Hard drive recovery software is a PC-based program that can help you recover deleted data from hard disks and rescue data from formatted or even dead hard drives.
When a file is deleted from a hard drive, it is not completely erased from the drive. If you manage to perform data recovery on the disk before the deleted file is overwritten by new data, the deleted file can be recovered. In short, hard disk recovery software is designed to perform data recovery on various types of hard disks.
We have reviewed dozens of free hard drive recovery programs and created a list of the best, most successful tools anyone can use. Check them out below.
Table of Content
How We Picked the Best Hard Drive Data Recovery Software
Determining grading criteria is essential when choosing the best hard drive recovery programs. Here's how we chose the top performers in this category:
- 🙂 Ease of use - Every hard drive recovery tool should be user-friendly and beginner-friendly for the best results.
- 💻 Compatibility - We've chosen HDD recovery programs that are compatible with different types of hard disks so you can find the one that best fits your needs.
- ✅ Performance - The best hard drive recovery tools should be the top performers, which is what we tested.
- 🧰 Support - If you can't navigate your way around a program, a support team can help you get back on track.
- ★ User ratings - User experiences and the tool's reputation are crucial for earning the best title.
The Best Free Hard Disk Data Recovery Software
#1 Wondershare Recoverit for Free
How Wondershare Recoverit for free managed all hard drive issues and recovery tasks during testing pleasantly surprised us. The user interface is one of the cleanest we have seen so far and makes the entire recovery experience more graceful and less stressful.
Follow the steps below to use Recoverit for your hard drive recovery journey:
- Open Recoverit and click on the Hard Drives and Locations option.
- Choose the desired drive.
- Once you choose the drive, the program will start scanning it. You can pause this process if necessary.
- You can filter your files by their size and type.
- You can also search for specific files for easier access.
- After scanning, you can preview the recovered files and select the ones to save. Click the Recover button.
- Choose where to save the files.
Tech Specs
To use Wondershare Recoverit, you must have the following:
- Any Windows OS or macOS version
- 56 MB of free space for the installation
- At least 2 GB of RAM
As you can see, the requirements are minimal, and almost all devices can meet them, making Wondershare Recoverit one of the most versatile options.
Key Features
Some of the best features include:
- Support for more than 500 data loss scenarios, such as accidental deletion, hard drive corruption, crashed computer recovery, and many more.
- Support all popular file systems, including ExFAT, FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, ReFS, Raid, RAW, JFS, APFS, HFS, HFS+, HFSX, XFS, BFS, BTRFS, and EXT4 under the Linux OS
- Support the recovery of over 1000 file types and formats. In addition to common images, documents, and videos, it can recover professional video formats such as .ari, .arx, .r3d, and .braw, unsaved documents like .asd, .tmp, .xlsb, .page, .number, and .key, as well as game files, including Minecraft worlds.
- Advanced scanning algorithms with 35 patented technologies.
- Users can preview recoverable files before initiating the recovery process. Corrupted documents or photos can be repaired automatically during the preview process.
- A fantastic success rate of around 98%
Pricing & Free Version
The free version has all the necessary features for smooth sailing. However, the only limit is that you can recover up to 100 MB of data. If you have sizable files to recover, you can use some of the paid options:
- Essential - $59.99 a month
- Standard - $69.99 a month
- Premium - $79.99 a month
User Reviews & Ratings
Wondershare Recoverit is currently one of the highest-rated hard drive recovery tools. For instance, it has a 4.5/5.0 rate on TechRadar and 8.0/10 on TrustRadius, and 3.7/5.0 on Trustpilot, which is pretty high.
| Review platforms | Rating |
| TrustRadius |  8.0/10 based on 5 votes |
| G2 |  4.3/5.0 based on 55 reviews |
| Trustpilot |  3.7/5.0 based on 2459 reviews |
| TechRadar | 4.5/5.0 reviewed by Mike Jennings |
We'll present some user reviews in the screenshots below.
Pros & Cons
#2 OnTrack EasyRecovery
Ontrack EasyRecovery is a renowned data recovery software offered by KLDiscovery, a global leader in data recovery solutions. With over 30 years of experience, Ontrack has established itself as a trusted provider of hard drive recovery services. Ontrack EasyRecovery stands out as one of their flagship products, offering comprehensive features for recovering lost or deleted files from various storage devices, including hard disk drives, SSDs, RAID systems, external media, and even virtualized systems.
As the name of this tool suggests, the recovery process is quick and straightforward. You don't need previous knowledge to master it and recover valuable data. It's able to fulfill your small to medium business needs but isn't the best choice for personal use.
