I accidentally deleted an important document from my USB drive. Can I recover deleted files from flash drive?
Can I restore data from the formatted USB? Were they erased from my USB drive during the formatting process?
The thumb drive is inaccessible, and it prompts that it needs to be formatted. What should I do? Can I recover files from USB drive free?
Can I recover files from the pendrive that shows a "write protected" error?
Many users have the above questions when they encounter important data loss or USB drive failure. Generally, as long as the correct recovery tools are used in the first place, these lost files are likely to be recovered. How do I choose the right ones? To help users solve the problem, we have tested the majority of popular and free USB recovery software programs on the market, sharing the top 15 for you. Learn the features before using them, and you will quickly find the right tool for your case. Let's take a glimpse of them.
Whether it is a simple text file, precious photos, or important business documents, they all play a vital role in our daily lives. Once these data are lost, it may cause significant losses to individuals or businesses. Although many recovery programs are specifically designed to deal with such accidents, they differ in performance, security, compatibility, etc. Therefore, reliable tools are the key to successfully recovering files from USB drives. Moreover, it would be best if it can be used for free.
Many factors are involved in judging whether a free USB file recovery software tool is good or not. As the basis for the evaluation, we completed it through the following test environment and screening conditions.
| OS: | Windows 12 Preview, Windows 11 Pro (23H2), Windows 10 Home (22H2), macOS Sequoia (15.2), macOS Sonoma (14.72), macOS Ventura (13.72), macOS Big Sur (11.7.10) |
|---|---|
| USB Flash Drives: | Kingston DataTraveler Max (512GB), SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Luxe (128GB), SanDisk Extreme PRO (256GB), SK hynix Tube T31 (512GB), Samsung Fit Plus (64GB), PNY PRO Elite V3 (1TB), Lexar JumpDrive M400 (256GB) |
| File Types: | image (.jpg, .png, .cr2, .nef), videos (.mp4, . avi, .mov, .rm), Word docs, music songs (.mp3, .aif, .wma)， attachments (.zip, .rar, .7z) |
| Data Loss Scenarios: | Deletion, formatting, files were hidden, volume loss, RAW file system (asking for formatting before use), USB not recognized, locked, and other error messages. |
| File System: | FAT16/FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, HFS+, Ext2/3/4 |
| Free Data Recovery Software Tools: | iBeesoft Free Data Recovery, Recuva, Wise Data Recovery, Disk Drill, Stellar Data Recovery Free, FreeUndelete, DMDE, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free, PhotoRec, TestDisk, Windows File Recovery, Glarysoft File Recovery Free, IObit Undelete, Puran File Recovery, UndeleteMyFiles, iBoysoft Data Recovery Free, PC Inspector File Recovery, Ontrack EasyRecovery, Recoverit Free Version, WinfrGUI, iCare Data Recovery Free, FreeRecover, Active UNERASER, MiniTool Data Recovery Free, SecureRecovery, Orion File Recovery, SalvageData, CD Recovery Toolbox, Tenorshare 4DDiG, Orion File Recovery, BitRecover, Ddrescue, SoftPerfect File Recovery, Gparted, Exif Untrasher |
| Recovery Rate: | more than 90% (data loss conditions tested above) |
|---|---|
| Limitations: | Recoverable files over 500M with no critical functional limitations |
| File Preview: | Must support common file types |
| Scanning Speed: | For a 64GB thumb drive, the scanning is finished within 10 minutes. |
| Scanning Algorithm Based on File Features: | Recovery can be achieved even if the file metadata information has been lost. |
| Technical Support: | Email must be supported. |
After a 2-month test, the following 15 programs got the highest scores. (35 programs were tested).
Customized the scanned file types with a unique scanning mechanism, iBeesoft Free Data Recovery allows users to get the target files in a very short time. In addition, with the ability to repair damaged files, iBeesoft Free Data Recovery has the highest recovery rate on this list.
As a completely free USB recovery software program, Recuva is easy to use and never disappoints in recovering accidentally deleted files. Unfortunately, it cannot present the original file directory on the result page.
PhotoRec is mainly used for file recovery, and TestDisk is used to repair damaged file systems. The two-tool combination is enough to recover flash drive files lost in all scenarios. However, it is not recommended that you use only one of them as your priority tool.
With over 30 years of development, Stellar Data Recovery has unquestionably combined advanced technology and improved effectiveness. However, it's disappointing that the free edition does not provide file repair and extracts image thumbnails, which makes the success rate of free flash drive recovery lower than most software.
Compared with the best free USB recovery software for Mac and Windows on the list, Disk Drill supports fewer file types. However, its versatile features are still eye-catching. Disk Drill is worth it if you are looking for a program that combines data protection and management.
While EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free allows you to recover some images and documents from USB drives, the 2GB limit means you have to pay expensive fees to retrieve more data.
As advertised, MiniTool is suitable for data loss in various situations. However, the lack of algorithms for handling damaged items makes the free USB drive recovery success rate at an average level.
As a lightweight free USB recovery software, Wise Data Recovery does its job well. It is simple to use, and once you know where your files are supposed to be, you can quickly access them.
As a USB data recovery software free, you can choose two versions. We recommend the Pro version because it has an additional scanning mode. BTW, it doesn't perform well for data recovery due to formatting or drive failure.
It's not suitable for novices who are not familiar with file types. However, it provides the top data recovery technical support for users who fail to recover flash drive files with tools.
IObit Undelete is undoubtedly one of the most straightforward free USB recovery software available on the Internet. However, as its name implies, it only helps you recover deleted files from flash drive.
Despite its old UI, DMDE is still worth a try for professional users.
It's not suitable for novices who are not familiar with file types. However, it provides the top data recovery technical support for users who fail to recover flash drive files with tools.
GetDataBack's most impressive feature is its ability to recover data from damaged or dead USB drives. However, the old interface interferes with some functionalities.
Windows File Recovery offers a reasonably comprehensive list of features. However, not all of them work well. Overall, it's an option worth considering for tech-savvy users.
In this list of the best free USB recovery software, we have provided a detailed introduction for each program so that you can get to know them. If you are still confused, check out the comparison chart below:
| Score | Recovery Quality | Usability | Platform Compatibility | Special Features | Speed | Customer Support | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iBeesoft Free Data Recovery | ★★★★★ | Excellent | High | Windows and macOS | Repairs damaged files and automatically records scan results | Fast | Excellent |
| Recuva | ★★★★☆ | Good | General | Windows | Average | Securely delete files | General |
| TestDisk & PhotoRec | ★★★★☆ | Good | Poor | Windows, macOS, and Linux | - | Fast | - |
| Stellar Data Recovery Free Edition | ★★★★★ | Excellent | High | Windows and macOS | Virtual and encrypted drives | Fast | Good |
| Disk Drill | ★★★★★ | Excellent | High | Windows and macOS | Disk detection, protection and cleaning | Average | Excellent |
| EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free | ★★★★★ | Excellent | High | Windows and macOS | Encrypted Data Recovery | Average | Excellent |
| MiniTool Data Recovery Free | ★★★★☆ | Excellent | High | Windows and macOS | - | Fast | General |
| Wise Data Recovery | ★★★★☆ | Good | General | Windows | - | Fast | Good |
| iCare Data Recovery Free | ★★★☆☆ | General | General | Windows | - | Slow | Poor |
| Glarysoft File Recovery Free | ★★★★☆ | Good | High | Windows | - | Fast | General |
| IObit Undelete | ★★★☆☆ | Poor | General | Windows | Scan multiple drives simultaneously | Slow | Good |
| DMDE | ★★★☆☆ | Good | General | Windows, macOS, and Linux | Disk cloning | Average | Good |
| FreeUndelete | ★★★☆☆ | General | Poor | Windows | - | Fast | General |
| GetDataBack | ★★★☆☆ | General | Poor | Windows | Most scanning modes | Average | General |
| Windows File Recovery | ★★★☆☆ | General | Poor | Windows | - | Fast | - |
In most cases, these free programs on the list can help you get back photos, documents, videos, or other files. However, this is not always the case. If you fail, the last resort is to get help from professional data recovery services. Search with the keywords "flash drive recovery near me" and find the local services.
It's wise to choose a reliable free USB recovery tool when you realize your essential data is lost. All the software on the list are tested, ensuring they can really work for recovering data. By knowing each program's unique features, pros, and cons, you can quickly choose the one that's right for you. Finally, file loss always happens in unexpected situations. For this reason, the best way is to save them in different storage devices.
No problem. They work on almost all storage devices.
First, check if it appears in Disk Management (Windows) or Disk Utility (macOS). If so, you can scan the flash drive using free recovery software for Mac or Windows. If not, try another port or computer. When it doesn't appear, you need help from the manufacturer's support for the USB drive.
When the computer can recognize this USB flash drive, then these programs can help you extract the files in it. Before starting, you can also enter "chkdsk <USB drive letter> /f" in the command prompt to try to repair it.
No. These free USB file recovery software can only handle files lost due to human errors (accidental deletion, formatting, virus tools, etc.) or device logical errors (error prompts). For physically damaged USB, the computer cannot recognize it. For this, you can only ask for help from professional data recovery services.
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