Five Recovery Tools Checked · July 2026

Best Free Data Recovery Software for Deleted Files

Free recovery can mean unlimited exports, a tiny data allowance, or previews only. We separated those limits, then checked which tools returned usable deleted files.

By Dvdrw Howtos Editorial Team Published · Updated
Download Disk Drill Free Compare all 5
⚡ TL;DR · Quick answer

Disk Drill is the best all-around free data recovery tool for deleted files if you value clear previews plus a low-friction interface. Windows recovery is capped at 100 MB, so choose DMDE or PhotoRec when you need to restore much more without paying.

★ Best overall
1

Disk Drill

9.1/10

Best for: Home users who want visual previews, clear filters, disk imaging, plus a guided recovery workflow

  • Clear file previews plus recovery-chance indicators
  • Recovers up to 100 MB free on Windows
  • Creates byte-for-byte disk images at no charge
  • Works on Windows plus macOS
Read full review Visit Site →
2

DMDE

8.7/10

Best for: Technical users recovering large folders from healthy drives without buying a license

  • Generous 4,000-file limit per recovery request
  • Strong deleted-partition plus file-system tools
  • Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, or DOS
  • Portable downloads are available
Visit Site →
3

PhotoRec

8.4/10

Best for: Users who need unlimited file carving from formatted or badly damaged file systems

  • Completely free with no recovery quota
  • Open-source code under the GPL
  • Runs on several desktop operating systems
  • Useful after formatting or serious file-system damage
Read full review Visit Site →

Free Data Recovery Software for Deleted Files Compared

This table compares free export limits, supported desktop platforms, upgrade prices, plus our overall scores. The scores reflect editorial judgment from the recovery checks described below, not a universal laboratory benchmark.

Tool Free Recovery Platforms Price Score
1. Disk Drill PICK 100 MB on Windows Windows, macOS $0 free; $89/yr PRO 9.1/10
2. DMDE 4,000 files/request Windows, macOS, Linux, DOS $0 free; $20/yr Express 8.7/10
3. PhotoRec Unlimited Windows, macOS, Linux, DOS Free 8.4/10
4. Recuva Unlimited Windows $0 free; $24.95/yr Pro 7.9/10
5. R-Undelete Home Unlimited on FAT/exFAT Windows $0 free; $54.99 full 7.7/10

The 5 Best Free Data Recovery Tools for Deleted Files, Reviewed

01

Disk Drill

Windows, macOS · CleverFiles

9.1/10

Disk Drill produced the cleanest results in our deleted-file test. It restored 44 of 50 files from an NTFS USB drive, preserving useful names for 41. Previewing documents, photos, plus short videos made it easier to spot corrupt files before recovery.

The catch is the free allowance. Windows users can recover 100 MB, while the macOS edition mainly offers free scanning plus previews for ordinary deleted-file cases. That is enough for a few documents or photos, not a large folder.

Its approachable layout, byte-for-byte imaging, saved scan sessions, plus broad file-system coverage gave it the top score. Install it somewhere other than the affected drive.

Best forHome users who want visual previews, clear filters, disk imaging, plus a guided recovery workflow

Standout featureRecovery-chance labels help separate promising files from damaged results before export
Disk Drill Pros
  • Clear file previews plus recovery-chance indicators
  • Recovers up to 100 MB free on Windows
  • Creates byte-for-byte disk images at no charge
  • Works on Windows plus macOS
  • Useful filters for file type, size, date, or status
Disk Drill Cons
  • Ordinary deleted-file recovery on Mac usually needs a paid license
  • The 100 MB Windows limit is small
  • No portable edition for running directly from a USB stick
Basic $0 Free scans, previews, imaging, plus up to 100 MB recovery on Windows
PRO $89/yr Unlimited recovery for one user with three activations
Recommended Data Recovery Software ↗ Download Disk Drill
Read our full Disk Drill review
02

DMDE

Windows, macOS, Linux, DOS · DMDE Software

8.7/10

DMDE recovered 43 of 50 test files, close behind Disk Drill. It retained 40 useful filenames from our NTFS sample, plus it exposed the underlying directory structure more clearly than the carving-focused tools.

The free limit is unusually practical: up to 4,000 files per request from the currently opened directory. You can make more requests, though restoring a large nested tree becomes repetitive. The interface uses dense tables plus technical terminology, so it rewards patience.

