You can not always ensure data is 100% secure. Mistakes and accidents happen. Your PC could glitch and erase your files. You could hit the delete key by mistake. Your drive could become corrupted.
These are all unpredictable circumstances that could result in critical data loss. Therefore, the best way to keep your files well protected is to always have a backup plan, and that's what Glarysoft File Recovery offers.
A data recovery solution, Glarysoft promises to "effortlessly restore your deleted files", but does it deliver? Can you rely on it in the event of data loss?
In this article
Overview: Glarysoft File Recovery
Glarysoft File Recovery is a simple solution that can work wonders. It lets you recover important files from many devices, including HDDs, SSDs, USBs, and SD cards. It works with various file types, enabling you to retrieve lost documents, images, videos, audio files, and more.
Whether the cause of data loss is malware infestation, a hard drive crash, or a simple accident involving the delete button, Glarysoft File Recovery could be of use.
However, if you want to use it, you'll need to make sure that your computer meets the minimum system requirements, at the least:
Operating System | Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10, or 11 |
Bit Version | 32-bit or 64-bit |
Graphics Mode | 800×600 with 16-bit colors |
Hard Disk Space | At least 20MB |
Processor | Intel Pentium or AMD K5 processor with 133 MHz |
RAM | At least 32 MB of RAM |
While it can be effective, Glarysoft File Recovery has unique advantages and disadvantages you'll want to be aware of before investing.
Main Features of Glarysoft File Recovery
Data recovery isn't Glarysoft's primary tool, so its File Recovery doesn't come with all the bells and whistles you might expect from such software. Whether you're using Glarysoft File Recovery free or pro, you'll have access to only the basic features that enable you to retrieve your files:
- Recycle Bin recovery – recover accidentally deleted files that ended up in your Recycle Bin;
- Malware-caused file deletion/corruption – retrieve files that have been lost due to malware attacks;
- All common file recovery – recover lost photos, videos, documents, PDFs, and more;
- Partition scan – scan individual hard drive partitions for your lost files;
- User-encrypted file recovery – recover files that you've encrypted before losing them;
- File preview – preview the files available for recovery before retrieving them.
Though it does offer all the basic functionality, Glarysoft File Recovery lacks options like enhanced photo or video recovery that could make it more suitable for users.
Glarysoft File Recovery User Interface
Regardless of a data recovery tool's features and capabilities, it won't be very helpful in retrieving your data if it's not user-friendly. Whether the tool is user-friendly or not can usually be gauged simply from its overall interface.
The interface dictates how easy it will be for you to find and activate the features you need, scan the location you want, and recover the files you want back. Fortunately, Glarysoft File Recovery has a nice, streamlined interface that leans on minimalism.
You'll see all your available locations for recovery right on the home screen, while all the necessary features will be available in the upper right-hand corner. There's no unnecessary clutter on the home screen, making everything easy to find, even if you're recovering your data for the first time ever.
Recovery Process of Glarysoft File Recovery
Considering how lightweight Glarysoft File Recovery is, it should come as no surprise that the whole ordeal of retrieving your data can be done in just a few easy steps. Here's how you can recover your files using Glarysoft File Recovery:
- Download and install Glarysoft File Recovery on your PC;
- Launch Glarysoft File Recovery, select your drive, and click Scan;
- Once the scan is complete, filter through available files;
- Click on the file you want and select Preview to examine it;
- Click Recover to retrieve your files and save them to your chosen location.
Glarysoft File Recovery Speed
Speed isn't something that Glarysoft File Recovery is known for. On average, the quick scan takes about a minute or two, depending on the drive size. The deep scan can take over half an hour, often even longer if you have a larger drive with heavier files.
As mentioned, it's in your best interest not to interrupt the deep scan and just be patient with it. Though there's no immediate risk to your data if you interrupt the scan, you will have to start it from scratch and invest more time in it.
Overall, the speed of Glarysoft File Recovery isn't too shabby. However, there are certainly other data recovery solutions that offer better performance.
Glarysoft File Recovery Customer Support
Glarysoft File Recovery has an insightful knowledge base where you can find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions, see guides and tutorials, and familiarize yourself with all the tools offered.
It also has support teams available to answer any questions you may have. To get in touch with them, you must visit the official Glarysoft website and click on the chat icon on the lower right-hand side of the screen.
You'll need to provide your name and email address and fill in the query you may have. However, don't expect an immediate response. The support team will review your question and respond to you a bit later.
