File Recovery Software for Windows 10, 11 & Mac

Recover important data safely and securely with the best tools

Reading time icon 10 min. read


Readers help support Windows Report. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Tooltip Icon

Read the affiliate disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report effortlessly and without spending any money. Read more

Key notes

  • For most users, once a program is removed from the Recycle Bin, it's usually treated as lost forever.
  • If you accidentally erased some precious data, don't panic, just use reliable file recovery software.
  • In case of having a hard time deciding, let us tell you that you'll find below a tool that comes with an accessible wizard-style interface and can recover files lost due to any reason.
file recovery

One of the worst feelings a computer user can have is when he/she accidentally deletes some important files or folders.

For most users, once the program is removed from the Recycle Bin, it’s treated as lost forever. But, that doesn’t have to be the case anymore.

Even though Windows doesn’t offer built-in options for recovering lost data, there’s still something that can be done.

You’ve guessed it right, third-party software! There are quite a few programs for recovering your lost data, and each one of them offers something worth mentioning.

What can deleted file recovery software do for me?

We’ve all probably been in a situation where we accidentally deleted something we weren’t supposed to, or simply thought we don’t need it anymore, discarded it, and then realized that we did, in fact.

Such mistakes are pretty common, so don’t be alarmed if you too have erased anything, as there are ways in which you can recover the lost data.

And you don’t even have to leave the house and take the device to some sort of expert or PC service. All you have to do is download and install the appropriate software for the job.

We’re about to show you the best apps for recovering lost files, leaving you with the task of choosing whichever is more suited to your needs for both Windows 10 and Windows 11.

What are the best file recovery software tools?

Recoverit Data Recovery – High recovery success rate

Even if you deleted some precious files recently, you can still get them back entirely if you use Wondershare’s Recoverit Data Recovery.

As its name suggests, the tool helps you recover a lot of types of files including images and other multimedia files, documents, and even archives.

And you can even preview them before recovering so that you know exactly if you really want to get them back or not.

Of course, the tool is not only effective for your PC drives but it also works on any external storage devices like USB sticks, memory cards, and digital cameras.

You shouldn’t worry about the file systems. Recoverit Data Recovery handles FAT16 and 32, NTFS, and exFAT without any problems.

We need to highlight a great feature called Resume Recovery. As a recovery process can take a while, you can always stop it whenever you need and resume it without any losses.

Let’s take a look at some of its most important features:

  • Restore all your data from any PC or Mac from all your internal or external storage devices
  • Over 1,000 file formats supported
  • High recovery success rate
  • Simple, three-step recovery process
  • Trusted by over 5 million users worldwide

Recoverit Data Recovery

Retrieve your deleted files quickly and safely from all your memory storage devices with this great tool.
Free trial Visit Website

Stellar Data Recovery – Complete recovery of unbootable systems

Stellar Data Recovery is one data recovery tool that scores high in both simplicity and efficiency. It can retrieve all types of data, from text documents to full-length movies.

This program also doubles as an email recovery tool, so you don’t need to get a license for a program specifically for that scenario.

In fact, plenty of users have no idea how useful this tool really is. Don’t be one of them and read our elaborate Stellar Data Recovery review to discover all about it.

It can recover Microsoft Outlook (PST), Outlook Express (DBX), Exchange Server (EDB), Lotus Notes (NSF), and many other file types.

All you need to do is specify the type of file you are looking for, then specify the location where the program should start searching.

Once that is done, the program will proceed with the recovery phase without further user intervention.

Let’s quickly look at its key features:

  • Complete recovery of crashed & unbootable systems
  • HDDs, SSDs, external USB drives, and optical media are also included
  • Recovery of lost or deleted Windows partitions
  • Data retrieval from scratched CDs, DVDs, and more

Stellar Data Recovery

Stellar Data Recovery is an unparalleled recovery data solution that allows selective recovery and previews recoverable files.
Free trial Visit Website

DoYourData Recovery Pro – Preview option

Undeleting lost photos, emails, videos, and documents with DoYourData Recovery Pro is no complicated task. Quite the opposite, millions of users around the world confirm that recovering data is done in mere seconds.  

Even if you’re not tech-savvy, rest assured that it’s very easy to use this tool. It packs a few advanced options as well, just in case you want to further explore its features.

After scanning, you can even review the results and choose to recover only certain files. Moreover, DoYourData Recovery Pro is fully compatible with Windows 10, Windows 8.1/8/7/Vista/2000/XP, Windows Server, and not only.

DoYourData Recovery Pro key features that you are about to enjoy:

  • Full Windows 10 recovery
  • Formatted recovery (HHD, SSD, storage device)
  • Includes deep scan mode
  • Intuitive preview option
  • Extended compatibility

DoYourData Recovery Pro

Try DoYourData because is the very best file recovery software tool available.
Check price Get it now

Kernel Data Recovery – Simple interface

Kernel Data Recovery is a powerful tool for recovering lost, deleted, and inaccessible data from corrupt FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, and NTFS5 partitions of Windows systems.

