12 Best USB Data Recovery Tools in 2026: A Real-Life Testing

Usability

As the screenshots above illustrate, Disk Drill has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to scan your USB flash drive. The interface provides real-time visualization of the scanning process, and it organizes scan results into three categories (Deleted, Existing, and Reconstructed) to simplify the section of missing files. You can preview files to decide if they're worth adding to the recovery queue, filter them based on various criteria, or even resume the recovery process later. 

Recovery Performance

With Disk Drill, you can expect top-notch USB data recovery performance. As the best USB flash drive recovery software available, Disk Drill supports hundreds of popular file formats, including those commonly used in offices (DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX. PPT, PPTX, PDF, etc.), and it can restore the original structure of files and folders. If your goal is to recover images or videos, then you should know that Disk Drill's raw image and video scanner offers robust support for a wide array of raw file formats, including Apple ProRes, Canon CR2 and CR3, and others. 

Value

In terms of value, Disk Drill is the most cost-effective freemium data recovery tool on the market. A single purchase unlocks both the Windows and Mac versions of Disk Drill, and there are many extra tools included with the software for free. For example, you can create both full and partial byte-by-byte disk copies of USB flash drives, which is useful when dealing with failing hardware or logical corruption.  

Usability

R-Studio is a powerhouse of a USB recovery tool, but it comes with a very steep learning curve that may be too challenging for most casual home users to overcome. But if you're not a casual home user, then you'll appreciate having plenty of control over the data recovery process and being able to change settings on a granular level. What's more, R-Studio is a real multi-platform USB recovery software, which means that you can get run it on Windows, macOS, and Linux. 

Recovery Performance

Because R-Studio is compatible with professional data recovery hardware devices, such as DeepSpar Disk Imager and USB Stabilizer, it can achieve top-notch results even in situations that are too challenging for lesser solutions to handle. Adding to this, the software's ability to create byte-to-byte disk copies ensures that even failing USB flash drives can be recovered relatively safely. Just know that the preview feature doesn't support all commonly encountered file formats, and the same can be said about R-Studio's signature scanner, which, for example, is unable to recover crw (Canon raw CIFF image file) and srf (Sony raw file) files.

Value

When it comes to value, R-Studio offers immense worth for professionals dealing with intricate and high-stakes data recovery tasks thanks to its broad operating system compatibility and support for data recovery hardware. But for the average user, R-Studio might feel like overkill, and the complexity could outweigh the value on offer. There's also the fact that only the most expensive licenses support all file systems and above-described features. 

Usability

EaseUS has a pleasant user interface that nearly arranges scan results into a user-friendly file tree, and it does so even while scanning is ongoing. This means you can start retrieving your crucial files right away, instead of waiting for the whole scanning process to complete. For some reason, the developers of this USB recovery software decided to limit its preview capabilities to just 100 MB of previewed files, and they also thought that frequent pop-up ads for other products were a good idea. 

Recovery Performance

EaseUS offers generally solid recovery performance. However, its performance with FAT32 and exFAT file systems could be improved. More specifically, the software often misses small files (1 - 2 kB) residing in the root folder or subdirectories, and that's not good at all if your goal is to retrieve, for example, small text files from your USB drive. The good news is that the same issue doesn't manifest with other file systems. 

Value

Apart from offering up to 2 GB of data recovery for free if you give the product a mention on social media, EaseUS constantly run various promotional campaigns that can greatly reduce the price of the software if you take advantage of them. Just know that subscription plans start at $69.95/month or $99.95/year, which adds up quickly. Lifetime licenses are even pricier. Considering that EaseUS doesn't even come with byte-to-byte backup creation capabilities, we can't really give the paid version too much praise when it comes to its value.

Usability

PhotoRec is first and foremost a command-line tool. While it does offer an optional graphical user interface for its Windows version that makes it considerably easier to use, the UI is extremely barebones, and it lacks most quality-of-life features that make best USB recovery software like Disk Drill so accessible. What's great, however, is that PhotoRec is a portable app that can be run from anywhere on your system. In fact, you can even keep it ready on your USB flash drive so that you can fire it up as soon as you need it. 

Recovery Performance

PhotoRec comes with a powerful signature scanner that supports a large number of signatures, and it has the ability to work with raw disks that do not have a file system or refuse to mount. Sadly, the signature scanner is the only tool in PhotoRec's toolbox, so there's no way to recover files with their metadata intact. It's also impossible to recover only a few files because the tool is designed to always retrieve everything in one go. 

Value

As a completely free and open-source USB flash drive recovery software, PhotoRec hits it out of the park when it comes to value. Sure, it lacks some of the convenience features that make other software more user-friendly, but one has to overlook such minor shortcomings and appreciate PhotoRec (and the developer behind it) for what it is—a testament to the power of open-source software.

