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WD Hard Drive Recovery - How to Recover Files From WD External Hard Drive

WD hard drive recovery may seem like it's only possible if you're a professional. However, with the right tools, anyone could do it. Learn more here.
Theo Lucia
Theo Lucia Originally published Mar 22, 24, updated Nov 11, 24

It's best to safely store your sensitive personal, academic, or business data on an external hard drive. There's less of a risk that your data would be stolen, corrupted, or otherwise put in danger, especially if you're using a reliable external hard drive like Western Digital.

However, just because there's less risk for your data doesn't mean it's all 100% secure. Accidental deletion, malware attacks, system failures, and even simple things like data transfer interruptions could all result in critical data loss.

Fortunately, Western Digital data recovery isn't all too complicated in most cases. Let's scroll down to explore effective methods of WD hard drive recovery.

In this article

Can You Recover Deleted Files From a Western Digital Hard Drive?

close-up of the delete key

In most instances, you can easily retrieve data from a WD external hard drive after accidentally deleting it.

You see, when you simply delete data from an external hard drive, that data isn't immediately erased. Instead, the drive marks the space it occupies as "available". The deleted data is simply invisible and not immediately accessible to you, but any reliable WD drive recovery software can get it back for you.

Even though the files you deleted are still technically on the drive, you'll have more room for any new data you want to transfer. However, you could encounter problems with Western Digital hard drive recovery if you transfer new data before recovering the deleted one.

Any new data will be written over the deleted one, in which case it will actually be erased, making recovery nearly impossible. That's why it's always in your best interest to perform a WD hard drive recovery as soon as you notice that your data is missing. The quicker you act, the higher the chances you'll get most of your deleted data back since you'll decrease the risks of overwrites.

Another issue you could have with WD data recovery is if you format your drive. A quick format is somewhat similar to deleting data – it just deletes your data and recreates the file system. You can usually perform a successful WD drive recovery after a quick format.

A full format, on the other hand, deletes your data, recreates the file system, checks the drive for bad sectors, and overwrites the entire drive with zeroes. Therefore, even the best WD recovery software won't be able to help you get your files back after a full format.

Find and Download a Reliable Western Digital Hard Drive Recovery Software

illustration of data recovery

Unless you're a data recovery expert, you won't be able to perform WD external hard disk data recovery without the help of specialized software. While some advanced solutions require extensive computer knowledge, reliable Western Digital data recovery tools like Wondershare Recoverit are as suitable for professionals as they are for complete computer novices.

Wondershare Recoverit stands out as one of the most popular data recovery solutions. Advanced, powerful, sophisticated, yet exceptionally easy to use, it can help you get your data back regardless of what caused the data loss in the first place.

Wondershare Recoverit offers high success rates in virtually all logical (software-based) data loss scenarios, including:

  • Accidental deletion;
  • File and file system corruption;
  • System failure;
  • Data transfer interruption;
  • Malware attack;
  • Partition loss;
  • Storage device formatting;
  • Computer system crash, etc.

It's compatible with all file and file system types and can be used on almost all storage devices, from Western Digital hard drives to SSDs, USB flash drives, camcorders, drones, audio/video players, and dashcams. It even works with BitLocker.

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To recover deleted files from your Western Digital external hard drive using Wondershare Recoverit, you'll need to follow these steps:

  1. Connect your WD external hard drive to your PC;
  2. Download and launch Wondershare Recoverit;
  3. Under Hard Drives and Locations, select your drive and click Start;
    select wd external drive to start recovery
  4. Wait a couple of minutes for the scan to complete;
  5. Pause or stop the scan at any time;
  6. Preview your files and click Recover to retrieve and save them.
    file preview in wondershare recoverit

It's easy to retrieve data from WD external hard drive with Wondershare Recoverit. In the process. it's in your best interest to choose a save path outside your WD external drive, especially if your drive was corrupted or otherwise damaged.

If you need to enhance the quality of your recovered data, you can use Wondershare Recoverit's Enhanced Recovery option. Specifically designed for video file recovery, it enables you to recover HD, Ultra HD, 4K, and 8K videos.

Contact the WD Authorized Data Recovery Service if Your DIY Method Failed

wd black external hard drive

As mentioned, Western Digital hard drive recovery software like Wondershare Recoverit only works for data loss caused by logical damage. If your hard drive has physical or extensive logical damage, your best option is to contact WD-authorized services for WD disk recovery.

Professional data recovery services can access cutting-edge tools and software you couldn't get for home use. They boast high success rates and often offer additional services such as data erasure.

Of course, their services often come at a high price, depending on the device you need to recover, the amount of data that needs to be recovered, and the cause of the initial datahard loss.

Among the WD-authorized data recovery services are:

  • Datarecovery.com;
  • Ontrack;
  • Secure Data Recovery Services.

In most instances, you'll need to contact the service provider first, and then you'll receive instructions on sending your WD external drive for recovery and when you should expect it back. You'll need to contact one of these service providers to learn about the exact data recovery process since different providers will have different policies.

Conclusion

Western Digital external hard drive recovery isn't always as complicated as you might've imagined. For the most part, specialized tools like Wondershare Recoverit can work with logical damage and help you get your data back. If your device has suffered physical damage, you could try contacting WD-authorized data recovery service providers to see what they can do for you.

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FAQ

  • Does WD have data recovery?
    Western Digital drives don't come with built-in data recovery solutions. That said, you can purchase a data recovery plan from Western Digital for a small fee. Moreover, you can contact WD-authorized data recovery services to get your data back after logical or physical damage to your device.
  • How do I restore my WD external hard drive?

    You'll have one of two options to restore data from your WD external hard drive. If your files are gone due to logical (software) damage like deletion, malware, file corruption, and the like, you can use Western Digital hard drive recovery software like Wondershare Recoverit to get your files back.
    If your files are gone due to physical damage, like in cases where your device was broken, exposed to extreme temperatures, submerged underwater, and the like, your best option is to contact WD-authorized data recovery services.

  • How do I fix my WD external hard drive not detected?
    If your PC doesn't detect your hard drive, it could be due to file system corruption, drive corruption, malware, and more. There are a few different solutions you could try depending on the cause. Learn more about fixing your WD external hard drive not detected here.
  • How can I recover files from a corrupted WD hard drive?
    Yes, it's possible to recover your files from a corrupted WD hard drive. Corruption means that pieces of your data are missing or restructured. In either case, solutions like Wondershare Recoverit can uncover your data's original structure and help you get your files back. Not every single file may be recoverable, depending on the extent of corruption.
  • What Should I Do After Losing Data on the WD Hard Drive?

    After losing data on your WD hard drive, the first thing you'll want to do is ensure that you don't transfer any new data to the drive. Transferring new data could overwrite the drive and permanently erase any last remnant of your missing data.
    Install a reliable data recovery solution like Wondershare Recoverit as soon as you can and use it to retrieve your missing files. If that fails, contact WD-authorized data recovery services and send your device to the professionals.

Theo Lucia
Theo Lucia Nov 11, 24
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