How to Recover Deleted Files for Free
Deleted files can be recovered easily using a few simple steps. In fact, there are plenty of programs available online that allow you to perform this task without paying anything at all. Some of the most popular software programs used to restore deleted files include Recuva, FreeUndelete, and EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free Edition. Each program works differently, but the goal of each one is the same: to get back files that have been erased or lost on your computer’s hard drive.
Before using file recovery software
Understand that it’s not a magic bullet. There’s no software in existence that can recover data you delete from your hard drive—so if you accidentally delete a file, don’t start scouring Google for ways to get it back. Consider your options before spending money on recovery software. If you have backed up your computer recently, then all is not lost; just copy over any files you need and forget about it. If you haven’t backed up recently, or if some of your files are more important than others (say they were created by an ex-employee), then consider using a free file recovery tool like Recuva (Windows) or Data Rescue (Mac). These tools will help find deleted files so long as they haven't been overwritten by new ones. Just be sure to run them right away—the longer you wait after deleting something, the less likely these programs will be able to recover it.
Things you should do before you lose your files
There are two simple things you can do to ensure that your files will be recoverable if they become accidentally deleted. First, make sure that your computer automatically backs up every day. Second, use a reliable data-recovery program like Auslogics File Recovery Pro so that you have another chance in case anything goes wrong with your backup system or hard drive. When it comes down to it, we all want a fully backed-up and recoverable system—but we don’t always realize how important these things are until something goes wrong and we need them.
What you need in order to use free file recovery software
Your PC or Mac must be running properly. Either Windows or OS X should be able to run free file recovery software. The deleted files are only available as long as they haven't been overwritten on your hard drive. To access them, you'll need a separate media like an external USB drive, a CD or DVD (if your computer still has a disc drive), or another partition on your hard drive with space available that hasn't been used recently. You don't have to use professional-grade software for data recovery—there are plenty of easy-to-use programs out there that will get rid of most common errors and let you retrieve files from just about any device you might use at home or in business settings.
How to recover deleted files on Windows computer
Whether you’ve accidentally deleted a file or reformatted your computer, it’s often possible to recover files from Windows. For instance, Windows includes utilities that can scan your system and attempt to reconstruct lost documents. Additionally, a number of third-party applications (such as Auslogics File Recovery Pro) enable you to recover deleted files even after they’ve been overwritten by new data. In general, these tools work by comparing blocks of recently saved data with those stored on your system drive before you deleted them. The program then attempts to reconstruct previously saved files that match these blocks.
How to recover deleted files on Mac computer
After accidentally deleting a file or folder on your Mac, you might be wondering how you can get it back. Don’t worry. There are a few different ways to get deleted files and folders back, as long as they weren’t overwritten by another file operation. If you just deleted your file, then all is not lost.
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