Deleted Files Aren’t Dead — Here’s How to Get Them Back
Deleted Files Aren’t Dead — Here’s How to Get Them BackFree recovery tools for SD cards, USB drives, phones, and hard disks — Windows 10 & 11.
You deleted something important. Maybe formatted the wrong drive. Maybe your SD card just gave up on life. Either way — the files aren’t gone. They’re just invisible. And these free tools can bring them back.
How it works in 10 seconds: When you delete a file, your computer doesn’t erase the data — it just marks that space as “available.” Until something new overwrites that spot, your file is still sitting there. Recovery software reads those hidden blocks and pulls your stuff back.
Rule #1 before you do anything: Stop using the device immediately. Every new file you save could overwrite the deleted one. Don’t install recovery software on the same drive you’re recovering from.
🟢 Option 1: Recuva — The Easiest Free Pick (GUI, Windows)
The most beginner-friendly option. Made by the same people behind CCleaner. Click buttons, get files back.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Price | Free (Pro = $19.95, not needed) |
| Works on | HDDs, SSDs, USB drives, SD cards, memory cards |
| Interface | Full graphical — click-and-recover |
| Deep scan | Yes — finds files on damaged/formatted drives |
| Download | ccleaner.com/recuva |
Steps:
- Download + install Recuva on a different drive than the one you’re recovering from
- Open it → select file type (or “All Files”)
- Pick the drive/card to scan
- Enable Deep Scan if quick scan finds nothing
- Check the boxes next to files you want → hit Recover
- Save recovered files to a different drive
Color dots: 
= excellent chance, 
= partial recovery possible, 
= probably overwritten.
🔵 Option 2: Windows File Recovery (winfr) — Built Into Windows, No Install
Microsoft’s own free tool. Already available on Windows 10/11. Runs from command line, but there’s a GUI wrapper too.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Price | Free (from Microsoft Store) |
| Works on | HDDs, SSDs, USB drives, SD cards |
| Requires | Windows 10 version 2004+ or Windows 11 |
| File systems | NTFS, FAT, exFAT, ReFS |
| Download | Microsoft Store |
Quick commands (copy-paste these):
Recover all files from D: drive to E: drive:
winfr D: E: /extensive
Recover only photos from your SD card (F:) to desktop:
winfr F: C:\Users\YourName\Desktop\Recovered /extensive /n *.jpg /n *.png
Recover documents:
winfr D: E: /regular /n *.docx /n *.pdf /n *.xlsx
Hate command lines? Use WinfrGUI — same Microsoft engine, but with clickable buttons. 100% free, no ads.
🟣 Option 3: TestDisk + PhotoRec — The Nuclear Option (Free, Open Source)
The most powerful free recovery tools that exist. TestDisk recovers lost partitions. PhotoRec recovers lost files. They come packaged together.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Price | Free forever — open source (GPL) |
| Works on | Literally everything — HDDs, SSDs, USB, SD cards, camera cards, disk images |
| Recovers | 480+ file formats |
| Interface | Text-based (looks scary, isn’t hard) |
| Platforms | Windows, Mac, Linux |
| Download | cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Download |
When to use which:
| Problem | Use This |
|---|---|
| Deleted files (photos, docs, videos) | PhotoRec |
| Lost/deleted partition | TestDisk |
| Drive won’t boot | TestDisk |
| Formatted SD card from camera | PhotoRec |
| Corrupted file system | PhotoRec (ignores file system entirely) |
PhotoRec quick steps:
- Extract the downloaded zip — no install needed
- Run
qphotorec_win.exe(GUI version) orphotorec_win.exe(text mode) - Select the drive/card
- Choose file types to recover (or leave all selected)
- Pick a different drive as the output folder
- Hit Search → wait → files appear in
recup_dirfolders
PhotoRec doesn’t recover original file names. You’ll get f0001234.jpg instead of vacation_photo.jpg. The data is intact though.
🟡 Option 4: EaseUS & MiniTool — Freemium (GUI, Windows)
Slick interfaces, great for beginners. Free tiers have data caps.
| Tool | Free Limit | Download |
|---|---|---|
| EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard | 2 GB free recovery | easeus.com |
| MiniTool Power Data Recovery | 1 GB free recovery | minitool.com |
Both work great for quick jobs under their free caps. Beyond that, you’re looking at $70-90 for a license. For most people, Recuva or PhotoRec will do the same job without the paywall.
📱 Recovering From Phones (Android/iOS)
Phone recovery is harder because modern phones encrypt storage and use TRIM on flash memory.
Android:
- Connect phone to PC via USB → enable USB debugging in Developer Options
- Use DiskDigger (free, no root needed for photos) — scans internal storage and SD cards
- Root access = deeper recovery (but voids warranty on some devices)
- If the phone has a removable SD card — pop it out, use a card reader, and run Recuva/PhotoRec on your PC instead
iPhone:
- iOS doesn’t let recovery tools access raw storage
- Check Recently Deleted folder in Photos (keeps files for 30 days)
- Check iCloud backups at icloud.com
- Third-party iOS recovery tools (iMobie, Dr.Fone) exist but are paid and limited
Best move for phones: If you have an SD card, remove it and scan with PC tools. Internal phone storage recovery is a long shot without root/jailbreak.
⚡ Which Tool Should You Use? (Decision Table)
| Situation | Best Tool | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Deleted files, want it easy | Recuva | GUI, free, fast |
| Already on Windows, no installs | winfr / WinfrGUI | Built-in, reliable |
| Formatted drive or SD card | PhotoRec | Ignores file system damage |
| Lost entire partition | TestDisk | Literally designed for this |
| Need to recover < 2 GB | EaseUS Free | Prettiest interface |
| Android phone photos | DiskDigger | Works without root |
| Want maximum power, zero cost | PhotoRec | Open source, no limits |
🛡️ Tips That Actually Matter
- Stop using the device. Seriously. Every new write = potential overwrite of your deleted file
- Never recover to the same drive. Always save recovered files to a different disk/USB
- Deep scan > quick scan. Quick scans check the recycle bin and file tables. Deep scans read raw disk sectors — slower but finds way more
- SSDs are harder to recover from. TRIM commands tell SSDs to wipe deleted blocks immediately. The faster you act, the better
- SD cards and USB drives are the easiest. No TRIM, simple file systems, high success rates
- Don’t format a drive “to fix it” before recovering. Formatting overwrites the file table — making recovery harder
- Try multiple tools. If Recuva finds nothing, PhotoRec might. Different algorithms catch different things
Your files are still there until something takes their place. Act fast, pick a tool, and stop saving things to that drive.
!