[2026] Top File Recovery Software Free Download

What would you do to rescue those files if you were troubled by losing valuable data? If you are in the habit of backing up your data regularly, then things will get easier. And if not? Don't worry, it's wise to try file recovery software. 

Advanced data recovery software can recover permanently deleted data from computer, including documents, videos, images, music, and other different types of files from hard drives, USB drives, SD cards, and other storage devices for different loss scenarios. 

Every computer user should install a data recovery tool to avoid irreparable damage to their data. I have ranked these programs based on ease of use and functional utility. Start at the top to see our best recommendations, and move down the list if you are looking for other programs.

Hot file recovery software free download for PC &  Mac

When you search on Google, you will find many data recovery software products. In the following, we have compiled the 5 best data recovery tools for 2024 which are available for free download, including FastRecovery, Windows File Recovery, WinfrGUI, PhotoRec, and AOMEI Partition Recovery. 

  

Software/Items	Easy GUI	Recovery Rate	Compatibility	Free or not	Total Score
FastRecovery	✔	High	Windows 11/10/8/7/Server	500MB for free	★★★★★
Windows File Recovery	✘	Relatively high	Only Windows 10 and above	Free	★★★☆☆
AOMEI Partition Recovery	✔	High	Windows 11/10/8/7	Free Trial	★★★★☆
WinfrGUI	✔	Relatively high	Only Windows 10 and above	Free	★★★★☆
PhotoRec	✘	Relatively high	Windows /Mac/Linux/DOS	Free	★★★☆☆

▶ Option 1. FastRecovery 

The first and most recommended software is FastRecovery. It has a graphical interface where users can recover deleted or lost files in Windows 11, 10, 8.1/8, 7, and Windows Server. 

2 scanning modes: It can completely detect all the deleted or lost files and recover them with a high success rate.  

Multiple storage devices: It can recover data from SSDs/HDDs, external drives, USB drives, etc., with NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, and ReFS file systems.

1000+ data types: It can recover multiple data types, like documents, Photos, Videos, Audio, Zip files, etc., up to 1000+ formats.

Flexible layout: It can organize and display data by Type or Path, along with the option to sort, search, filter, and preview files. 

Click the button to download the best file recovery software for Windows. 

Step 1. Launch FastRecovery on your PC. Then, click Deleted Files Recovery. You can also choose a more suitable alternative, such as Recycle Bin Recovery, Disk Data Recovery, etc. All of them can help you retrieve data without causing any damage.

Step 2. You'll see all available drives. Find the drive where your file is located, and click Scan.

Step 3.  It will automatically scan the drive with Quick Scan. You can select files by Type (default) or Path, and combine them with options to sort, filter, search, and preview files. 

Step 4. Select the needed files and then click Recover to retrieve data. Choose a new path to save the recovered files. Otherwise, your data will be overwritten.

Pros:

• It supports 1000+ data types, including Documents, Videos, Photos, Emails, Webpages, Compressed files, etc.
• It offers a Quick & Deep Scan to search for deleted and lost files at a high speed & recovery rate. 
• Available on Windows 11/10/8/7 and Windows Server. 
• Apply to comprehensive data loss situations: deletion, disk formatting, system crash, viruses, etc.

Cons:

• Lacks support for Mac and Linux.

▶ Option 2. Windows File Recovery

The second data recovery software for PC free download full version is Windows File Recovery. It is a command-line tool issued by Microsoft. This tool is reliable and available for Windows 10 and above. It can recover files from hard drives, and USB devices, but recovery on cloud storage and network file shares is not supported.

Follow the steps below to get the software.

Step 1. Open the Start menu, find, and click Microsoft Store.

Step 2. Enter Windows File Recovery on the search bar, and click the Get button.

Before using it, you need to know some parameters that you will use to write the command line.

The structure of the command line is like: winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/mode] [/switches].

You should choose the right mode according to the file system.

If you don't know how to view your file system, you can refer to this process: Click This PC > Right-click the source drive > Tap the Properties.

Then, you ought to select the suitable switch depending on the mode.

After selecting the parameters you can start writing the command line.

Step 1. Open Windows File Recovery and click Run as administrator.

Step 2. Type your command line, and click Enter.

Pros:

• Apply to different data loss scenarios.
• Programs officially released by Microsoft.

Cons:

• No GUI.
• Difficult operation and command lines.
• Only support Windows 10 and above.
• Cannot keep filenames and directories.

▶ Option 3. WinfrGUI

Window File Recovery is indeed a good file recovery software, but using it to recover files will take a lot of time because you need to learn some parameters that you haven't seen before.

Now, I introduce you to a simple tool, WinfrGUI. It is an alternative to Windows File Recovery, but the difference is that WinfrGUI provides a graphical user interface so it is very convenient for a computer novice to use.  The operation process is given below.

Step 1. Select the range to scan, and then choose a place to restore files.

Step 2. Choose the scan mode, and determine the file type in Advanced settings.

Step 3. Click the Start Recovery to complete the process.

▶ Option 4. PhotoRec

PhotoRec is a multi-platform open free data recovery software for Windows, Mac, Linux, Sun Solaris, etc. It features data recovery from severely damaged file systems.

Yet, it provides no intuitive and easy user interface. All operation has to be done with keyboards. In addition, users have to decide the file system, source drive, scanning mode, and destination drive on their own, which is challenging.

Many users need help with learning how to use PhotoRec to recover files.

Pros:

• Available on Windows/Linux/Mac OS/DOS/Sun Solaris, etc.
• Support FAT/NTFS/exFAT/ext2/3/4, etc.

Cons:

• No GUI.
• Difficult to learn and use.
• Filenames and directories will be lost.

▶ Option 5. AOMEI Partition Recovery

AOMEI Partition Recovery is a powerful program that can manage your disks. Everyone can utilize this user-friendly application to recover deleted/lost partitions on Windows 11/10/8/7. Let's download it and have a free trial!

Easy. With a simple user interface, all users could operate it without problems. 

Efficient. Scan and recover deleted and lost partitions within several minutes. 

Convenient. Keep all data in it intact as long as no data overwriting happens. 

Compatible. It is available on all Windows operating systems: Windows 11/10/8/7/XP/Vista. You could also use it to recover the missing partition in Windows 7. 

Versatile. It also enables users to manage the partition flexibly: resize/create/merge/convert/ the partitions smartly.

Step 1. Click Partition Recovery under the Recover menu, and select the disk that contains your lost partition. Then click Next.

Step 2. Two types of search modes are prepared for you, select “Fast Search”, and then click Next.

Step 3. The deleted or lost partition will be listed here, select it and click Proceed.

Pros:

• Supports recover lost/deleted partitions from Windows.
• Comprehensive all-in-one partition management expert.

Cons:

• Paid products.

Conclusion

This post will introduce 5 file recovery software for Windows & Mac. In contrast, FastRecovery will be your best choice because it is advanced, efficient, and easy to use.

With these programs, though, we can recover deleted data. However, it has been proven that regular backups are necessary. AOMEIBackupper is a free Windows backup software that offers basic and advanced features to keep your data safe. You can also retrieve deleted files easily. Sounds good! Why not give it a try?