Tech Specs
Below is a list of the requirements to recover data with OnTrack EasyRecovery.
For Windows:
- Processor: Pentium class
- Memory: 1 GB of RAM
- Hard disk: 100 MB of free space
- A single-user license
For macOS:
- Processor: Intel
- Memory: 1 GB minimum
- Hard disk: 100 MB of free space
- A single-user license
Key Features
The best features you can find within this hard drive recovery program are:
- Recover a wide range of file types, including documents, photos, videos, and audio files.
- Apart from restoring data from hard drives, it can also recover data from CD/DVD discs and RAID volume.
- Employ a deep scanning algorithm to thoroughly search for lost or hidden files, increasing the chances of successful hard drive data recovery.
- Allows users to pause and resume the recovery process at any time.
Pricing & Free Version
Aside from the free version to recover up to 1 GB of data, you can find these pricing plans:
- Home - $55.79
- Professional - $92.99
- Premium - $102.29
- Technician - $185.07
- Toolkit - $278.09
User Reviews & Ratings
Capterra and PC Magazine gave OnTrack EasyRecovery high grades, proving its reliability.
| Review platforms | Rating |
| Capterra | 4.8/5.0 based on 15 reviews |
| G2 | 4.5/5.0 based on 6 reviews |
| PC Magazine | 4.5/5.0 reviewed by Edward Mendelson |
Check out some user reviews below to learn more about the tool.
Pros & Cons
#3 Disk Drill
Disk Drill is a comprehensive hard drive recovery tool for everybody, no matter the recovery complexity. While testing the solution, we noticed how easy it was to navigate and use all the features. This tool does an excellent job recovering data from formatted hard drives.
Tech Specs
Disk Drill offers several versions corresponding to the operating system. Here's a list of requirements.
Aside from that, you must have 1 GB of free space to download and use the tool.
Key Features
Some of the features you can find on Disk Drill for Windows are:
- Support recovery from various storage devices such as internal hard disks, memory cards, digital cameras, and more.
- Capable of recovering 400+ file types including documents, photos, videos, and more.
- Facilitates recovery from accidental deletions, emptied recycle bins, crashed hard disks, formatted external drives, virus infections, lost partitions, and more.
- Help determine the probability of successful file recovery to prioritize critical data.
- SMART Disk Monitoring helps monitor device health to proactively detect and avoid potential catastrophic failures.
Pricing & Free Version
The free version of Disk Drill for Windows lets you recover up to 500 MB of data, which may not be an attractive offer. To recover more, you'll need to purchase some of the paid options.
- Pro - $89
- Enterprise - $499
If you want a lifetime license, you'll need to spend an additional $19 for the Pro plan and $99 for the Enterprise option. In addition, the 500MB free data recovery is not available in the Mac version of Disk Drill. Instead, you can only scan and preview files for free on Disk Drill for Mac.
User Reviews & Ratings
Most online reviews and ratings are positive, and Disk Drill has a solid grade. For instance, PC Magazine and TechRadar gave it a 4.0/5.0 rating. However, some Trustpilot users reported having negative experiences with this hard disk data recovery software.
| Review platforms | Rating |
| G2 | 3.7/5.0 based on 48 reviews |
| Capterra | 4.0/5.0 based on 8 reviews |
| PC Magazine | 4.0/5.0 reviewed by William Fenton |
| Trustpilot |  2.3/5.0 based on 14 reviews |
You can find some user reviews in the screenshots below.
Pros & Cons
#4 Wise Data Recovery
Wise Data Recovery software is one of the 10 best free hard disk recovery software. It is an affordable, feature-packed solution to get you through hard drive recovery. We liked its usability and simplicity during the testing period. The best part about this tool is the scanning speed; you'll get recovery results within minutes. With this tool, you can recover files from local hard drives, external drives, USB drives, as well as from digital cameras, mobile phones, etc.
Tech Specs
Here are all the requirements your device must fulfill for a successful recovery:
- Windows XP or higher, macOS Ventura 13 and Lower versions
- CPU: Pentium 1 GHz or above
- At least 50 MB of free space
- At least 4 GB of RAM
Key Features
The best features Wise Data Recovery offers are:
- Provide both quick scan and deep scan options. Quick scan quickly searches for recently deleted files, while deep scan thoroughly scans the storage device for more comprehensive recovery.
- Support for 800+ file types.
- Offer a portable version that can be run directly from a USB drive, eliminating the need for installation and allowing you to use it on multiple computers.
