This post contains 8 best free software to recover deleted files for PC/laptop Windows 10/8/7. This Data Recovery Software can help you undelete your important files if you delete them accidentally or intentionally. Or you can also lose data due to malware infection, accidental PC crash, or hardware failure. In such a case, this free data recovery software can recover data back on your PC.
Most software hard disk data recovery The ones mentioned in this list are easy to use and anyone with basic computer knowledge can use them to recover lost data. So, abandon all assumptions that it will be a very technical task.
8 Software To Recover Deleted Files
1. Recuva
Recuva is a software to restore permanently deleted files on a PC/laptop. Recuva is the best freemium data recovery software that lets you recover deleted files quickly and easily. With this software, you can quickly recover files from your windows computer, recycle bin, digital camera card, pen drive, and MP3 Player.
Recuva is favored for its easy-to-use interface, best results, and it’s also available for free. The only drawback with this software is that you have to pay for the advanced features of this software.
The fact that Recuva tops the list of the best data recovery software may come as no surprise. This data recovery software has the ability to recover files from hard drives, DVDs or CDs, memory cards and external drives. There are many free file recovery software, but their capabilities can’t come close to Recuva when it comes to hard drive and photo recovery actions.
This recovery performance works by searching for unreferenced data. This is known for retrieving lost directory structures as well as renaming two files with the same name while performing data recovery.
Recuva excellent features:
- Superior file recovery
- Advanced advanced scanning mode
- Secure overwrite feature that uses industry & military standard erasing techniques
- Recover files from a damaged or recently formatted drive
- Easy User Interface
- Preview screen before final restore
- Free / inexpensive data recovery software
- Works both on FAT and NTFS systems
Supported platforms:
Recuva software for PC works on Windows 10, 8, 8.1, 7, Vista, XP, and earlier versions of Windows.
2. Disk Drill
Disk Drill is also a software to restore permanently deleted files on a PC/laptop. Seriously, if you are looking for a data recovery software that also looks good then Disk Drill is the best. Please note that only 500 MB of files can be recovered in the free version of the software. You can grab the pro version (Mac, Windows) if you want to recover files without any limitation.
Best features of Disk Drill:
- Displays all the available storage on your PC, even the unallocated space.
- Displays scanned data in All files, Images, Videos, Documents, Archive options.
- Allows filtering of scanned files by file and date.
- Includes a search bar.
- Can save the recovery session for later use.
- Can recover data in the form of a disk image (ISO).
- Preview options available.
- Deep scan mode is available.
- Retains original folder names.
- Restart required after installation.
- Scan time is more than average.
3. Stellar Data Recovery
As the name implies, Stellar Data Recovery (Windows, Mac) works to recover your data from your Windows PC and Mac. If you have already deleted the latest files, Stellar Data Recovery is here to help you effectively.
Stellar Data Recovery is the best risk-free data recovery program that allows you to recover data from different types of storage devices like memory cards, smartphones, USB drives, and hard disks. It is very easy to use crash data recovery program.
This data recovery program is full of advanced features and fast drive file recovery; You can also try its features before buying.
Stellar Data Recovery Features:
- The risk-free program recovers data from various types of storage devices such as memory cards, smartphones, USB drives, hard disks, etc.
- Stellar Data Recovery program is simple and easy to use
- Full of powerful features and fast drive file recovery
- Suitable for novice and non-technical users
- In-app file preview is available before making a final recovery attempt
Supported platforms:
Stellar Data Recovery can run on Windows 10, 8, 8.1, 7, Vista, XP, and, macOS.
4. TestDisk
The list of best data recovery software is not complete without mentioning this TestDisk recovery software. It is an open source software created with the aim of recovering lost partitions and repairing unbootable disks.
Packed with features and a file recovery system that can easily overshadow any other data recovery software, TestDisk has a lot to offer both beginners and experts alike. This free data recovery program attempts to detect partitions and file entries on its own. A deeper scan for deleted/corrupted partitions obviously takes more time.
