External hard drives are a great way to keep your data safe but they are in no way invincible. They are susceptible to data loss for one reason or another. You can easily accidentally delete data on the drive, accidentally format the drive or even lose the data on it due to external or internal damage of the drive itself. That said, lost data on an external hard drive is recoverable. With the best free data recovery software for external hard drive and process, you can easily get the data back. This article will point you in the right direction in regards to the top free tools to recover data from an external hard drive.
Top 10 Free Data Recovery Software for External Hard Drive
1# Recuva
This free to download data recovery program is one of the most popular and can be used to recover any number of files from just about any disk including external hard disks. One of the reasons why it is the most popular is because it is almost effortless to use, making it ideal for the beginner. It is ideal for recovering all types of files including videos, documents, photos, audio files and very many more.
Pros:
● It comes with a secure-delete feature.
● It also has a portable version that runs from a USB stick.
Cons:
● It doesn't offer a wide range of features as compared to other similar programs.
● Can tag files as "unrecoverable" when other programs will recover the same files.
2# Recoverit
By far the best program on this list, Recoverit for Mac (or Recoverit for Windows) is easy to use and gives you lots of options when it comes to data recovery.
Why Choose This External Hard Drive Data Recovery Software:
● The software's features are highly specialized and you can recover all of your deleted data in the shortest time possible and in the original condition.
● You will not be spending too much time trying to figure out which button to click.
● You can use Recoverit to recovery any other type of data including photos, videos and emails among many others. All of the data is recovered intact and in the original condition.
● It also comes with a preview feature that allows you to easily choose the files you want to recover.
Step-By-Step Guide to Recover External Hard Drive Lost Data
Step 1. Begin by downloading the program to your Mac. We recommend that you install the program on a different drive to avoid overwriting the data. Launch the program and from the main window, select the types for your lost data and click "Next" button.
Step 2. In the next window, select the drive that contains the missing data. If you don't see the drive click "Refresh" icon and it should appear. Click "Start" to begin the scanning process.
Step 3. Once the scan is complete, you will see all of the files on that drive. Select the ones you want to recover and then click "Recover". Save them on a separate drive.
3# External Drive Data Recovery
This is another free program that has great user reviews and is quite useful when you want to recover data from external hard drives. It is useful in the recovery of just about any file type including documents, photos, videos and audio files.
Pros:
● It can be used to recover all types of data.
● It comes with a very simple to use interface that is quite pleasing.
Cons:
● Scanning takes a long time especially if you had too many files on the drive.
● It can mark some files "unrecoverable" that other data recovery programs easily recover.
4# Undelete 360
This is another free tool that promises to undelete any files you may have accidentally deleted from your computer. It can restore files from a hard drive as well as an external drive and other storage devices such as memory sticks and pen drives. It comes in both a portable and desktop version and is very simple to use. The interface is self-explanatory; you won’t have to have to learn how to navigate the program before recovering data. As long as the deleted data can be recovered, undelete 360 will recover it for you.
Pros:
● It is easy to use with a simple to navigate user interface.
● Comes with a portable version.
Cons:
● Scanning can sometimes be slow.
● It lacks FAT support.
5# Mac Free Any Data Recovery
This free utility for Mac will help you get your missing data back in a number of ways. It comes with multiple features that make data recover very easy. It is also a good choice to help you recover data from both internal and external hard drive and can be used to recover nearly all types of data.
Pros:
● It has a simple, easy to use interface that only provides you with 2 options: a quick scan or a deep scan.
● Recovery is quick and effective.
Cons:
● If you encounter any problems while working with this program, you’ll be on your own since support was pretty much non-existent
6# Pandora Recovery
Although the appearance may seem to put off a user, Pandora Recovery is still the best software with the ability to identify deleted partitions or data from an external hard disk. The wizard guides you throughout and chooses the best settings based on user input in scanning for the lost data. The stimulating feature of the program is the Surface Scan, which helps in bringing back files even from a formatted drive.
Pros:
● Recovers data from any external hard disk and other storage devices connected to the system.
● Color coded with percentage indicators for easy recognition.
Cons:
● Prompts the user to install browser toolbar during program installation.
7# MiniTool Power Data Recovery
For an effective data recovery from any external hard drive connected to a Windows operating system, MiniTool Power Data Recovery is a faultless tool. It handles most of the chores with ease. The interface offers a clear glimpse of the options, making it easy to take the right option for getting back the deleted partition/data from external hard disk.
Pros:
● Simplistic interface and ease of operation.
● It is further capable of recovery data from flash cards and optical media.
Cons:
● Does not have the provision to skip through the bad sectors, which usually prevent the scan consume a lot of time.
8# Wise Data Recovery
Wise Data Recovery is a free undelete software available for the Windows OS. It offers assistance in identifying the undeleted content and partitions from an external drive connected to the computer. The free-to-use program is simple in nature and offers all the features that a major recovery tool possesses.
Pros:
● Quick installation of the program without unwanted third-party programs.
● Displays the validity of the file along with recoverability.
Cons:
● It is not capable of holding individual files with their original names and data structures.
9# Puran File Recovery
Puran File Recovery is a new entrant into the world of free file recovery program. However, it does have the capability to retrieve deleted content, and that made it add to the list. The major factor that pushes a user to use the program is its fast scanning technology. You can even navigate and learn options within the program with ease and at a faster pace even though you do not have a clue about recovery programs. It will offer complete assistance in identifying and recovery deleted partitions and data from any external hard drives.
Pros:
● Shows file condition and size of deleted files/folder/partition.
● Portable versions work on both 32 and 64-bit versions of Windows platform.
Cons:
● Non-commercial use (home use only).
10# Stellar Phoenix Data Recovery
Stellar Phoenix Data Recovery software, which works on different versions of the Windows OS has successfully passed various recovery tests, making it a viable solution to enter the top five list. It recovers a variety of file types, partitions, and archives from deleted or formatted disks. It even functions efficiently in recognizing external hard drives and performs well.
Pros:
● Identifies partitions and deleted data even from a formatted drive.
● Highest success rate in recovery of data in its class.
Cons:
● Consumes plenty of time to recover data than other programs.