Pricing & Free Version
The free version lets you recover files up to 2 GB. If you want to retrieve more, you'll need to purchase one of the plans below:
- Wise Data Recovery Pro (one year/one PC) - $31.89
- Wise Data Recovery Pro (one year/three PCs) - $39.99
User Reviews & Ratings
Some renowned review websites gave this tool a solid grade. For instance, CNET gave it 3.5/5, while TechRadar gave it 4/5 stars.
| Review platforms | Rating |
| G2 | 4.0/5.0 based on 1 review |
| Softpedia | 4.3/5.0 based on 121 votes |
| TechRadar | 4.0/5.0 reviewed by Michael Graw |
Check out the screenshots below to learn more about user experiences.
Pros & Cons
#5 Puran File Recovery
Over the past decade, Puran File Recovery has maintained its position in the top ten free hard drive recovery tools. It is capable of recovering files from various storage mediums, including hard disks, USB drives, memory cards, mobile phones, CDs, DVDs, and more. Regardless of the file system, Puran File Recovery can scan and detect almost any drive recognized by Windows.
While testing this product, its performance pleasantly surprised us, but we didn't like its slightly outdated interface. This tool is excellent for deep scanning your hard drives, but the process may be a bit slow.
Tech Specs
The only requirement to download and use this tool is to have Windows XP or higher. Like Recuva, this tool doesn't take much memory, so there aren't any capacity requirements.
Key Features
Puran File Recovery doesn't offer many features. Here are the most prominent:
- Offer Deep and Full Scan
- Recover data from different types of storage devices, including hard disks, memory cards, CDs/DVDs, and more.
- Allow the user to add a partition from a device using the function of"drag and drop".
- Bad sectors of your files are automatically skipped during the recovery process
- A search box to help you locate your files
Pricing & Free Version
You can try Puran File Recovery for free. The free version has all the tools you need for a successful hard drive recovery. However, you can also create a personalized plan with custom prices according to your needs.
User Reviews & Ratings
Puran File Recovery has solid ratings and reviews. Some users enjoy the product, while others have experienced difficulty recovering data.
Review websites like Capterra provide high ratings for this product. It has a 4.0/5.0 rating on Capterra.
| Review platforms | Rating |
| G2 | 4.7/5.0 based on 18 reviews |
| Capterra | 4.0/5.0 based on 2 reviews |
| SoftwareSuggest | 4.5/5.0 based on 10 reviews |
Below are some user reviews you can check out.
Pros & Cons
#6 Recuva
Recuva is a popular file recovery tool developed by Piriform Software, known for their reputable software solutions like CCleaner. If you have accidentally lost files from your hard disk, Piriform Recuva software is widely recommended for you to use in getting back those files.
Using Recuva was a simple and joyous experience. Although the interface may seem outdated, it's still one of the best HDD recovery tools. The tool can be used to recover data from hard drives for completely free, but lacks quality in other fields, such as compatibility.
Tech Specs
The only requirement you must fulfill to run Recuva is to have a Windows device with the 98 OS or higher. Since the program is small, you don't need much free space to download it.
Key Features
Recuva's best features include:
- Recover a wide range of file types, including documents, photos, videos, music, and more. It supports recovery from both internal and external hard drives.
- The scan results indicate the file quality as excellent, poor, or unrecoverable.
- In addition to file recovery, Recuva also includes a secure file deletion feature. This allows users to permanently delete sensitive files, ensuring they cannot be recovered by any means.
- Recuva is available as freeware, allowing users to download and use the basic version of the software at no cost.
Pricing & Free Version
Although the free version has everything you might need for your recovery journey, you may want more features, such as virtual HDD support, priority support, driver updates, etc. If so, you can choose one of these two paid options:
- Recuva Professional - $24.95
- CCleaner Professional Plus - $39.95
User Reviews & Ratings
Recuva has a solid rating in the recovery community. For instance, PC Magazine gave it a 3.5/5 rating, while TechRadar gave it a slightly higher grade: 4.0/5.0.
| Review platforms | Rating |
| Microsoft Apps | 3.7/5.0 based on 10 votes |
| CNET | 4.1/5.0 based on 233 votes |
| Spiceworks | 4.6/5.0 based on 135 votes |
| Techradar | 4.0/5.0 reviewed by Daniel Blechynden |
Here's what the users have to say about this tool.
Pros & Cons
#7 Glarysoft File Recovery Free
Glarysoft File Recovery is a modern, intuitive free hard drive recovery program that works wonders. It can help you extract all your data. Its most prominent feature is the quick scan, which will discover all of your recently deleted data in just a few moments. Glarysoft offers a straightforward and user-friendly interface, making it accessible for users of all technical levels.
