Do not forget that sinking feeling if you understand you’ve got by accident deleted an essential file or your exhausting drive decides to name it quits? We have all been there.
Fortuitously, file and knowledge restoration instruments are able to get you out of the pickle. They get well and restore deleted, corrupted, or broken recordsdata from private computer systems (PCs), exterior exhausting drives, USBs, and cellphones. They meticulously scan storage units and discover the recordsdata you thought had been gone for good, whether or not paperwork, emails, movies, photos, or audio recordsdata.
What are one of the best free knowledge restoration software program options for 2024?
- Disk Drill
- EaseUS Information Restoration
- iBoysoft Information Restoration
- IObit Undelete
- iReparo for Android
- Kernel
- MiniTool Energy Information Restoration
- Ontrack Simple Restoration
- Outlook PST Restoration Software
- Puran File Restoration
- RS Photograph Restoration
- Stellar Information Restoration Skilled
- TestDisk
- Veeam Information Platform
- Wondershare Recoverit
* These are the main software program options for knowledge restoration at G2 as of February 2024. The instruments are ranked alphabetically.
Set up any of those knowledge restoration software program so subsequent time, you don’t have to fret about knowledge loss.
Finest free knowledge restoration software program for 2024
In the event you’re something like me – tremendous desperate to filter out your system, together with the recycle bin, after which panicking the following day over deleting one thing essential with no backup – knowledge restoration instruments are an absolute lifesaver. Getting again your knowledge if you’ve by accident formatted a disk or deleted recordsdata and folders additionally falls underneath the purview of knowledge restoration.
You may also rely on knowledge restoration instruments to come in useful if you expertise failing drives, knowledge corruption, and virus or malware assaults. Be aware that the effectiveness of knowledge restoration software program could range in line with elements like the reason for knowledge loss, the situation of the storage system, and the time elapsed for the reason that knowledge was misplaced.
The next listing comprises free knowledge restoration software program information with real person opinions from the file restoration software program class web page. Within the context of the listing, distributors that provide a free model or trial are additionally thought of free.
To qualify for inclusion within the file restoration software program for particular person customers, an answer should:
- Have instruments to restore or get well deleted recordsdata
- Have a person interface to navigate and choose recordsdata for restoration
- Restore desired recordsdata
* This knowledge was pulled from G2 in February 2024. The product listing is ranked alphabetically. Some opinions could have been edited for readability.
1. Disk Drill
Disk Drill is among the main knowledge restoration software program that retrieves recordsdata from any storage system, be it a PC, Mac, exhausting disk drive (HDD), solid-state drive (SSD), reminiscence card, Android, iPhone, and even digital digital camera. It helps lots of of various file sorts, together with the entire well-liked video, audio, picture, and doc codecs.
Disk Drill’s free model recovers as much as 500 MB of knowledge. An improve prices $89 for a lifetime license. Whereas customers discover the essential model fairly helpful, it ought to be famous that subscribers to the paid model have raised issues about its lack of ability to retrieve knowledge from PCs with SSDs and poor customer support.
What customers like greatest:
“No knowledge restoration software program was displaying my Fujifilm .RAF recordsdata…However Disk Drill actually drilled out all my knowledge. Completely price it.”
– Disk Drill Assessment, Himanshu C.
What customers dislike:
“The product’s restoration system does not work on our MAC. We absolutely examined the essential model, and it failed to seek out any deleted recordsdata. We bought the Professional model… It by no means discovered any deleted recordsdata. After quite a few emails with assist and hours of testing, they dropped the bomb on us and acknowledged that it does not work on MACs with SSDs. Whereas customer support makes an effort to assist, they appear bothered and defensive of the product. There’s extra effort to remind you that the product is non-refundable than there may be assist. To summarize: For us, the product failed at its one job: restoration.”
– Disk Drill Assessment, Michael G.
2. EaseUS Information Restoration
EaseUS Information Restoration is a reliable knowledge restoration software that’s recognized for its user-friendly interface. It helps a complete vary of file codecs. The software program’s intuitive scanning choices make it an acceptable resolution for customers of all technical ranges. EaseUS provides free and paid variations, with the paid editions unlocking extra superior options.
The free model of EaseUS recovers as much as 2GB of knowledge.
What customers like greatest:
“It is tremendous intuitive software program, very straightforward to make use of, and you’ll get well your knowledge quick from virtually any scenario and system. I’ve used it earlier than with SD and MicroSD, and it’s totally efficient.”
– EaseUS Information Restoration Assessment, Alex F.
What customers dislike:
“Generally different software program work effectively, however this creates false positives when it comes to recordsdata recovered, and the phrase recordsdata recovered had been corrupted.”
