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EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard can scan a drive for deleted files, but it cannot guarantee that they can be restored. Stop using the affected drive, scan the location where the files were lost, review and preview likely results, then recover them to a different drive. New writes can overwrite deleted data, and SSD TRIM may make recovery harder.
Before you scan: protect the deleted data
When a file is deleted, its space may be marked as available while some of its data remains until overwritten. Using the affected drive can write new data into that space and reduce the chance of recovery. Microsoft recommends minimizing use of the drive for this reason. Avoid downloading, installing, copying, or saving files to it where practical. Microsoft explains the overwrite risk.
- Check the Recycle Bin and any available backups first. Microsoft’s recovery utility is intended for files that cannot be found in a backup or restored from the Recycle Bin.
- Prepare a separate destination drive with enough free space for the files you hope to recover. Do not save recovered files onto the drive being scanned.
- If the lost data is on the Windows system drive, avoid installing recovery software on that same drive. EaseUS’s user guide suggests connecting the system drive to another computer or using bootable media; consult current product instructions before attempting either approach. EaseUS user guide.
How to scan and recover files with EaseUS
EaseUS describes a workflow of choosing the lost-data location, scanning, reviewing results, and recovering selected files. Labels and screens can vary by product version.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors- Choose the location. Open Data Recovery Wizard and select the drive or location where the files were deleted.
- Start the scan. Begin scanning and allow the search to run. EaseUS describes an initial deleted-file scan followed by a deeper scan; results may appear before the full scan finishes.
- Filter and preview results. Narrow the list using available filters, then preview candidates where possible. A listed result does not prove that the file can be restored intact.
- Recover to another drive. Select the files and choose a destination different from the source drive. Both Microsoft and EaseUS advise against recovering files to the drive being scanned. EaseUS product page.
- Check the recovered files. Open important files and verify their contents. A successful-looking scan result is not a guarantee that the restored file is usable.
What affects the chance of recovery?
New data written after deletion
If new files or other data occupy the space formerly used by a deleted file, that file may no longer be recoverable. This is why reducing activity on the source drive and saving recovered files elsewhere matter more than repeatedly scanning while continuing to use it. Microsoft’s guidance notes that computer use can overwrite deleted data.
#1 Best Overall
- Data recovery software for retrieving lost files
- Easily recover documents, audios, videos, photos, images and e-mails
- Rescue the data deleted from your recycling bin
- Prepare yourself in case of a virus attack
- Program compatible with Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 7
SSD TRIM
Recovery from an SSD can be more difficult. EaseUS notes that TRIM can affect whether deleted data remains available; no recovery program should be assumed to reverse TRIM or retrieve data the device has already discarded. EaseUS’s SSD recovery guidance.
File-system damage and RAW results
If file-system directory or index information is damaged, software may find content through a RAW scan rather than the original file-system records. EaseUS says that only certain common file types can be reconstructed this way, so results may be incomplete or lack useful filenames and folder structure. EaseUS support.
Rank #2
- The Data Recovery Stick requires no technical skills — simply plug it into your Windows computer, click Start, and the software automatically begins scanning and recovering lost files within minutes. Compatible with Windows Vista, 7, 8, 10, & 11, it's designed to be a reliable first step when accidental deletion occurs.
- Recover photos (JPG, BMP, PNG, TIFF), Microsoft Office documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Access), Open Office files, MP3 music files, PDFs, RTF documents, AutoCAD files, and HTML web pages. Whether it's personal memories or critical business files, the Data Recovery Stick covers the file types that matter most.
- Works with hard drives, USB drives, SD cards, memory sticks, and other common storage formats that use FAT or NTFS file systems — making it a single solution for hard drive recovery, USB drive recovery, SD card recovery, and more. Note: a media reader is required for micro SD cards and some mass storage devices.
- No Installation Required - The Data Recovery Stick runs entirely from the USB drive with no software installation on your computer — helping prevent new data from overwriting the files you're trying to recover. This also makes it ideal for use across multiple computers or in emergency situations where installation isn't practical.
- Use the Data Recovery Stick on as many computers as often as needed — simply clear the recovered data between uses to free up storage space. Software updates keep the tool compatible with newer systems and devices, backed by 25+ years of data software expertise from Paraben Consumer Software.
Drive condition
EaseUS lists HDDs, SSDs, external drives, USB drives, memory cards, RAID, and NAS among supported device categories. That does not mean software scanning can repair physically failed hardware. If a drive is not detected, behaves abnormally, or contains especially valuable data, stop experimenting and consider professional assessment.