Tech Specs
This tool has a few requirements; you only need a Windows device and 10 MB of free space.
Key Features
Glarysoft File Recovery offers the following features:
- Support popular Windows file systems, including FAT, NTFS, and NTFS + EFS file systems.
- Capable of restoring compressed, user-encrypted, and fragmented files.
- Recover files from both computer's hard drive and external storage devices like hard disk drives, USB drives or memory cards.
Pricing & Free Version
The free version lets you recover 2 GB of data, which should be enough for home users. However, if you have more recovery needs, you can upgrade to some of these plans:
- Pro - $19.95 a week, $49.95 a year, or $99.95 for a lifetime
- Technician - $199 a year or $399 for a lifetime
User Reviews & Ratings
This program earned an honorable 3.5/5 rating on Trustpilot and TechRadar, a solid grade for a hard drive recovery tool.
| Review platforms | Rating |
| Trustpilot | 3.5/5.0 based on 13 reviews |
| CNET | 3.7/5.0 based on 23 votes |
| Sitejabber |  3.2/5.0 based on 6 reviews |
| Techradar | 3.5/5.0 reviewed by Christian Cawley, Michael Graw |
Most users are satisfied with their experiences; however, some users are unable to find their lost files using Glarysoft. Check out what some say below.
Pros & Cons
#8 Restoration
The name says it all; you can quickly restore any file type from your hard drive if you opt for this hard disk recovery software. We had no issues navigating it and using all its features for maximum efficiency. This is among the best lightweight hard drive recovery programs that won't take up too much of your space, but you may compromise the recovery speeds for the saved memory.
Tech Specs
The only requirement for this tool is that you have a Windows 98 or higher.
Key Features
Restoration is a straightforward tool that doesn't have too many features. For instance, you can find:
- Doesn't require installation. Users can run it from a USB, CD, or floppy disk for on-the-go convenience.
- Recover files from hard disk drives formatted with NTFS and FAT, two commonly used Windows file systems.
- Allow you to sort the scan results by Image name, date modified, size, and folder, making it easier to locate specific files.
- In addition to regular files, Restoration can also search for and recover empty files if desired.
- Provides an option called Delete Completely under the Others menu. This feature applies advanced data sanitization methods such as Random Data and Write Zero to permanently delete all the files in the search results.
Pricing & Free Version
Restoration is an entirely free hard drive recovery program without paid options.
User Reviews & Ratings
Although an older tool, it's still one of the most-loved in the recovery community, so much so that it has a 4.0/5.0 rating on Softpedia.
| Review platforms | Rating |
| Softpedia | 3.5/5.0 based on 156 votes |
| CNET | 3.7/5.0 based on 50 votes |
| LO4D | 3.6/5.0 based on 10 votes |
| Softonic | 3.4/5.0 based on 269 votes |
Here's what the users have to say about it.
Pros & Cons
#9 iCare Data Recovery Free
iCare Data Recovery is a straightforward, efficient freeware hard drive recovery software anyone can use. We had no issues navigating it and recovering files during testing. It's excellent for recovering permanently deleted files, but it will need some time to perform this action.
Tech Specs
Here are all the tech requirements you must meet:
- Windows 2000 or higher
- At least 256 MB of RAM
Key Features
This hard drive recovery tool doesn't offer many features; recovering files is straightforward, and you don't have to choose a scan.
- Advanced deep scan technology to thoroughly search for and recover lost or deleted files.
- Compatible with both PC hard drives and external devices such as USB drives and memory cards.
- Support recovery after format or virus attack, RAW/deleted partition recovery, and file recovery from inaccessible or damaged hard drives in the iCare data recovery Pro.
Pricing & Free Version
The iCare Data Recovery Free version offers recovery of 30 files per day. However, the Deep Scan Recovery and RAW/Deleted Partition Recovery features are not available in the free version. To unlock these limitations, you will need to purchase a Home License for $69.99.
User Reviews & Ratings
iCare Data Recovery has received a mix of positive and negative reviews online. Some users have reported successful recovery of documents like PDF, Word, and Excel files. However, the effectiveness of deep scanning and recovery of RAW or deleted partitions seems to be limited in the free version. Some reviewers have highlighted that iCare Data Recovery may not be as renowned as other data rescue solutions.
Although this hard drive recovery software is simple, it has many positive reviews and high grades.
| Review platforms | Rating |
| CNET | 3.0/5.0 based on 13 votes |
| SoftwareSuggest | 4.5/5.0 based on 10 reviews |
| Softonic | 3.6/5.0 based on 131 votes |
Check out some reviews below.