– EaseUS Information Restoration Assessment, Bala Ok.
3. iBoysoft Information Restoration
iBoysoft Information Restoration is a useful software to evaluate what recordsdata you’ll be able to most likely recoup out of your Home windows and Mac units earlier than beginning a full-fledged restoration course of. The software program suppliers are clear about conditions the place the software can’t retrieve knowledge, like bodily harm to the exhausting disk or PCs with SSDs.
iBoysoft’s freeware provides as much as 1GB of knowledge restoration. A full knowledge restoration, nonetheless, requires an improve to the paid variations, which vary from $69.95 to $299 for month-to-month, yearly, and lifelong licenses.
What customers like greatest:
“What I like most is that I can run it on exterior reminiscences and in addition on cell units. The person interface may be very easy to make use of. One other optimistic facet is that the software program reveals details about the file to be recovered, which is usually a information to seek out the misplaced file.”
– iBoysoft Information Restoration Assessment, Leonardo C.
What customers dislike:
“On-line person documentation may be very scarce. Additionally, I feel it is an enormous worth from the traditional model to the skilled model, the place solely assist for Home windows Server is added. I additionally suppose that your refund coverage is nearly nil; when you learn effectively, there are not any refunds.”
– iBoysoft Information Restoration Assessment, Ivan G.
4. IObit Undelete
IObit Undelete, because the identify suggests, will get again deleted and misplaced recordsdata on Home windows units. The software program may be very straightforward to make use of and reveals the possibilities of retrieving a file earlier than you’ll be able to try a restoration, relying on whether or not the file had been overwritten or corrupted. One of the best half? IObit is totally free.
What customers like greatest:
“Initially is the benefit of use. It’s downloaded as transportable software program. Thus, no installations are wanted – it is virtually like what we name plug-and-play. The person interface is definitely navigable, making it very straightforward to make use of. It’s quick, thus making the method of file restoration faster. It doesn’t eat an excessive amount of reminiscence. Additionally, so as to add on, this can be a free software.”
– IObit Undelete Assessment, Kengeorge M.
What customers dislike:
“I feel there’s a little bit of inconsistency at instances when it stories the file in wonderful situation. As a result of when it’s recovered, the file is faulty or just now not exists.”
– IObit Undelete Assessment, Jose S.
5. iReparo for Android
In case you are on the lookout for an information restoration software on your Android telephones, then iReparo for Android is the right resolution. The software recovers pictures, movies, contacts, textual content messages, and even name historical past out of your system.
Whether or not you broke your cellphone display or by accident deleted recordsdata, you merely have to attach the cellphone to a pc (Home windows or Mac) with a USB and run this system. The applying provides a free model that scans and reveals a preview of recoverable recordsdata. However full file restoration requires a license that prices $49.95 or $99.99, relying on the variety of units you wish to use it for.
What customers like greatest:
“Not a lot technical data is required to make use of it. Acknowledges units virtually instantly. We are able to select what kind of recordsdata to be scanned and in addition preview the recordsdata discovered. The scanning is relatively quicker.”
– iReparo for Android Assessment, Anil Ok.
What customers dislike:
“The one draw back of this software is that we can’t restore the database on to the cellphone, and not one of the apps presently helps the perform of direct restoration to the cellphone.”
– iReparo for Android Assessment, Aditya P.
6. Kernel
Kernel is a lesser-known knowledge restoration software program for Home windows and Mac, with a lot of optimistic person opinions for its ease of use. It provides a free trial. The value of one-year licenses ranges from $49 to $199, relying on elements just like the variety of units.
What customers like greatest:
“The probably characteristic of this software program is that you could possibly give you your deleted knowledge proper from nowhere in your desktop. And imagine me, it may save your job at any level.”
– Kernel Assessment, Rose M.
What customers dislike:
“You must get a fundamental understanding of the way it works earlier than utilizing it, as a bit of bit of experience is required.”
– Kernel Assessment, Devesh G.
7. MiniTool Energy Information Restoration
MiniTool Energy Information Restoration, like EaseUS and Disk Drill, can deep scan your pc or numerous storage units and produce again 100+ sorts of recordsdata misplaced resulting from human error or system crashes. It provides a number of restoration modes, together with deleted file restoration, broken partition restoration, and misplaced partition restoration.
MiniTool aids knowledge restoration of as much as 1GB totally free. Its paid month-to-month subscription prices $69 per 30 days, and the perpetual license $99.
What customers like greatest:
“Roughly two or three years in the past, we had a tough disk (file server disk) that had unhealthy sectors, and Home windows could not determine it. We couldn’t copy recordsdata resulting from i/o errors. However as a final probability, we tried Minitool knowledge restoration. It recovered 70% – 75% of the information.”
