If considering a purchase, it’s best to wait for discounts, as software deals frequently change.