Best features of TestDisk:
- Allows users to recover/rebuild the boot sector
- Repair or restore deleted partition table
- Undelete files from FAT, exFAT, NTFS, and ext2 file file systems
- Being a command line tool, the TestDisk hard drive recovery tool may not be suitable for some users for data recovery. If you are a GUI fan, I would recommend you to go with Recuva or Stellar for file recovery.
Supported platforms:
TestDisk can run on Windows 10, 8, 8.1, 7, Vista, XP, and earlier versions of Windows, Linux, BSD, macOS, and DOS.
5. DoYourData
DoYourData is a combination of many powerful features like Preview files before recovery, Sorting by file type, time and path Exporting scan result database for later use. In the basic scanning process, the software lets you choose two options: Quick Recovery and Advanced Recovery. After the scan, you can preview the files and finally recover your lost data.
Just like any other software, it is first recommended that you use the Quick Recovery method. If that doesn’t work, you can proceed to the Advanced Recovery method which is time consuming but more effective.
DoYourData main features:
- Preview files before recovery
- Sort by file type, time and path
- Export scan result database for later use
- Very easy to use
Supported platforms:
You can use Do Your Data on Windows 10, 8.1, 7, and macOS.
6. PhotoRec
PhotoRec being one of the best data recovery software, PhotoRec is widely acclaimed for its excellent file recovery for various devices from digital cameras to hard disks.
It is specially made for recovering data like images, videos, documents, etc., from hard disks, CD-ROMs.
PhotoRec Features:
- Comes with the ability to recover over 440 different file formats.
- Features like the “unformat function” and the ability to add your own custom file types come in handy.
- This photo recovery software supports multiple file systems, including FAT, NTFS, exFAT, ext2/ext3/ext4 and HFS+.
Supported platforms
PhotoRec recovery program can run on Windows 10, 8, 8.1, 7, Vista, XP, & earlier versions of Windows, Linux, BSD, DOS, macOS.
7. Pandora Recovery
Pandora recovery is one of the best and most reliable free data recovery software. The Pandora recovery tool has a lot to offer its users.
Pandora Recovery Features:
- Ability to recover deleted files from NTFS and FAT formatted volumes
- Preview deleted files of certain types (image and text files) without performing recovery
- With surface scanning (which allows you to recover data from formatted drives) and the ability to recover archived, hidden, encrypted, and compressed files.
- Its interface is very easy to understand and provides an explorer-like appearance along with percentage indicators and color codes.
- However, the detection system is unreliable and needs further improvement. This excellent data recovery software is made portable so it doesn’t take up space on the hard disk and thus doesn’t consume the space that the files we want to recover after are consumed.
Supported platforms:
Pandora data recovery works on Windows 8, 8.1, 7, Vista, XP, and earlier versions of Windows.
8. Puran File Recovery
Puran File Recovery works in 3 main recovery modes. Using the “Find lost files” option turns Puran File Recovery into a tool to recover all files from lost or damaged partitions. Another thing that you can do is to edit the special scan list which saves signature files for more accurate recovery of badly damaged data.
Features of Puran file Recovery:
- Default Quick Scan (It only reads FAT or NTFS file system for files deleted from reycle bin etc.)
- Deep Scan (including scanning all available free space) and,
- Full Scan (checks all space on device for best possible recovery)
- Work from Windows XP to Windows 8
Supported platforms:
Puran file recovery software can run on Windows 10, 8, 8.1, 7, Vista, XP and earlier versions of Windows.
My recommendations for the best data recovery:
I personally recommend Piriform Recuva data recovery to you. With superior file recovery, advanced deep scan modes, secure overwrite features using industry and military standard deletion techniques and the ability to recover files from corrupted or formatted files, Recuva is undeniably one of the best free data recovery tools. Its portability (ability to run without installation) is one of the features that set it apart from the rest.
This interface of Recuva data recovery will not disappoint you with its file recovery wizard and manual mode of the application available to you which provides color coding (showing file recovery possibilities) along with the ability to preview files before undelete.