Pros & Cons
#10 Stellar Data Recovery Free
Stellar Data Recovery Free is a trusted and reputable data recovery utility available for Windows and macOS. With this disk recovery software, you can restore data that has been lost from corrupted or damaged hard disks. This tool does not only recover missing data, but it also has amazing features such as SMART drive monitoring, optical media recovery, as well as cloning. It's among the best tools for recovering lost images but it may be a slow solution for other file recoveries.
Tech Specs
Stellar has these tech requirements you must meet:
- Windows 7 or higher
- An Intel-compatible processor
- At least 4 GB of RAM
- At least 250 MB of free space
Key Features
The best features Stellar Data Recovery offers are:
- Recover files from internal and external HDDs/SSDs.
- Cover numerous data loss scenarios, including disk corruption, system crash, and virus attack.
- Works with both non-bootable and encrypted drives.
Pricing & Free Version
Like most hard drive recovery tools, Stellar's free version has limitations, including recovering only 1 GB of data. However, you can choose from three paid options:
- Professional - $69.99 a month
- Premium - $79.99 a month
- Technician - $199 a year
User Reviews & Ratings
The reviews regarding Stellar are mixed. However, renowned websites like Capterra gave it a solid 3.3/5.0 rating.
| Review platforms | Rating |
| Trustpilot | 4.7/5.0 based on 3731 reviews |
| Capterra | 3.3/5.0 based on 10 reviews |
| PC Magazine | 2.5/5.0 reviewed by Edward Mendelson |
| TrustRadius | 8.0/10 based on 8 votes |
Check out user reviews below.
Pros & Cons
Comparison Chart of the Best Free Hard Drive Recovery Software
| Program | Supported OS | Supported Disk Types | Free/Price |
| Wondershare Recoverit for Free | Windows Vista/7/8/10/11; macOS X 10.10 - macOS 14 Sonoma | Windows/Mac/Linux Internal HDD/SSD, NAS hard drives, external HDD/SSD, BitLocker/T2/M1/M2 encrypted drive | Recover 100MB for free; Pro version starts at $59.99 |
| OnTrack EasyRecovery | Windows 7/8/10/11; macOS X 10.12 - macOS 14 Sonoma | Windows/Mac Internal HDD/SSD, external HDD/SSD, BitLocker/T2/M1 encrypted drive. | Recover 1GB for free; Pro version starts at $55.79 |
| Disk Drill | Windows 10/11; macOS X 10.15 - macOS 14 Sonoma | Windows/Mac Internal HDD/SSD, external HDD/SSD, BitLocker/T2/M1/M2/M3 encrypted drive | Recover 500MB for free (only Windows); Pro version starts at $89.95 |
| Wise Data Recovery | Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10/11; macOS X 10.9 - macOS 13 Ventura | Windows/Mac Internal HDD/SSD, external HDD/SSD, T2/M1/M2 encrypted drive. | Recover 2GB for free; Pro version starts at $79.95 |
| Puran File Recovery | Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10/11 | Windows internal HDD, external HDD | Free for personal use |
| Recuva | Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10 | Windows internal HDD, external HDD | Free for personal use |
| Glarysoft File Recovery Free | Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10/11 | Windows internal HDD/SSD, external HDD/SSD | Recover 2GB for free; Pro version starts at $19.95 |
| Restoration | Windows 98/XP/Vista/7/8/10/11 | Windows internal HDD, external HDD | Free for personal use |
| iCare Data Recovery Free | Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7/8/10/11 | Windows internal HDD, external HDD, BitLocker encrypted drive | Recover 30 files per day in the free version; Pro version starts at $69.99 |
| Stellar Data Recovery Free | Windows 7/8/10/11; macOS X 10.12 - macOS 14 Sonoma | Windows/Mac Internal HDD/SSD, external HDD/SSD, BitLocker/T2/M1/M2 encrypted drive. | Recover 1GB for free; Pro version starts at $69.99 |
Conclusion
Choosing the best and most reliable hard drive recovery software can be a hassle, so we have tested and reviewed dozens of available solutions. Then, we have created a list of the top solutions for the most efficient experience and data recovery.
All these tools offer free versions to recover valuable files from your hard drive in minutes; you don't have to spend money to retrieve precious data.
A recovery tool that positively fulfills all the conditions for a great hard disk data recovery software is Wondershare Recoverit for Free. Hence, use the steps explained in the article to use Recoverit.