Aside from local use on any PC, the tool also supports recovery from removable drives like USB, IDE, EIDE, SCSI, SATA, PEN, and even ZIP drives.

Kernel Data Recovery can be used to fix Windows corruption errors from both logical and physical devices and recover your songs, photos, documents, etc. without any alteration.

Let’s quickly look at its key features:

  • Recovers lost and permanently-deleted files and folders without limitations on file size
  • 100% assured data recovery from corrupt FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, and NTFS5 partitions
  • Easy data recovery from removable drives
  • Free Demo version available to instantly view your lost files and folders

Kernel Data Recovery

Kernel Data Recovery ensures data recovery from almost any corrupt partition and fixes corruption errors.
Free trial Visit Website

Recuva – Ease of use

Recuva is one of the most famous and most popular recovery software tools for Windows, that almost everyone heard about. And it’s like that for a reason.

The main advantage of this program is the fact that it makes recovering very easy, and almost effortless.

Once you open Recuva, the recovery wizard will pop up automatically, asking you about a file type you want to recover (document, image, compressed, etc.).

When you choose the file type, it will start looking for all deleted files of that kind. You can also set up a specific location where you want Recuva to search for your file, for even more accurate results.

Depending on how hard it is for Recuva to get your files back, you can choose between a quick or deep scan. So, if you’re unable to retrieve your file with a quick scan, try the more complex solution.

Once the search is done, all potential files will be listed, along with condition ratings. If your file is available, you may then recover it without any problem.

Recuva

Team up with Recuva and recover your deleted files quickly and effortlessly.
Free trial Visit Website

MiniTool Power Data Recovery – Extremely simplistic

MiniTool Power Data Recovery scan

MiniTool Power Data Recovery is a staple of what it means to provide a powerful yet efficient software solution.

The user interface is extremely simplistic, allowing users of all experience levels to make quick work of this program.

It is a read-only data recovery utility that helps you in recovering your all-important data, regardless of the circumstances that lead to their loss in the first place.

This includes accidental formats, virus problems, software malfunction, file or directory deletion, or even sabotage by a third party.

It works by scanning all volumes in a local machine and then builds a directory tree of all lost and deleted files.

Note that it supports the following formats: FAT 12/16/32 and NTFS. The recovered files can then be exported anywhere, including network drives, removable media, etc.

All in all, if you are looking for a quick and hassle-free recovery solution, then MiniTool Power Data Recovery is the one for you.

MiniTool Power Data Recovery

Recover all your important data safely and try this excellent tool.
Check price Visit Website

iBeesoft Data Recovery – Deep scan feature

If you have in mind the idea of finding a highly-responsive data recovery software to completely recover deleted files, then let us tell you that there is no better option than iBeesoft Data Recovery.

As expected, it can recover files lost due to almost any reason – you can do so from a memory card, disk/partition, RAW drive, USB drive, and other storage devices.

Besides its incredibly easy-to-use menu, do keep in mind that we are talking about getting back all commonly used file types, including documents, photos, graphics, videos, emails, archives, and more.

Let’s take a closer look at its key features:

  • Accessible wizard-style interface
  • Deep Scan feature to scan every drive sector
  • Preview option for photos and other files
  • Quick recovery of files, formatted drive recovery in Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP/Server
  • Efficient results from devices based on FAT, exFAT, NTFS, NTFS5, ext2, ext3, and HFS+ file systems

iBeesoft Data Recovery

Give a try to iBeesoft Data Recovery and you’ll see that all deleted files are fully recoverable.
Check price Get it now

Paragon Backup & Recovery – Define new scenario strategies

Paragon Backup and Recovery backup options

Rest assured that Paragon Backup & Recovery is one of the best backup and recovery tools available on the market.

With advanced restore features, this software does not compromise on ease of use, making it incredibly simple for individual users to protect files and folders, partitions, disks, or the entire system.

Let’s quickly look at its key features:

  • Schedule automated backup operations and repetitive processes
  • Fully customizable backup parameters (type, event, interval, and so on)
  • Define new scenario-based strategies
  • Run backups quickly in manual mode
  • Assistance to prepare bootable environments on a USB drive or an ISO image

Paragon Backup & Recovery

Restore your important files without compromising them and try Paragon Backup&Recovery software.
Check price Visit Website

Is it safe to use software recovery software?

To give you a short answer right off the bat, yes, it is totally safe to use such software if you are in need of recovering some deleted files.

The procedures performed by these apps aren’t going to change, steam, or render any other files on your PC unusable, so you don’t have to worry about that.

Millions of users have, at one point in their lives, downloaded, installed, and used one of the software solutions we listed above, and none have reported any problems.

The only issue you could have with such a program would be that it doesn’t work on your current setup, either because it’s bugged or incompatible, but the chances are pretty slim.

So, this means that you don’t need to sleep with one eye open after using one of these applications.

That’s about it for our list of the best file recovery software for Windows 10, 11, and Mac. As you can see, all these programs offer some unique features. For more options to pick from, check out this list including the best data recovery software for Windows 10/11 too.

So, depending on your needs, you can choose the best available option for you. Don’t hesitate to let us in the comments section below.

More about the topics: recovery software