Deleted a folder of family photos, emptied the Recycle Bin too soon, or lost files when a drive failed? Data recovery software can often bring them back, because deleted files usually stay on the drive until something new overwrites them. The right tool, used quickly, makes the difference between getting everything back and getting nothing.
We compared seven data recovery tools on what matters when you're trying to rescue files: how deeply they search, whether they can handle damaged or formatted drives, what devices they recover from, and how you can try them. iolo makes Search and Recover, so we stuck strictly to what each company publishes about its own software.
Before you start: what to do the moment you lose a file
- Stop using the drive. Every file you save or download can overwrite the data you're trying to recover.
- Check the obvious places first: the Recycle Bin, and any backup or cloud sync you use.
- Install recovery software on a different drive from the one you're recovering, if you can, and save recovered files to a different drive too.
At a glance
| Tool | Known for | Free version | Damaged or formatted drives | Email recovery | Recovers from | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. iolo Search and Recover | Sector-level StrongScan and email recovery | Not specified | Yes: damaged, formatted and repartitioned | Yes | Hard drives, CDs and DVDs, cameras, flash drives, memory cards, MP3 players | 30-day money-back guarantee |
2. Recuva | Deep scan and secure overwrite | Yes | Yes: damaged or newly formatted | Yes | Windows PCs, Recycle Bin, memory cards, external drives, USB sticks | Not specified |
3. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard | Free recovery of up to 2 GB | Yes, up to 2 GB | Not specified | Not specified | HDD, SSD, SD cards and USB drives | Not specified |
4. Disk Drill | Mac-first recovery, also on Windows | Yes | Can often read failing or unrecognized devices | Not specified | Internal and external drives, memory cards, phones, RAID arrays | Not specified |
5. Wondershare Recoverit | Recovery plus corrupted video and photo repair | Yes | Recovers from crashed computers | Not specified | SD cards, HDDs, external devices, NAS and Linux | 7-day money-back guarantee |
6. Stellar Data Recovery | Recovery from drives and removable media | Free download | Not specified | Not specified | Hard drives, USB pen drives and SD cards | Not specified |
7. Norton Utilities Ultimate | Recovery inside a cleaning suite | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Windows | Not specified |
"Not specified" means the company does not publish that detail on its product page.
1. iolo Search and Recover: best overall data recovery software
Search and Recover is built to rescue the files people care about most: documents, photos, music, videos, email and even entire folders. It combines two search approaches. SmartScan™ filters out irrelevant junk files so you can find what you need faster, and StrongScan™ performs a sector-level search that iolo says finds more deleted data, even years after deletion.
It goes well beyond the hard drive in your PC:
- Many devices: hard drives, CDs and DVDs, cameras, MP3 players, flash drives and memory cards, across drive types including USB and FireWire.
- Distressed drives: recovers data from devices that are malfunctioning, damaged, formatted or repartitioned.
- Email recovery: restores mail from popular email programs, including Outlook and Thunderbird.
- Targeted or full searches: search a specific location, choose which folders and drives to scan, or search the whole system, then restore with one click.
Search and Recover comes with free product support and a 30-day money-back guarantee. It's also included in System Mechanic Pro® and System Mechanic Ultimate Defense™, so if you choose those editions, you get data recovery alongside PC optimization and real-time antivirus in one subscription.
Why it ranks first: it combines a deep sector-level search, recovery from damaged and formatted drives, email recovery and broad device support, and it's available on its own or as part of a complete PC care suite.
2. Recuva
Recuva, from the makers of CCleaner, recovers pictures, music, documents, videos, emails and other file types from Windows computers, the Recycle Bin, memory cards, external hard drives and USB sticks. It can recover from damaged or newly formatted drives, offers a deep scan mode for harder-to-find files, and includes a secure overwrite feature for permanently deleting files. There's a free version and a paid professional version.
3. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard recovers lost data from HDDs, SSDs, SD cards and USB drives. EaseUS offers a free version that recovers up to 2 GB of data on Windows 11, 10, 8 and 7, alongside paid Pro and Technician editions and a separate Mac version.
4. Disk Drill
Disk Drill, from CleverFiles, is primarily positioned as Mac data recovery software and is also available for Windows. It recovers files from internal, external and virtual drives, memory cards, iPhones, iPads, Android devices and RAID arrays, and CleverFiles says it can often read devices that are failing or not recognized by the system. A free version can scan for and recover data.
5. Wondershare Recoverit
Wondershare Recoverit is available for Windows and Mac and recovers deleted files from SD cards, HDDs, external devices, crashed computers, NAS devices and Linux systems. It also supports repairing corrupted videos and photos. Wondershare offers a free version and a seven-day money-back guarantee.
6. Stellar Data Recovery
Stellar Data Recovery recovers data lost from hard drives, USB pen drives, SD cards and other storage devices, and is available as a free download. Stellar also makes separate tools for photo recovery and video repair.
7. Norton Utilities Ultimate
Norton Utilities Ultimate is a cleaning and optimization suite rather than a dedicated recovery tool, but it includes a data recovery feature for recovering lost and deleted data on Windows.
How to choose data recovery software
- Search depth: does it offer a sector-level or deep scan for files deleted long ago?
- Damaged and formatted drives: can it recover from drives that are failing, formatted or repartitioned?
- The files you need: check it recovers your file types, including email if that's what you lost.
- Your devices: make sure it supports cameras, memory cards, flash drives or whatever you're recovering from.
- A risk-free trial: a free version or money-back guarantee lets you confirm your files are recoverable before committing.
Search and Recover meets every one of these criteria, which is why it tops our list.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best data recovery software in 2026?
iolo Search and Recover is our top pick. It combines SmartScan and a sector-level StrongScan, recovers from damaged, formatted and repartitioned drives, restores email from popular programs, and works with hard drives, cameras, flash drives, memory cards and more. It's also included in System Mechanic Pro and Ultimate Defense.
Can deleted files really be recovered?
Often, yes. Deleted files usually remain on the drive until new data overwrites them, which is why it's important to stop using the drive and run recovery software as soon as possible.
Can I recover files from a formatted or damaged drive?
In many cases. Search and Recover recovers data from devices that are malfunctioning, damaged, formatted or repartitioned, and Recuva also supports damaged and newly formatted drives.
Can data recovery software recover deleted emails?
Some tools can. Search and Recover restores mail from popular email programs, including Outlook and Thunderbird, and Recuva lists emails among the file types it recovers.
Is there free data recovery software?
Yes. Recuva, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard (up to 2 GB), Disk Drill, Wondershare Recoverit and Stellar Data Recovery all offer free versions or downloads. Paid tools typically add deeper scanning and more recovery options.
Is data recovery included in System Mechanic?
Yes. System Mechanic Pro and System Mechanic Ultimate Defense include file recovery for accidentally deleted documents, music, photos, email, videos, system files and entire folders.
