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Summary
It is needless to stress the importance of data recovery, but it is necessary to emphasize the importance of finding a reliable data recovery software tool. Here you will find ten best data recovery software for Windows and everything about them. You can download the top 1 data recovery software from EaseUS directly or pick one of them to get back your data immediately.
Data loss due to accidental deletion, formatting, OS crash, hard disk damage, and other unexpected reasons occurs quite frequently, which, in most of the cases, will cause undesired problems in one way or another. That's when users need to turn to data recovery tools for help. Then here comes the question, 'which software is the most capable when it comes to data recovery?". Here is the ten best data recovery software for Windows that all enables users to recover deleted/lost files from internal hard disk or external storage devices but varies in detail. Check them now. (A real-case comparison of the data recovery capability of the first five best data recovery software for Windows is also provided at the end of this article.)
Also read: Top 10 SD Card Recovery Software in 2020
Top 1. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
EaseUS has been focused on the field of data recovery for more than ten years. And EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is the result of the years of arduous work. With constant innovation and evolution, EaseUS Data Recovery outranks other data recovery programs by its outstanding scanning speed, full and detailed scanning result, user-friendly interface, and cost-effectiveness and becomes the best data recovery software for Windows. The review from SoftwareHow proves that it's not overstated. Besides, the free edition enables users to retrieve 2GB of data at no cost, which makes it the optimal choice for data recovery when the lost files are less than 2GB.
Highlights:
- Searches for deleted/lost file by extension or name
- Sorts out photos by category (people/animal/building/others)
- Identifies the source device of deleted/lost photos/videos
- Filters the results by category
- Previews the files
3-Step data recovery:
Select the location > start the scanning process > recover files.
Price: $69.95
Supported Operating System: Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP; Windows Server 2016/2012/2008/2003
Supported file system: FAT 12/16/32, exFAT, NTFS, NTFS5, ext2/ext3, HFS+, ReFS
Supported devices: PCs/laptops, internal/external hard drives, USB drives, Micro cards, Camcorders, digital cameras, music players, video players, RAID, CF/SD cards, pen drives, and more
Supported files: Documents (8+ types), graphics (19+ formats), videos (14+ formats), audio (17+ formats), emails, ZIP, RAR, SIT, ISO, HTML, SITX, etc.
Video tutorial on how to use the best data recovery software:
Top 2. Stellar Data Recovery
Stellar Data Recovery software is an advanced program with excellent data recovery performance. Its simple but clear interface and powerful data recovery capability attract users' attention and gain their trust.
Highlights:
- Scans a specific folder
- Recovers from a disk image
- Searches for specific files from the scanning result
4-Step data recovery:
Select the file type > select the location > scan the partition > recover files.
Price: $79.99 (Professional)
Supported operating system: Windows 10/8.1/8/7, Windows Vista, Windows XP
Supported devices: Any Windows device and external storage devices
Supported file system: FAT, exFAT, NTFS
Supported files: Documents, emails, pictures, videos, audio files, and more
Top 3. Disk Drill
Cleverfiles Disk Drill is an accomplished data recovery tool with advanced data recovery solutions and data protection functions. It works well on Windows computers and performs even better on Mac, which makes it one of the most competitive tools in the field of data recovery.
Highlights:
- Has auxiliary features like data protection and backup drive
Organizes files found by category
Filters the results by size and data
Supports multiple file systems
4-Step data recovery:
Select a partition > choose a scanning mode > start scanning > recover files.
Price: $89 (Pro)
Supported operating system: Windows 10/8/7, Windows XP, and Windows Vista
Supported devices: all memory cards, laptops&desktops, digital cameras, USB thumb drives, internal hard drives, mass storage devices
Supported file system: NTFS, FAT32, EXT, HFS+, and more
Supported files: pictures, videos, documents, audio, archives
Top 4. Recuva
Piriform Recuva, the professional data recovery software, differentiates itself from others by providing Recuva Wizard, the unique helper that allows users to get back their files by answering several simple questions, which makes it a good choice for regular users.
