Data loss on your Windows computer is something that may not be very serious but also can be quite costly depending on the particular case. It may be the loss of a couple of photos stored on a USB flash drive. It may be a folder with a project, client archive, partition format, or external drive turned into RAW and asking for formatting. And in some cases, it is not only a question of retrieving files, but also making sure that no additional steps will be taken which might further damage the situation.
And here is the use of proper Windows data recovery software. Such software may help you recover lost files, retrieve data from formatted hard drives, scan partitions inaccessible due to various reasons, and retrieve files from corrupted file systems. An improper choice or approach might cost you wasted time, overlooked files, or lead you to spend more money before you understand what could have been done.
This article considers 5 best Windows data recovery software:
- Stellar Data Recovery
- Disk Drill
- EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
- R-Studio
- Recuva
Why Data Recovery Software Matters
It is not necessary that when you delete a file, Windows will always “wipe out” the file. There are many times where Windows will only mark the space as free and remove the reference of that particular file. Until any other data gets written on top of that, there is a possibility that the file may get recovered. That is why deleted folders, formatted USB drives, or partitions which are inaccessible can also be retrieved.
Good recovery software can help with situations such as:
- Files deleted from the Recycle Bin
- Shift + Delete accidents
- Formatted USB drives or external hard disks
- Lost or missing partitions
- Drives that show as RAW
- Corrupted memory cards
- Windows reinstall or system crash data loss
- Some cases of virus- or malware-related file loss
Recovery software cannot promise anything because it cannot ensure that your data will be recovered from a corrupted storage device. You should be ready for the situation when your information was overwritten or there was an aggressive erasure of deleted blocks using TRIM.
Important Warning Before You Try Recovery
If you only take one thing from this article, make it this:
Stop using the affected drive immediately.
However, in case you keep using the drive that had data loss, Windows will most probably overwrite the exact sectors where your lost files were stored. Software installation, downloading updates, web browsing, video exporting, or any other activities for that matter could jeopardize the chances for successful recovery.
Best practice:
- Do not install the recovery tool on the same drive you want to recover from
- Recover files to a different drive
- If the drive seems unstable, create a disk image first if the software supports it
- If the drive makes clicking or grinding sounds, do not keep scanning it repeatedly
That last point is important. If the problem looks like hardware failure, software recovery may not be the right first move.
1. Stellar Data Recovery
If you would like to have one professional data recovery software for windows that will be capable of dealing with all sorts of problems in an easy manner, then the Stellar Data Recovery should be chosen.
This software will work with almost any issue that a regular user could face in his day-to-day computer use: deleted files, formatted USB-drives, lost partitions, RAW drives and other external media that became inaccessible. The ability to recover different file types is very important since some people would want to have back their documents created using Microsoft Word, while other users may need their old pictures, videos, ZIP-archives or e-mails. Also, Stellar comes with some extra features that go beyond just an undelete utility – disk imaging and SMART status check.
The reason I like it is that it strikes a good balance between the two. Compared to lightweight tools, it is more capable, but at the same time, it doesn’t require the level of technical expertise that some data recovery software does. The process is quite straightforward: you select the drive, scan it, preview the recoverable files, and then restore the ones you need.
2. Disk Drill
Disk Drill is definitely one of the most likeable software of its kind. Its interface is cleaner compared to most similar products on the market, the process is straightforward, and Disk Drill never makes file recovery seem like something scary. In case people want a user-friendly and modern tool for recovering their data, Disk Drill is the way to go.
This particular software works exceptionally well for those who try to restore files from such storage media as USB drives, SD cards, and external hard drives. The process of scanning is not complicated at all, the results are easily browsable and preview options will be quite helpful in figuring out if the application managed to recover an actual file or mere fragments of them.
That is why it comes in second position right after Stellar since Disk Drill seems more like an amazing tool for the consumer’s data recovery needs while Stellar appears to have somewhat wider functionality as a universal solution for Windows. Disk Drill remains a really solid option, especially if ease-of-use is a bigger concern than anything else.
3. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard has been around for quite a while already, and the main reason why the software is still mentioned in such lists is that it is easy to use and copes quite well with the tasks of file restoration that the average user usually needs. EaseUS allows to easily restore deleted files, empty the Recycle Bin, unformat partitions and even recover data from external drives.
The biggest advantage of EaseUS is its simplicity. The program has an easy to use interface and the scan process itself is easy to understand. Browsing through the results of scanning is not particularly complicated either. In case if you are looking for a solution that will guide you through the process of restoration, EaseUS works well.
However, the main reason why I wouldn’t place it higher is that EaseUS offers a lot more nuances when compared to Stellar and Disk Drill. The free version of the program offers significantly fewer features than the other products; the paid versions can be quite costly.
4. R-Studio
R-Studio is certainly the strongest solution out of these products, but the least convenient one at that. If this ranking would depend solely on data recovery functionality, R-Studio would occupy much higher positions on this list. This software was designed with professional data recovery operations in mind: damaged partitions, RAID arrays, advanced file systems issues – everything that cannot be fixed by using a simple wizard-like data recovery tool.
Indeed, such solutions should be used by professionals, techies and knowledgeable users, because it offers way more flexibility during the process of data recovery compared to other consumer-oriented solutions from the list above. That’s exactly the reason why professionals use it so frequently – if the task is complicated and requires special skills, R-Studio can help you with your problems.
On the other hand, this product does not belong to the user-friendly category: its interface is more functional than user-friendly, and in case when you have a simple “my files are lost” situation, it is likely too complex for an ordinary user.
5. Recuva
The Recuva software is definitely worth mentioning, as it still remains one of the most convenient methods of attempting to restore recently deleted files on a Windows computer. This program is very lightweight, easy to install and work with. For those who just need a simple undelete solution for a few files and directories, this software may prove useful.
However, it is rather hard to overlook how poorly this piece of software performs when things get more complicated. It loses a lot of its appeal when it comes to formatted drives, corrupted partitions, RAW disk recovery and other complex recovery tasks. So, Recuva is great when you only need to test your luck for a couple of deleted files, but is not supposed to replace any of the more powerful programs mentioned above.
This is not to say that Recuva is a poor software, of course. It’s just that this software should not be expected to solve complex problems when it is obviously limited.
How to Recover Data from Windows Data Recovery Software
It is not easy to determine an exact recovery process since the software being used may be different. However, some basic steps may help you recover files using professional data recovery software such as Stellar Data Recovery, but remain quite similar:
- Install the recovery software into another hard drive, not the same hard drive from which you are planning to recover data.
- Run the software and choose the kind of data that you are looking forward to recovering, whether it is text documents, images, videos, email, or other file formats.
- Choose the hard drive that has been formatted by using the list of devices provided in the software interface.
- Initiate the scanning process and wait until it completes. The time depends on the size of the disk and the scanning types used.
- Review the list of recoverable files.
- Preview important documents, photos, or videos.
- Select the files you want to restore.
- Save recovered data to a separate storage location.
- Saving recovered files to the same drive being scanned may overwrite additional recoverable data.
Final Verdict
But there are no guarantees of success, especially if your drive has already been overwritten or is physically damaged. However, proper selection can influence the result significantly.
From all discussed options for Windows users, Stellar Data Recovery looks like the best choice since it provides broad functionality while keeping things simple for an average user. Disk Drill should be preferred by those who focus on interface and convenience. Finally, if you need some technical features and advanced functions, it is time to consider R-Studio.
Of course, there is one thing that you need to do before any action – cease to work with your drive in case of any data loss. Otherwise, you risk making it impossible to recover your files later.
