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?
The best free option depends on how the files were lost, but Recuva, PhotoRec, TestDisk, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free, and Disk Drill Free are the most common starting points. If you want the broadest set of free recovery choices, PhotoRec is strong for deep scans, while Recuva is easier for quick restores.
Can free data recovery software recover permanently deleted files?
Yes, sometimes, if the file data has not been overwritten yet. The sooner you scan the drive, the better your chances, so stop saving new files to that disk right away.
Which free data recovery program is easiest for beginners?
Recuva is usually the easiest for beginners because it uses a simple wizard style workflow. It is a good pick if you want to recover a deleted photo, document, or download without learning advanced scan settings.
Is there a free data recovery tool that works on Windows 11?
Yes. Recuva, Disk Drill Free, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free, and PhotoRec all have Windows support, though some are easier to use than others. Always download the latest version from the official site to avoid bundled extras.
Can I recover files from an emptied Recycle Bin for free?
Yes, as long as the deleted data has not been overwritten. A free tool like Recuva or PhotoRec can often find files that were removed from the Recycle Bin, especially on drives that have not been used much since deletion.
What free software is best for recovering photos from an SD card?
PhotoRec is one of the strongest free choices for SD card photo recovery because it handles many file formats well. Recuva can also work well for simpler cases, especially if the card is still readable by your computer.
How do I recover deleted files without paying for software?
Install a reputable free recovery tool on a different drive, then scan the drive that lost the files. Save any recovered files to another location, not the same drive, so you do not overwrite more recoverable data.
Which free recovery software is best for corrupted USB drives?
PhotoRec and TestDisk are the best free tools to try when a USB drive is corrupted or not mounting correctly. TestDisk can help repair partition issues, while PhotoRec focuses on pulling files out even when the file system looks damaged.
Can free data recovery software restore folders with their original names?
Sometimes, but not always. Basic deleted file recovery can bring back names, folder paths, and timestamps, while deeper recovery after formatting often returns files with generic names like file0001.
What is the difference between Recuva and PhotoRec?
Recuva is friendlier and better for quick restores on Windows, while PhotoRec is more technical but often better at deep recovery from damaged media. If you want easy file-by-file recovery, start with Recuva, then try PhotoRec if that fails.
Does free recovery software work after formatting a drive?
Often yes, especially if the drive was only quick formatted. The more the drive has been used after formatting, the lower the recovery chance, so avoid writing anything new to it.
Can I use free data recovery software on a Mac?
Yes, but your free options are more limited than on Windows. PhotoRec is the most dependable free cross-platform choice, while Mac-specific free tools are usually less polished or have stricter limits.
Is it safe to install data recovery software on the same drive I want to recover from?
No, that is risky because installation can overwrite deleted files. Install the software on another drive or use a portable version if the tool supports it.
What free file recovery software works best for SSDs?
SSD recovery is tricky because TRIM can erase deleted data very quickly. Free tools like Recuva or PhotoRec can still help in some cases, but success is much more likely if you scan soon after deletion.
Are free recovery tools good enough for video files?
Yes, especially for accidental deletions from memory cards, USB drives, or external disks. PhotoRec is a solid free option for video because it can carve out large media files even when the directory structure is gone.
How long does a free data recovery scan usually take?
It depends on drive size, drive health, plus scan depth. A quick scan may finish in minutes, while a full scan on a large or damaged drive can take hours.
What should I do before using free recovery software?
Stop using the affected drive right away, then decide what files matter most so you can search efficiently. If the drive makes clicking sounds or disappears often, clone it first if possible before scanning.
Are there any truly free alternatives to paid data recovery software?
Yes. PhotoRec, TestDisk, and Recuva offer useful free recovery features without forcing an immediate purchase. Paid tools may add extras like prettier interfaces or broader support, but free tools are often enough for accidental deletion.
Where can I download free data recovery software safely?
Download only from the official product website or a trusted software publisher page. For example, you can get PhotoRec at cgsecurity.org and Recuva at ccleaner.com/recuva.
Download Disk Drill Free · #1 Pick