Highlights:
- Recuva Wizard that helps users perform data recovery quickly and precisely
- Supports the email recovery of Thunderbird, Outlook Express, Windows Mail, Microsoft Outlook
- Scans a specific location
- Searches for file content
3-Step Data Recovery:
Select the drive > Start the scanning process > Recover the files.
Price: $19.95 (Professional)
Supported operating system: Windows 10/8/7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2008/2003 server
Supported devices: hard disk drives, USB flash drives, memory cards, portable media players, random-access storage media
Supported file systems: FAT, NTFS
Supported files: Pictures, music, documents, videos, emails, and more
Top 5. Recover My Files
Recover My Files is a reliable data recovery software that is solely compatible with Windows. The concentration makes it one of the best data recovery software for Windows users. With its specialization, Recover My Files is able to help users recover deleted/lost files precisely by identifying files by their extension or date.
Highlights:
- Scans the backup (image file) of a partition
- Sorts out files by date
- Adjusts the layout of the viewed items
5-Step data recovery:
Select to recover files or a drive > select a drive > choose the mode > scan the partition > select files to recover.
Price: $69.95 (Standard), $99.95 (Professional)
Supported operating system: Windows 64bit/32bit
Supported devices: Hard drives, camera cards, USBs, Zip drives, floppy disks, iPods, and other media
Supported file system: NTFS, FAT 12/16/32, exFAT, HFS, HFS+
Supported files: Documents, photos, videos, music, and emails
Top 6. Acronis Revive
Acronis Revive 2019 will quickly recover files that are either accidentally deleted or intentionally removed. The software provides detailed explanations about how to initiate the data recovery process and which scanning option is best for users, which will help to finish the data recovery process with ease. The professionality and friendliness have made it one of the best data recovery software.
Highlights:
- Precisely identifies all the partitions, be it existing or lost, on the hard drives
- Filters files by file name or extension
- Shows results selectively
- Has fast scanning speed
5-Step data recovery:
Select the partition/disk > choose the scanning option > select the files > select the location > recover files
Price: $49.99
Supported operating system: Windows 10/8.1/8/7 and Windows 2012/2008/2003
Supported devices: Internal/external hard drive, USB flash drive, SD card, and other conventional storage devices
Supported file system: FAT32/16/12, NTFS, exFAT, and ReFS
Supported files: Documents, photos, videos, music, and more
Top 7. R-Studio
In addition to professional manual data recovery services, R-Studio also provides one of the best file recovery software for Windows, Mac, and even Linux. Empowered by advanced data recovery technologies, R-Studio works well to recover files from various real-life data loss situations, be it easy or tough.
Highlights:
- Enables the data recovery from various data loss situations
- Supports multiple file systems
- Exclusively supports the data recovery from network drives
- Allows to create image files and recover files from image files
- Supports to specify the scan area
5-Step data recovery:
Select the drive to scan > set up the scan options > choose the files > choose the location > recover files
Price: $49.99
Supported operating system: Windows 2000-2019/8.1/10
Supported devices: HD, CD, DVD, floppy disk, CF Card, USB drive, ZIP drive, memory stick, and other removable media
Supported file system: NTFS, NTFS5, ReFS, FAT12/16/32, and exFAT
Supported files: Almost all existing file types
Top 8. Data Rescue 5
Simple yet powerful, Data Rescue 5 from PROSOFT will help to recover all kinds of files from various storage devices with a few simple steps. It's worth mentioning that, other than being one of the top data recovery software for Windows, Data Rescue 5 is also fully compatible with macOS and allows users to recover data from Time Machine backups.
Highlights:
- Excludes duplicated files automatically
- Allows to preview files before recovery
- Helps to locate files by filters or searching
- Provides disk clone feature for data protection
5-Step data recovery:
Choose the data recovery option > Select the drive > choose a scan option > choose the files > recover files
Price: $99 (Standard), $299 (Professional)
Supported operating system: Windows 7 or later
Supported devices: Windows desktops/laptops, HDD/SSDs, external drives, SD Cards, CF Cards, Thunderbolt drives, and FireWire drives
Supported file system: FAT and NTFS
Supported files: 100+ file types
Top 9. Ontrack EasyRecovery
Ontrack EasyRecovery has shown its professionality in the field of data recovery over the decades. It's no doubt that it also one of the best data recovery software for users. With the help of Ontrack EasyRecovery, users are able to retrieve files from an HDD, SSD, memory card, USB, and optical media after deletion, format, corruption, and other misoperations.