Best forTechnical users recovering large folders from healthy drives without buying a license

Standout featureThe free edition restores up to 4,000 files from one selected directory per request
DMDE Pros
  • Generous 4,000-file limit per recovery request
  • Strong deleted-partition plus file-system tools
  • Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, or DOS
  • Portable downloads are available
  • Paid plans cost less than many rivals
DMDE Cons
  • Steep learning curve for first-time users
  • Free recovery of nested folders takes extra work
  • A wrong disk-editing choice can create needless risk
Free $0 Up to 4,000 files from the active directory per request
Express $20/yr Personal use with bulk folder recovery
Standard $48 Perpetual license for one operating-system family
Get DMDE
03

PhotoRec

Windows, macOS, Linux, DOS · CGSecurity

8.4/10

PhotoRec recovered 42 of 50 files from our formatted-drive sample, including several items missed by metadata-based quick scans. It costs nothing, places no recovery cap on the user, plus handles a broad mix of documents, media, archives, or specialist formats.

The tradeoff appears after the scan. Most carved files arrive with generated names, while the original folder structure is usually lost. QPhotoRec gives Windows users a basic graphical front end, though sorting a large recovery still takes real time.

Best forUsers who need unlimited file carving from formatted or badly damaged file systems

Standout featureSignature-based carving works even when usable file-system metadata is gone
PhotoRec Pros
  • Completely free with no recovery quota
  • Open-source code under the GPL
  • Runs on several desktop operating systems
  • Useful after formatting or serious file-system damage
  • Read-only access reduces accidental source-drive changes
PhotoRec Cons
  • Usually loses original filenames plus folders
  • Results can contain many duplicates or irrelevant files
  • Text-first workflow feels dated
Open Source $0 Unlimited recovery with no registration
Open PhotoRec
Read our full PhotoRec review
04

Recuva

Windows · Gen Digital

7.9/10

Recuva restored 38 of 50 files in our NTFS deletion test. Its wizard took less setup than DMDE or PhotoRec, while condition labels gave a rough warning when clusters had probably been overwritten.

The free edition can save recovered files without a data quota. Results were weaker after formatting, plus the Windows-only design rules it out for Mac users. Still, it is a sensible first pass for a recently emptied Recycle Bin on a healthy hard drive.

Best forWindows users retrieving recently deleted files from an HDD, USB stick, or memory card

Standout featureA short wizard narrows the scan by file type plus likely deletion location
Recuva Pros
  • Unlimited recovery in the free edition
  • Easy setup wizard for common deletion cases
  • Deep Scan is available without payment
  • Shows an estimated condition for found files
  • Small installer plus straightforward controls
Recuva Cons
  • Windows only
  • Less effective with damaged or reformatted file systems
  • Virtual-drive support requires Recuva Professional
Free $0 Unlimited home-use recovery with core scanning tools
Professional $24.95/yr Adds virtual-drive support, automatic updates, plus premium support
Visit Recuva
Read our full Recuva review
05

R-Undelete Home

Windows · R-Tools Technology

7.7/10

R-Undelete Home recovered 39 of 50 files from our exFAT memory-card image. Its tiled media view was handy for checking photos quickly, while the imaging feature let us work from a copy rather than repeatedly scanning the source.

Its free terms depend on the file system. FAT or exFAT recovery is the sweet spot. Free NTFS or ReFS exports are restricted to very small files, so many ordinary documents require the paid edition despite being visible in the preview.

Best forHome users recovering files from SD cards, USB drives, or other FAT-formatted storage

Standout featureFree unlimited home recovery from FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, plus exFAT volumes
R-Undelete Home Pros
  • Unlimited home recovery from FAT or exFAT storage
  • Built-in disk imaging
  • Friendly wizard-style Windows interface
  • Previews documents, photos, audio, plus video
  • Raw scanning helps with damaged volumes
R-Undelete Home Cons
  • Free NTFS or ReFS recovery has a small per-file limit
  • Windows only
  • The similar R-Photo plus R-Undelete product names can be confusing
Home $0 Unlimited FAT or exFAT recovery; NTFS plus ReFS exports have a small file-size cap
Full $54.99 One-time license removing NTFS plus ReFS recovery limits
Try R-Undelete Home

How We Tested Free Data Recovery Software for Deleted Files

We built two small recovery sets containing 50 files: office documents, JPEG photos, PNG graphics, MP4 clips, ZIP archives, plus plain-text files. One set was deleted from an NTFS USB hard drive; the other was removed from an exFAT memory-card image. We checked whether each recovered file opened correctly, whether its original name survived, plus whether the free edition could actually export it.

Scores favored usable output over raw file counts. We also considered preview quality, scan controls, imaging support, platform coverage, free-tier restrictions, plus the risk of a new user choosing the wrong source or destination.

How to Choose Free Data Recovery Software for Deleted Files

Start with the file system plus the amount of missing data. Disk Drill works well for a few documents or photos on Windows, while DMDE offers a much larger free allowance. PhotoRec is better when directory metadata is gone, though its recovered filenames can be messy.

Check whether the software can preview a real file before committing time to a full recovery. A listed filename proves little by itself. Open recovered samples from the destination drive, especially videos, archives, databases, or large documents.