– MiniTool Energy Information Restoration Assessment, Cihat Okan A.
What customers dislike:
“The person interface cannot be minimized, so it occupies your entire desktop display making it unattainable to do totally different duties directly. Lastly, the restoration course of is gradual in extra, not permitting it to carry out totally different actions on the pc.”
– MiniTool Energy Information Restoration Assessment, Jose S.
8. Ontrack EasyRecovery
Ontrack EasyRecovery helps in retrieving misplaced or deleted recordsdata effortlessly. Whether or not it is unintended deletions, system mishaps, or exhausting drive crashes, this software recovers your useful recordsdata and will get you again up and working very quickly.
The free model permits restoration of as much as 1GB of knowledge, and all of the paid variations include a free trial.
What customers like greatest:
“EasyRecovery is among the best restoration software program to work with due to the straightforward UI it provides. I additionally like that it’s versatile and works with all types of storage options.”
– EasyRecovery Assessment, Abdallah A.
What customers dislike:
“The one factor I dislike is the licensing administration is usually a ache. In the event you overlook to disable the license earlier than transferring it to a different system, it is not straightforward to get it again.”
– EasyRecovery Assessment, Christopher C.
9. Outlook PST Restoration Software
Misplaced your Outlook e-mail knowledge? The Outlook PST Restoration Software by SysInfoTools turns out to be useful. The software is designed to scan and restore corrupt or broken private storage desk (PST) recordsdata in Microsoft Outlook and get well emails, contacts, calendars, and different mailbox objects out of your Outlook PST file in usable codecs.
The free model offers a preview of the recovered recordsdata, which might be saved by upgrading to the complete model for $49. SysInfoTools additionally offers a complete suite of merchandise to get well knowledge from Home windows, Mac, emails, digital disks, and extra.
What customers like greatest:
“Simple to make use of. Merely hyperlink to your PST and go! I could not have requested for a neater product to make the most of.”
– Outlook PST Restoration Software Assessment, Danny S.
What customers dislike:
“It does not work about 10% of the time.”
– Outlook PST Restoration Software Assessment, John D.
9. Puran File Restoration
Puran File Restoration is one other lesser-known knowledge restoration software that’s utterly free. Nevertheless, the software seems a bit outdated and hasn’t been up to date in recent times. One other downside is that it’s obtainable just for Home windows techniques.
What customers like greatest:
“It has a user-friendly interface. It is free to obtain on the web. Been utilizing it on Home windows 8, and has been working completely for me. It restores the misplaced recordsdata that you’re recovering again to their unique location therefore making it straightforward to determine particular recordsdata out of the batch which may have been recovered.”
– Puran File Restoration Assessment, Carol P.
What customers dislike:
“I’ve tried to run deep scans, however it might take round 5 or 6 hours, and the reality is it’s not so efficient. Ultimately, it reveals virtually the identical recordsdata because the quick scan, which makes me doubt its scanning utility.”
– Puran File Restoration Assessment, Ramiro. S
10. RS Photograph Restoration
Misplaced your favourite trip pictures and now need them again? RS Photograph Restoration does it in just a few clicks. The software extracts pictures from corrupted, inaccessible, and broken reminiscence playing cards and disks and helps all picture codecs like .uncooked, .jpg, .png, .psd, and extra.
The free model enables you to assess the opportunity of recovering knowledge by displaying the contents of the recordsdata which may be recovered. Nevertheless, you should purchase the paid model to save lots of the recordsdata in your chosen system, which prices $18.95 for a single-device license.
What customers like greatest:
“Easy interface, very intuitive, very straightforward to make use of for somebody not PC-knowledgeable.”
– RS Photograph Restoration Assessment, Andrei M.
What customers dislike:
“It appears to me that the demo model they provide, though it completely locates the recordsdata that may be recovered, doesn’t can help you restore them, so we’re in the identical preliminary scenario. Additionally undecided that it’s going to get well pictures in .png format.”
– RS Photograph Restoration Assessment, Abas Susana C.
11. Stellar Information Restoration Skilled
Stellar Information Restoration Skilled is an easy-to-use knowledge restoration software, filled with nice options. A unique model of the software is obtainable for Home windows, Mac, and iPhones. The free model offers a preview of recoverable recordsdata and allows you to select what you wish to get well as much as 1 GB of knowledge.
The corporate offers totally different paid subscriptions to cater to numerous person wants, ranging from $59.
What customers like greatest:
“One of many best knowledge restoration software program you need to use to get well knowledge in seconds. Easy DIY steps make it simpler to know every thing essential to get well your knowledge.”