Unfortunately, many users seem dissatisfied with the customer support they receive. Several users have complained that the responses are automatically generated and tend to send users in a loop.
Glarysoft File Recovery Free and Pro
Glarysoft File Recovery offers a free and a paid version. The free version can be somewhat limiting, so upgrading to one of its premium plans is usually in your best interest. Glarysoft File Recovery Pro offers three plans designed to suit users with varying needs:
- One-week license – $19.95 a week;
- Annual license – $49.95 a year;
- Lifetime license – $99.95 one-time payment.
Here's a brief overview of what Glarysoft File Recovery Free and what Glarysoft File Recovery Pro offers:
Features | Glarysoft File Recovery Free | Glarysoft File Recovery Pro |
Scan and preview lost files | ✅ | ✅ |
Recover permanently deleted data | ✅ | ✅ |
File recovery limit | 3 files (max 2GB) | No limit |
File recovery after formatting, corruption, or malware attack | ❌ | ✅ |
Prompt online support | ❌ | ✅ |
Glarysoft File Recovery User Ratings and Reviews
Glarysoft File Recovery has mixed reviews, with some users being completely enamored by it and others being utterly dissatisfied with what this tool offers. Here's a quick glimpse into what others are saying about Glarysoft File Recovery:
As you can see, Glarysoft File Recovery has quite a mixed bag of reviews. While the software works flawlessly for some, others complain about its poor customer service and overall ineffectiveness regarding data recovery.
Couldn't Retrieve Your Files With Glarysoft?
If Glarysoft is ineffective for you, that doesn't necessarily mean that all your files are irrecoverable or gone forever. As discussed, Glarysoft File Recovery can be a fine solution, but it doesn't always deliver high success rates, according to some users.
Fortunately, there are other data recovery solutions like Wondershare Recoverit with much higher success rates that could prove to be just what you need to retrieve your essential files.
Try Wondershare Recoverit
Wondershare Recoverit is a specialized data recovery software with advanced features, reliable performance, and customizable scanning modes. It comes with full support for all Windows, Mac, and Linux computers, as well as Android and iOS devices. Moreover, it works with all file and file system types and thousands of different storage devices, being effective in virtually all data loss scenarios.
Like Glarysoft File Recovery, it has a clean, streamlined interface, making it easy to use despite the sheer volume of features it gives you access to.
Here's a brief comparison of Glarysoft File Recovery and Wondershare Recoverit.
Data Recovery Solution | Glarysoft File Recovery | Wondershare Recoverit |
Supported OS | Windows | Windows, Mac, Linux |
Mobile support | ❌ | Android, iOS |
Recover permanently deleted, corrupt, and formatted data | ✅ | ✅ |
Supported file systems | FAT, NTFS, NTFS+, EFS | FAT, NTFS, APFS, Encrypted APFS, HFS, HFS+, Raw |
Enhanced recovery | ❌ | ✅ |
Crashed computer recovery | ❌ | ✅ |
Customizable scans | ❌ | ✅ |
How to Recover Files With Wondershare Recoverit
Despite giving you a much broader selection of features than Glarysoft File Recovery, Wondershare Recoverit remains just as easy to use.
To recover your files using Wondershare Recoverit, follow these steps:
- Download and launch Wondershare Recoverit;
- Select the location you want to scan;
- An all-around scan will start;
- Pinpoint files during the scan or pause/stop the scan at any time;
- Filter through files by type, date, name, or size;
- Preview files by clicking on them;
- Select Recover and choose the save path to retrieve your files.
Conclusion
Glarysoft File Recovery can be a fine option for deleted file recovery. While some users complain about its effectiveness, it can usually help you retrieve your data without a fuss. Still, its occasional subpar performance and the lack of advanced features might make it unsuitable for you.
Fortunately, you can still access advanced solutions like Wondershare Recoverit if you need help retrieving lost data.
FAQ
Is Glarysoft File Recovery safe?
Yes. Glarysoft File Recovery is generally deemed safe to use. Since it doesn't overwrite your external media while retrieving your files, it poses no added risks to your data.What is the free limit for Glarysoft File Recovery?
Glarysoft File Recovery Free allows you to retrieve only three files of a maximum size of 2GB. If you want to recover a larger batch or heavier files, you'll need to upgrade to the Pro version.Who should use the Glarysoft File Recovery Pro version?
Glarysoft File Recovery Pro is best suited to those who have accidentally deleted a larger volume of data. The Pro version has no limitations on how many files you can retrieve or how heavy they should be.