Technology

Top 7 Free Data Recovery Software (2026)

I accidentally lost important files from my Windows PC without any backup. Is there any professional data recovery software that can help me restore lost files?

Data loss can happen to you at any time. If you ever find any important files deleted from your PC, don’t worry. Whether your data is lost due to accidental deletion, formatting, device corruption, or unexpected system crashes, data recovery is possible in all scenarios. You can use previously created backups or third-party data recovery tools to restore your lost files.

Data recovery using backups can be time-consuming and may not give you the expected result. Fortunately, several free data recovery software tools are available online that you can try to recover your lost data in Windows without any cost. Below, we explore the top 07 free data recovery software options and their key features that will help you understand which tool best fits your situation. Let’s get started!

Best 07 Free Data Recovery Software Tools [Key Features]

Here are the top 07 free data recovery software tools that you can try to recover your deleted files and folders without any additional cost:

01: Stellar Data Recovery Free

Data Recovery Software

Stellar Data Recovery Free is a reliable and user-friendly free data recovery software that you can use to restore deleted files from various storage devices. This all-in-one free data recovery software supports recovery of files deleted from any internal or external storage devices, including SD cards, USB drives, pen drives, and even RAW or corrupted partitions. This software offers both quick and deep scan options to maximise recovery chances.

Stellar Data Recovery Free software offers free recovery of up to 1 GB of data. However, to restore files of a larger size, you can use the premium versions. This software offers a clean interface which makes it suitable for beginners, while advanced scanning algorithms help retrieve documents, photos, videos, and emails efficiently.

Key Features:

  • It allows you to recover deleted, formatted, and lost files from different internal or external storage devices.
  • This free data recovery software offers a quick scan for recently deleted files and a deep scan for thoroughly searching corrupted or formatted storage media.
  • The preview features allow you to preview recoverable files before restoration to ensure correct selection and improve overall recovery accuracy.
  • Works with RAW, encrypted, or damaged partitions and supports common file systems like NTFS, FAT, and exFAT.

02: Disk Drill

Data Recovery Software

Disk Drill is a professional data recovery software, compatible with both Windows and macOS. You can use this tool to recover files deleted due to several reasons, such as accidental deletion, formatting, system failures, and many other reasons. It combines a clean, intuitive interface with powerful scanning algorithms to locate recoverable files, letting users preview results before restoration. This free data recovery software is also compatible with major file systems, including NTFS, FAT, HFS+, APFS, EXT, etc.

Key Features:

  • Supports recovery of deleted or lost files from HDDs, SSDs, USB drives, memory cards, RAID arrays, and virtual hard disks.
  • Includes data protection features like Recovery Vault and byte-level backups to help prevent accidental loss in the future.
  • It performs both quick scan and deep scan to thoroughly search for files deleted, formatted, or hidden by filesystem errors.

03: EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free

Data Recovery Software

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free is a versatile free data recovery software, allowing recovery of over 1,000 file types. It allows both quick and deep scans to locate recoverable data efficiently. The software offers an intuitive interface with recovery of deleted files in three simple steps: select location, scan, and recover. While the free edition is limited in features, you can upgrade to the premium version to enjoy other features.

Key Features:

  • It recovers deleted, lost, or formatted files from internal/external drives, USBs, cards, and other storage media.
  • Simple three-step interface helps select a location, scan lost data, and recover files easily without technical expertise.
  • It allows you to preview recoverable files before restoring them, preventing unnecessary recovery of unwanted data.

04: Wondershare Recoverit

Data Recovery Software

If you are looking for a direct, all-in-one software to recover lost, deleted, or formatted files, then Wondershare Recoverit will be the best choice. You can use this tool to recover files deleted from various storage devices, including HDDs, SSDs, USB drives, memory cards, and more. The software is known for multiple amazing features, such as its preview functionality, compatibility with numerous storage devices, and an intuitive interface, etc.

Key Features:

  • Supports recovery of data lost due to several loss scenarios such as deleted partitions, formatted drives, virus attacks, and unexpected power failures.
  • Easy-to-use interface guides users through the recovery process, allowing data recovery in a few simple clicks.
  • Supports recovery of data lost due to deleted partitions, formatted drives, virus attacks, unexpected power failures, and many other reasons.

05: PhotoRec

Data Recovery Software

PhotoRec is a completely open-source, free data recovery software. It uses data carving techniques to discover and recover files based on signatures. Data recovery doesn’t rely on the file system; instead scanning raw disk data using file signature techniques, which allows it to recover files even from corrupted or reformatted drives. Because it focuses on low-level recovery and runs in a text-based interface, it’s especially useful for tech-savvy users seeking deep file restoration without cost.

Key Features:

  • This free data recovery software is mainly text-based, which makes it slightly technical for beginners.
  • Cross-platform compatibility allows you to run PhotoRec on Windows, macOS, Linux, and various Unix-like operating systems.
  • You can easily restore deleted files of various types, including images, videos, documents, archives, audio, etc.

06: 4DDiG Free Data Recovery

Tenorshare 4DDiG is a versatile free data recovery software that helps you restore lost, deleted, or formatted files in a few simple steps. You can use this tool to recover files deleted from various internal or external storage devices, such as hard drives, SSDs, USB drives, SD cards, and many more. It lets you preview recoverable files before restoring them and offers both quick and deep scan options for thorough searches.

Key Features:

  • Mainly known for broad coverage with recovery of deleted files, including photos, videos, documents, archives, emails, and more.
  • Offers quick scan and deep scan modes to quickly find recent files or thoroughly locate deeply lost data on devices.

07: Wise Data Recovery

Data Recovery Software

Wise Data Recovery is a simple, lightweight Windows tool that helps you restore files accidentally deleted, formatted, or lost due to system errors or other reasons. The free version supports recovery of deleted files up to 2 GB for free. The preview feature of this free data recovery software lets you preview recoverable files before restoring them on your PC. It’s a solid choice for simple recovery tasks but may lack deep recovery power for complex data loss.

Key Features:

  • Fast scanning engine locates deleted files quickly on drives, USBs, and SD cards, saving time during recovery of lost data.
  • Lightweight and simple interface makes file recovery approachable for beginners without technical expertise.
  • It can recover data from removable media like USB drives, memory cards, and local hard drives.

Conclusion

In 2026, there’s a rich variety of free data recovery tools available — ranging from polished user-friendly utilities to powerful open-source recovery engines. If you encounter data loss on your computer, these free data recovery software tools can help you easily restore your lost data. Your choice should depend on your technical comfort level, the type of data lost, and whether you mind a data cap. That’s why it is important to carefully check the features of these tools and then select the one that best fits your needs.

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