– Stellar Information Restoration Skilled Assessment, Abhay M.
What customers dislike:
“It does have problem at instances recognizing a drive related by way of USB that different restoration software program can see and entry. It is also a bit gradual at scanning the drive.”
– Stellar Information Restoration Skilled Assessment, Doug P.
12. TestDisk
TestDisk is a robust knowledge restoration software program designed to get again get well disk partitions or recordsdata from non-booting disks. It is open supply and suitable with well-liked working techniques (OS) like Home windows, Linux, and MacOS.
TestDisk is totally free. Nevertheless, because it’s run utilizing a command line interface, inexperienced persons could have problem utilizing it.
What customers like greatest:
“Restoration of misplaced knowledge or misplaced partition course of is fast and really straightforward. I may restore recordsdata from NTFS and FAT filesystems.”
– TestDisk Assessment, Ridham S.
What customers dislike:
“It is perhaps difficult for people unfamiliar with command-line interfaces to make use of.TestDisk won’t be capable of get well your knowledge if it has been wiped.”
– TestDisk Assessment, Himanshu P.
13. Veeam Information Platform
Veeam Information Platform is a complete resolution for knowledge restoration and backup. It prioritizes multi-layered safety for dependable, safe, and versatile knowledge safety. The platform helps built-in encryption, multi-factor authentication, and immutable backups for an all-rounded safe surroundings, each on-premise and cloud.
Veeam Information Platform provides a free trial for 30 days with full performance.
What customers like greatest:
“Veeam proves to be a wonderful software for backup and restoration, addressing the important problem of making certain downtime-free restoration for purposes and databases within the deployed environments. It excels in fulfilling the backup wants of a buyer’s infrastructure, providing a complete resolution that ensures knowledge integrity and recoverability.”
– Veeam Information Platform Assessment, Muhammad Ahsan S.
What customers dislike:
“Veeam requires configuration and a bit extra hands-on administration and administration as a result of it is such an open and versatile platform. It is not set it and overlook it, so if it is not arrange appropriately, you’ll be able to expose your self to dangers from ransomware and hacking to poor efficiency.”
– Veeam Information Platform Assessment, Raymond M.
14. Wondershare Recoverit
Wondershare Recoverit is a useful software for these in search of an uncomplicated method to rescue their by accident deleted, misplaced, or inaccessible recordsdata. It helps 1000+ file codecs, totally different storage units and aids restoration from totally different knowledge loss eventualities.
The software helps get well as much as 100 MB of knowledge totally free and provides a free trial. The price of paid licenses for people ranges from $69.99 per yr to $169.99, relying on the Home windows or Mac model, in addition to the variety of units and different options.
What customers like greatest:
“I like that the software program is designed with fast scanning algorithms and might deal with numerous sorts of recordsdata and storage units. This makes it straightforward to make use of and extremely efficient. The sequence of directions information customers by the restoration course of if they’ve restricted technical data.”
– Wondershare Recoverit, Matthew D.
What customers dislike:
“The factor I dislike most about Wondershare Recoverit is its pricing. It’s dearer than different knowledge restoration software program available on the market. Moreover, the free model has limitations when it comes to the quantity of knowledge that may be recovered, which is far much less.”
– Wondershare Recoverit, Parampreet S.
FAQs: Free knowledge restoration software program
Q. How does free knowledge restoration software program work?
A. Free knowledge restoration software program scans the storage system for traces of misplaced or deleted recordsdata. It makes use of numerous algorithms and strategies to look at the file system and reconstruct misplaced knowledge constructions to retrieve these recordsdata.
Q. What kind of recordsdata might be recovered with free knowledge restoration software program?
A. Free knowledge restoration software program can get well paperwork, pictures, movies, audio recordsdata, archives, and extra. These could range relying on the software program, however most instruments assist widespread file codecs discovered on storage units.
Q. Can free knowledge restoration software program get well knowledge from formatted drives?
A. Sure, many free knowledge restoration instruments can scan formatted storage units for traces of misplaced knowledge and reconstruct the recordsdata to revive them to their unique state.
Q. What are the restrictions of utilizing free knowledge restoration software program?
A. Free knowledge restoration software program can have limitations in comparison with paid options, together with file measurement limits for restoration, much less to no assist for superior knowledge restoration conditions, and restricted options.
Discover your knight in shining armor
From deleted pictures to misplaced paperwork, these knowledge restoration software program are able to rescue you and your recordsdata. Assessment the listing, choose those that meet your wants, and get your treasured work again.
Whereas knowledge restoration is essential, prevention is equally essential. Be taught why knowledge backup is so essential to keep away from knowledge loss within the first place.