Highlights:
- Recovers photos, videos, documents, and more
- Retrieves files after deletion, format, hard disk damage and corruption
- Supports multiple storage devices
- Allows to preview results before recovery
3-Step data recovery:
Choose the location to scan > choose the files > recover files
Price: $79 (Home), $139 (Professional)
Supported operating system: Windows
Supported devices: Internal and external drives, SSD, RAID, USB, memory cards and optical media
Supported file system: FAT, NTFS, or exFAT
Supported files: Videos, photos, documents, and other files
Top 10. Puran File Recovery
The last one of the best ten data recovery software for Windows is Puran File Recovery. The clear and integrated interface enables users to retrieve their lost effortlessly. Other than showing the common information about the lost files, Puran File Recovery also presents the recoverability of the item.
Highlights:
- Allows to edit custom scan list
- Supports to search for a specific file type
- Provides portable versions
- Shows the recoverability of the lost files
3-Step data recovery:
Choose the drive to scan > choose the files > recover the lost files
Price: Free
Supported operating system: Windows XP/2003/Vista/2008/7/8/10
Supported devices: Hard disks, pen drives, memory cards, mobile phones, CDs, and DVDs
Supported file system: FAT12/16/32 and NTFS
Supported files: All existing file types
The Bottom Line
Recover My Files and Recuva are developed exclusively for Windows while the other three tools are both Windows and macOS compatible. There is a taste of the first five best file recovery software that may help you perform better decision-making:
The result of these five tools scanning the same partition (127GB free of 141GB) on the author's computer searching for deleted/lost files:
| Product Name | Recover My Files | Recuva | Disk Drill | Stellar Data Recovery | EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scanning Time | 1h | > 1h | > 1h | 37min | 27min |
| Files Found | 321,297 files | 111,213 files | 2,254 files | 414,170 files | 784,741 files |
| File Size | 13.80GB | no size shown | 1.92GB | 19.84GB | 38.53GB |
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Frequently Asked Questions
- 1. Why choose EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard?
-
"EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is the best we've seen. It's far from perfect, partly because today's advanced disk technology makes data-recovery more difficult than it was with the simpler technology of the past, but it's fast and efficient..." —PCMag
"The first thing you'll notice about EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Pro is that its interface is very clear and uncluttered, with only a small collection of self-explanatory controls. You won't find lots of extra options hidden in a system of hidden menus, either; what you see really is what you get." —techradar
"Recover lost files, even after deleting a partition or formatting your drive." —Macworld
- 2. Why cannot I recover 2GB data for free?
-
It is recommended to check the version installed is Free or Trial because they are different versions.
Trial has data preview function but cannot save any files, while the Free version enables to recover 2 GB files. The default free space is 500 MB and you may share the product on social media to get another 1.5 GB.
- 3. Why cannot the recovered files be opened?
-
A file is saved as 2 parts on the storage device: directory info (which is comprised by file name, time stamp and size info, etc.) and data content.
If the files with original file names and folder structures cannot be opened, one possible reason is the corrupted directory info. There is still a chance to recover the data content with the RAW Recovery method in our software.
- 4. Why isn't it suggested to recover the files back to the original drive?
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The storage structure of the lost files would be altered or damaged by any changes on the drive. If you save the recovered files back to the same drive, the original data structures and data content would be corrupted or overwritten, which causes permanent data loss. So you should prepare another disk to save the files.
- 5. How can I check whether my data is recoverable or not before purchase?
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The Free version helps you save 2GB files to better verify the recovery quality of our product before purchase.
- 6. How long does it take to scan the drive?
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It strongly depends on the capacity of your hard drive and the performance of your computer. As reference,most drive recoveries can be completed in around 10 to 12 hours for a 1-TB healthy hard drive in general conditions.
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