Recuva 1.54.120

★ Winner of Best Recovery Tool in 2017 and 2014.

Overview

Recuva is a file recovery utility that is capable of recovering files that have been deleted from the Windows operating system, recycle bin, USB drive, MP3 player, or even a digital camera storage card. This software is extremely useful for reversing data loss caused by computer crashes and other hardware/software malfunctions.

Installation

With an extremely small file size of only about 2.5 MB, Recuva downloads and installs quickly and easily with the help of a wizard-style setup guide. During the installation you may be asked to install third-party software or toolbars, however the installation of these products is not necessary to complete the setup.

Interface

The Recuva user interface is so basic it is almost self-explanatory. In the top left corner you can choose which drive you'd like to scan for lost data, and in the top right corner you can specify which type of files you'd like to scan for (i.e. – pictures, documents, videos, audio files etc.). After a scan has been successfully performed, the main window will be filled with files that are capable of being recovered. At that point you can click the check box in the top left corner to select all of the recoverable files, or you can check the files individually, and then click the 'Recover' button in the bottom right corner. Overall, the interface provides easy access to a plethora of advanced features, yet is simplistic enough to be comfortable for even the most novice user.

Pros

• Is capable of recovering deleted or lost files from virtually any digital device that can be attached to your computer

• Can recover deleted music from your iPod or MP3 player

• Can recover deleted e-mails that have been deleted from Microsoft Outlook, Windows Live Mail, or Mozilla Thunderbird

• Can utilize temporary computer files to restore Word documents that weren't saved, after Microsoft Word crashes. This feature is incredibly useful for anyone who has gone through the hassle of losing a document because they forgot to save before Word crashed

• Quick Start Wizard makes it easy for users of any skill level to recover files simply by answering a few questions

• Can perform Quick Scans to restore recently deleted files, or Deep Scans to look for more thoroughly erased files

• Can also permanently delete files so that they cannot be recovered by any software, including Recuva

• Supports all modern versions of Windows and is available in 37 languages

Cons

• May recover multiple versions of the same file, so it can be a slight hassle to determine which file is the version you're looking for

Alternatives

The most notable alternatives to Recuva for the Windows operating system include TestDisk & PhotoRec, R-Studio (Win, Mac, Linux), Glary Undelete and DiskWarrior. A good alternative for Mac OS X is Disk Drill. Of these competitors, TestDisk & PhotoRec is by far the most popular, with R-Studio following closely behind.

Conclusion

If you're looking for an easy and reliable way to recover files that have been deleted or damaged in your operating system or on an external storage device, Recuva provides an excellent solution that is ideal for novice and advanced users alike.