I ’ve reviewedthe skilful datum recovery software you may purchase , which often require a pricy subscription . However , there are some very good free apps that can assist restore your miss files or photos .

CCleaner ’s Recuva and DMDE are amongthe undecomposed free datum recovery appsthat rent you preview and restore a wide variety of files at no cost . I ’ll pore on the free version , but also cover the more powerful devote apps .

Specs

Pricing tiers

Recuva is a full - featured free data recovery app with only minor restriction . There ’s no customer overhaul for free users . The app ca n’t show virtual drive and you have to tick off for updates manually .

Beyond that , you could use Recuva for free for as long as you like on any Windows computer . There ’s not a macOS or Linux version of Recuva and it does n’t work on mobile devices .

chair answer like Stellar Data Recoveryrestrict gratis file regaining to 1 GB , which might be enough for destiny of document and several photos . However , the free version might not retrieve all your photo and videos since they take up more space .

For $ 25 each year , you’re able to set up Recuva Professional on up to three figurer and contact support for technical assist . If you ’re unfamiliar with information recovery computer software and drive engineering science and formatting , technical financial backing could be very important .

DMDE also has a free variant that ’s just as powerful as the paid app . However , it does have some limitation . you could restore one folder and 4,000 files at a time .

Unless you dump all you photos and video in a exclusive folder or stack away a Brobdingnagian phone number of files in one billet , you ’ll need the pay variation . Since only one brochure can be restore with the free app , you ’ll probably ask multiple CAT scan to get back lack Indian file .

DMDE also has professional plans , start at $ 95 , that let you add the app on more computers .

Features

Recuva has a wizard to point you through data convalescence . You choose the character of files to restore , but the option of all files seems to make the most sense . Then you get to opt the drive or let the app scan all drives . That can take a tenacious time , so it ’s best to select the drive you suspect has missing files .

When you pop a scan , the app now starts listing files that Windows File Explorer wo n’t show . As the scan continues , more contingent come out including filename , the folder it ’s in , the adjustment date , size of it , and more .

Recuva also estimates the recoverability of each single file and optionally register a preview . Those are the most worthful details . If simulacrum preview look correct and file are rated with excellent recoverability , the app should be able to rejuvenate them .

In my inspection of Recuva Professional , I found it to be useful in recovering information from my extraneous gruelling record thrust ( HDD ) and my thumb crusade . It retrieve 158 of 163 files in the HDD test , which is good , but not not bad .

DMDE is promiscuous to get started with , but some features can be a little confusing . It ’s a much more expert app with hefty and dangerous features like phonograph record editing . It ’s saucy to make certain you understand what will encounter before making a change .

Basic operation is square . You pick out a drive , set off a scan , and watch the file list appear . DMDE express the folders in a left sidebar and files to the right . It fills in the computer file name , sizing , alteration engagement , and shew an optional preview .

The preview is important since DMDE does n’t give a recoverability estimate . In my review , DMDE Freerestored all 55 single file in my folder , but none of the images in subfolders . I ’d involve the paid translation to get everything in one notch .

As a workaround , I switched to raw recovery , which ignores my folder social system and groups restored files by character . With this trick , I got 162 of 165 file , but with randomly generated numeric filenames .

The paid rendering of DMDE manage to restore all my HDD files , but the first letter of each folder was replaced with an underscore “ _ ” symbol .

Solid - state drive ( SSD ) convalescence is almost impossible and neither app could touch on a single Indian file in these exam . EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Prois only app I ’ve tested that has successfully undeleted SSD file , which might have been due to lucky timing .

Support

DMDE does n’t restrict help to pay client , giving it an border against Recuva . Support is via email , so it could take up to 24 time of day to get a reply . DMDE ’s imagination center features tutorial , a manual , and an FAQ so you’re able to get solution quicker .

Populardata convalescence apps like Disk Drill Prooffer hold out chat living , but cost more .

Privacy and security

I could n’t bump any record of a data point breach at DMDE , but the developer of Recuva , CCleaner has had some issues . CCleaner has been hit by three major data point breaches , one as late as 2023 .

Which data recovery app is right for you?

The free versions of Recuva and DMDE are both effective with HDD file recovery . While DMDE restored more data in my test , it requires multiple passes to get back folders . Recuva is easy to use , but could n’t find as many missing files .

While you could download and run both , HDD CAT scan can be time - consuming , so it ’s good to piece one . If you absolutely ca n’t devote to restore missing Indian file , Recuva has the better complimentary app .

However , DMDE ’s $ 20 and Recuva ’s $ 25 yearly subscription prices are incredibly low-priced . If you ’re going to the bother of scanning and reestablish files , it ’s deserving saving yourself time and effort at such a abject cost .

If your picture , TV , written document , and other files are worth $ 20 , I ’d urge DMDE Express over Recuva Professional . If you anticipate needing to recover file in the hereafter , a one - metre purchase of DMDE Standard costs just $ 48 to utilise it on your Windows PC , Mac , or Linux computer forever and a day .

That ’s why DMDE is high on our lean ofthe best data recovery software package . If you need to restore data lose on wandering devices , check out our guide tothe good iPhone data recuperation appsandAndroid data point recuperation apps .