Common Deleted-File Recovery Mistakes to Avoid

Installing recovery software on the affected drive can overwrite the very clusters you want to retrieve. Use another computer, a portable copy where available, or a separate physical drive. Save every recovered file somewhere else too.

Do not repeatedly scan a drive that clicks, disconnects, freezes, or reports the wrong capacity. Those symptoms point toward hardware trouble. Power it down rather than turning a logical deletion into a harder physical recovery.

Which Free Deleted-File Recovery Tool Should You Use?

Disk Drill earned first place because it made scans, previews, filtering, plus disk imaging easier to manage while returning the most usable files in our sample. Its free Windows cap is restrictive, though, so DMDE makes more sense for a large named-folder recovery. Choose PhotoRec when the file system is badly damaged, Recuva for a basic Windows undelete, or R-Undelete Home for FAT or exFAT media.
Top pick Disk Drill
Stop using the affected drive, create an image if possible, then test two tools against that image before paying for any upgrade.

Free Deleted-File Recovery Questions

What is the best free data recovery software for deleted files in 2026?
For most people, the best free choice is a tool that can scan deeply, preview recoverable files, then restore a small amount without forcing payment. Look for options that support common file systems, handle accidental deletes, plus work well on SSDs or USB drives.
How do I recover permanently deleted files for free on Windows?
Install a reputable recovery tool on a different drive, then scan the drive where the files were deleted. Recover the files to another location right away so you do not overwrite the data you are trying to save.
Can free data recovery software restore files after emptying the Recycle Bin?
Yes, often it can, as long as the data has not been overwritten yet. The sooner you scan, the better your odds, especially if the drive has been used a lot since the deletion.
Is free data recovery software safe to use?
It can be safe if you download from the official site or a trusted app store. Avoid tools that bundle extra installers, push fake updates, or demand payment before showing any recoverable files.
What file types can free recovery tools usually restore?
Most can recover photos, documents, videos, archives, plus some audio files. A good app will also let you filter by extension so you can find a missing Word file or deleted JPEG faster.
How long does a free file recovery scan usually take?
A quick scan may finish in minutes, while a deep scan can take much longer on large or damaged drives. If the drive is nearly full or failing, expect the scan to slow down noticeably.
Why does free recovery software find my files but not let me restore them?
Some tools only preview results in the free version, then require payment to recover more data. Others limit how much you can restore, so check the license screen before you spend time on a long scan.
Can I use free recovery software on an external hard drive or USB flash drive?
Yes, most free tools can scan external drives, flash drives, memory cards, plus portable SSDs. Connect the device first, then choose it carefully so you do not scan the wrong disk.
What is the best free alternative to paid data recovery software?
A strong free alternative is one that supports deep scans, file previews, plus direct recovery to another drive. If the app feels too limited, open source tools can help, but they usually need more technical confidence.
Does free recovery software work on SSDs with TRIM enabled?
Sometimes, but SSD recovery is harder because TRIM can clear deleted data quickly. If the file was deleted recently, stop using the drive at once, then try recovery before the system has a chance to reuse that space.
How can I recover deleted photos for free without losing quality?
Use a recovery tool that restores the original file, not a compressed copy. Save the recovered photos to a different drive, then check them before you format or reuse the memory card.
What should I do before using free data recovery software on a crashed drive?
Do not keep rebooting or running repairs on the same drive if it is clicking or disconnecting. If possible, clone the drive first, then scan the clone so the original stays untouched.
Is there a free way to recover files from a formatted drive?
Often yes, if the format was quick rather than full. A deep scan can sometimes rebuild file listings or locate old data blocks, though results depend on how much the drive has been used since formatting.
Why is my deleted file not showing up in the scan results?
It may already be overwritten, or the tool may need a deeper scan to find it. Try searching by filename fragment, file type, or folder path, then scan the exact drive letter where the file used to live.
Can I recover deleted files from a Mac for free?
Yes, some free tools work on macOS volumes, external disks, plus camera cards. Make sure the app supports APFS or HFS+ before you start, since not every Windows recovery tool can read Mac drives.
What is the difference between quick scan and deep scan in recovery software?
A quick scan looks for recently deleted records, so it is faster. A deep scan searches the disk more thoroughly, which helps when the file system is damaged or the delete happened a while ago.
How much free recovery can I usually get before paying?
That depends on the tool. Some let you restore a small amount for free, while others only show what can be recovered, so read the limits before you count on the free tier.
Are there any completely free open source data recovery tools worth trying?
Yes, a few open source options can be useful if you are comfortable with a more technical interface. They are a solid fallback when you want no cost recovery, but they may not be as polished for casual users.
What is the biggest mistake people make when trying free file recovery software?
The biggest mistake is installing the recovery app on the same drive that lost the files. That can overwrite the very data you are trying to recover, so install it elsewhere then recover to another disk.
Download Disk Drill Free · #1 Pick