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One-click scans. No signup required.
If EaseUS does not find the files
- Confirm that you scanned the drive or location where the files were stored, rather than only the folder where you expected to see them.
- Allow the deeper scan to complete, then review results with filters and previews.
- Keep the source drive unused as much as possible. Do not repeatedly save scan exports or recovered files back to it.
- If the drive is physically failing or inaccessible, stop using software scans; additional activity may complicate recovery.
- If the data was on a cloud service or network share, note that the Windows File Recovery alternative below does not support cloud storage or network shares.
A scan that returns no usable files is not proof that the data is recoverable by another application. Overwriting, SSD TRIM, file-system damage, and device condition can all limit results.
Rank #3
- Stellar Data Recovery Professional is a powerful data recovery software for restoring almost every file type from Windows PC and any external storage media like HDD, SSD, USB, CD/DVD, HD DVD and Blu-Ray discs. It recovers the data lost in numerous data loss scenario like corruption, missing partition, formatting, etc.
- Recovers Unlimited File Formats Retrieves lost data including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, and more from Windows computers and external drives. The software supports numerous file formats and allows user to add any new format to support recovery.
- Recovers from All Storage Devices The software can retrieve data from all types of Windows supported storage media, including hard disk drives, solid-state drives, memory cards, USB flash storage, and more. It supports recovery from any storage drive formatted with NTFS, FAT (FAT16/FAT32), or exFAT file systems.
- Recovers Data from Encrypted Drives This software enables users to recover lost or deleted data from any BitLocker-encrypted hard drive, disk image file, SSD, or external storage media such as USB flash drive and hard disks. Users will simply have to put the password when prompted by the software for recovering data from a BitLocker encrypted drive.
- Recovers Data from Lost Partitions In case one or more drive partitions are not visible under ‘Connected Drives,’ the ‘Can’t Find Drive’ option can help users locate inaccessible, missing, and deleted drive partition(s). Once located, users can select and run a deep scan on the found partition(s) to recover the lost data.
EaseUS compatibility and license details
Compatibility claims depend on the product page and version. EaseUS’s current product page lists Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7, along with NTFS, exFAT, FAT variants, ext2/ext3, HFS+, and ReFS. Its support page also lists ext4. Because those listings differ, confirm that the exact installed edition supports your operating system and file system before relying on it.
EaseUS’s product page lists Windows license options at $69.95 for one month, $99.95 for one year, and $149.95 for lifetime upgrades. These are vendor-listed prices and terms that may change; consult the live product page for current availability and license limits. The same page advertises a 99.7% success rate, but does not provide a methodology in the cited material, so that figure should not be treated as an independently verified or personal probability of recovery.
Rank #4
![Data Recovery Professional [Download]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/A1wl+dLOd-L._SL160_.jpg)
- No technical skills required
- Recovers deleted folders and over 300 file types
- Recover from drives, cameras, iPods, MP3 players, CD/DVD, memory cards, lost partitions and more
- Recovers deleted email files, folders, calendars, contacts, tasks and notes from Outlook.
Windows File Recovery: a free command-line alternative
Microsoft’s Windows File Recovery is a command-line app available through Microsoft Store for local storage on Windows 10 and Windows 11. It is an alternative if you are comfortable using commands rather than a graphical scan-and-preview interface. It requires the source and destination to be different drives and does not support cloud storage or network shares. Microsoft’s instructions and examples apply to this Microsoft utility, not to EaseUS.
Microsoft advises starting with Regular mode when unsure. Extensive mode is intended for older deletions, formatted or corrupted NTFS drives, and non-NTFS file systems; Microsoft says non-NTFS recovery is supported only in Extensive mode. Its guidance identifies NTFS for computers and larger external drives, and FAT/exFAT for removable-storage examples. Do not apply these mode rules as a statement about EaseUS file-system compatibility.
Best Value
- Recover deleted files, photos, documents, audio, videos & more
- Recover lost data from PC, Hard Drive, USB, SD Cards, and other external devices.
- Restore deleted or lost files from formatted/crashed and unbootable hard drives.
- Preview deleted data before recovery in scan results.
- Accurate, trusted, and reliable data recovery software to restore deleted and lost data.
Microsoft states that Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. Windows 10 may still run the utility, but it no longer receives free updates or security fixes.
Quick Recap
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