TestDisk review
A capable free choice for partition repair, filesystem recovery, and file undelete.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
TestDisk is free, open-source data recovery software from CGSecurity for recovering lost or deleted partitions, repairing partition tables and filesystem boot structures, and undeleting files. It is suited to people recovering data from hard drives, USB drives, memory cards, Smart Cards, disk images, or forensic images. Windows, Windows Server, Linux, macOS, DOS, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, and SunOS are supported, giving it a broad operating-system footprint. Its command-line workflows are aimed at users who can work through technical recovery steps rather than those seeking a guided consumer interface.
The product’s recovery scope is broader than simple file undelete. TestDisk can rebuild partition tables, repair FAT, exFAT, NTFS, and ext filesystem boot structures, and undelete files from FAT, exFAT, NTFS, and ext2 filesystems. It also supports data recovery from Linux RAID arrays, raw and forensic disk images, and live USB recovery environments. File listing and inspection before copying can help users verify available content during a recovery process, while logs record technical recovery information for review.
TestDisk is a strong fit when partition loss, boot-structure damage, RAID recovery, or a bootable recovery environment is central to the task, especially when a free and open-source tool is preferred. Its narrow filesystem coverage for undelete operations and command-line presentation make it less suitable for users who want extensive reconstruction and diagnostic features or a more guided workflow. For advanced reconstruction and diagnostics, DMDE is the more appropriate alternative; TestDisk is better suited to technically oriented recovery work across varied operating systems and storage sources.
TestDisk pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Free and open source across Windows, macOS, and Linux
- Supports partition repair, boot structures, RAID, and disk images
- Can inspect files before copying and run from a live USB
- Where it doesn't
- Command-line workflows may require technical recovery knowledge
- Filesystem undelete support is limited to listed supported filesystems
- Less feature-rich than DMDE for advanced reconstruction and diagnostics
TestDisk fact sheet, pricing and score →
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