Recuva - easy way to recover deleted files
Recuva is a small free utility for recovering files accidentally deleted or lost as a result of a software crash or error. Recuva is an effective software for recovering files that were accidentally or intentionally deleted (lost) on computer hard drives as well as on removable media.
Recuva is a simple but effective data recovery software. It does not matter where the files were and what format they were in. The tool automatically displays all lost objects. You only need to specify the disk and the type of analysis. Supported file systems are ntfs, fat, fat32, exfat, etc.
Recuva will help you to recover deleted files from the Recycle Bin, from individual folders, and restore information that was on removable media, portable drives: ext4, ext3 partitions of digital camcorders, cell phones, etc.
An elementary, at first glance, deleted file recovery software is capable of putting even a superficially formatted hard drive back in order. So with its functionality, restoring accidentally deleted files won't be too difficult. But that's not all. Recuva can not only return deleted files, but also permanently delete unnecessary information and remnants of found files.
Note that the sooner you start using the File Recovery Wizard, the more likely you are to get all your files back. You should not install the application on the same drive where the data was deleted. Overwriting to clusters can happen, and your mistakenly deleted photos, accidentally unsaved documents or other corrupted data will disappear forever.
Video guide
In this video instruction I show how to install Recuva, set the correct settings in the Recovery Wizard and run the scan. The next step is to analyze the recovered information, view the results, and save the files.
Recuva features
- Recovers information from Recycle Bin, Flash drive, Memory cards and other devices;
- Supports a large number of memory cards: Secure Digital, MemoryStick, Sony Memory Sticks, Smart Media and many others;
- Recover damaged, formatted disks after a software failure;
- Handles all types of deleted files, from images to music and video;
- Completely deletes unnecessary information, without the possibility of recovery.
Recuva Benefits
- Intuitive, simple software user interface in English;
- Smart analysis of lost files;
- Deep scan of the file system;
- Convenient search by title, as well as by file extension;
- Recover deleted files from Windows 10 and 11, support for old Windows XP and Vista.
Disadvantages
- Works only on Windows, you cannot recover Mac OS files;
- Low probability of repairing corrupted file drives.
- In the first window, select the type of data, the same format - images, video, music, archives, emails, Word and Excel documents or files of all types. Click on Next.
- The next window lets you choose where the files are located - on a memory card or other removable media, in documents, in the trash, or at a specific location on the disk. If you don't know where to look for a file, select I'm not sure.
- Recuva is now ready to search. Before you start, you can activate the in-depth search function, but it will take longer. It is recommended to use this function when the search is unsuccessful. Click Start.
- In front of you is a list of the data found. A green circle next to the name means that the file is ready to be recovered, a yellow one means that the file is corrupted, and a red one means that the file cannot be recovered. Check the box next to the desired file and click Recover.
- Select the folder on your hard drive where you want to save the data.
How to use Recuva
When Recuva starts up, it gives the user the ability to customize the search options for the data he needs.