Usability

DiskGenius' interface is certainly tailored more for experienced users who have extensive experience with disk management and data recovery. Basic tasks, such as previewing files, can be a hassle (the software either provides a small preview window in the list of found files or requires opening a separate window for each file), and the developers behind this USB recovery software don't seem to be interested in providing a simplified UI mode just for causal users.

Recovery Performance

As the best software to recover files from a corrupted USB drive, DiskGenius excels in reconstructing original structures with its robust NTFS, exFAT, and FAT32 scanners and additional data-saving features like bad sector detection and fixing or the ability to save and recover partition tables. If you need to recover multimedia files from your USB flash drive, then you might be disappointed to learn that some formats, such as Canon’s CR2 and CR3 and Samsung’s SRW formats, are not supported by DiskGenius, and the software also struggles with MP4 files for some reason. 

Value

Thanks to its dual role as a data recovery utility and a disk manager, DiskGenius offers plenty of value, especially considering that the available licenses are not subscription-based. The only downside is that the most capable license available costs $699.90, so only data recovery professionals with a decent budget can afford it. 

Usability

Despite its modern design and well-organized scan screen, Stellar Data Recovery is somewhat let down by a few notable usability issues. Its preview feature, a critical part of the user experience, is a bit slow, making it time-consuming to browse through recoverable files. It also has limitations, working only for files up to 100 MB and for limited types. Moreover, the software lacks real-time recovery during scanning, so users always have to wait for scanning to finish. 

Recovery Performance

Stellar Data Recovery stands out in its unique ability to repair photos and videos, a feature that most other USB data recovery tools don't boast. It also provides the option to manually add new file signatures using sample files, which is great when recovering file formats so obscure that no available tool supports them. It also offsets the fact that the number of recognizable signatures (118) is quite limited compared with other tools on this list. 

Value

While the software offers a generous 1 GB of free data recovery, the overall value offered by Stellar Data Recovery is limited by its reliance on subscription plans, which get expensive over time. Lifetime licenses are available, but they come with a hefty price tag.

Usability

We believe that UFS Explorer's interface tries to serve both beginners and experts but it clearly favors the latter group. For example, the source selection screen is packed with so much information that novices could easily get confused and accidentally choose the wrong drive. Similarly, starting a scan requires navigating through multiple configuration screens with options that most casual users won't understand. Once scanning finishes, you're limited to a tree view with no filtering options, so finding specific files means manually expanding folders or using the search box.

Recovery Performance

In our testing, the USB data recovery software delivered strong results across all major file systems. Quick scans recovered recently deleted files with original folder structures intact on most partitions. Deep scans handled formatted drives and lost file systems without much trouble. The signature scanner recognizes somewhere between 200 and 300 file formats, which is decent but not the highest we've seen. But what really makes the software so attractive for professionals is the ability to automatically detect RAID array configurations and reconstruct them. The software can also create byte-to-byte backups and bootable recovery drives for situations where your main system won't boot.

Value

The entry-level Standard Recovery license costs $64.95 and covers basic recovery needs. If you need RAID support or network recovery, higher-tier licenses are available up to $1,049.95 for the full professional package. All licenses are perpetual, so there's no subscription to worry about. The free trial lets you scan drives and preview results, though the 256 KB recovery limit means you'll need to pay for anything substantial. A money-back guarantee is available if the software doesn't meet your needs. Overall, UFS Explorer offers solid value, especially thanks to the ability to get a license that closely matches your needs.

Usability

DiskDigger has a dated user interface that not only looks bad on modern high-DPI monitors but also leads to such annoying issues as the inability to change the default language (a real shame considering that many languages are supported). At least you can launch DiskDigger without installation, so you can use it to perform USB data recovery even on a machine that you don't administer. 

Recovery Performance

DiskDigger delivers mixed recovery results. While the software can work with RAW drives, its scanning capability is limited to recently deleted files, meaning it may not be your best bet if you're looking to recover older, lost data. The software also can't restore formatted disk structures or find lost partitions. To add to this, its preview feature supports only for a small number of file types, so choosing files for recovery is more complicated than it should be.

Value

DiskDigger isn't cheap but it still offers fantastic value for money. Why? Because its free version can recover an unlimited number of fives with a 5-second delay between each file recovery. For those who are not in a rush, DiskDigger provides a fantastic solution. That said, it doesn't cost much to purchase an unlimited license, with prices typically starting at around $14.99. 

Usability

If you're not tech-savvy, be prepared to do some homework to make the most of this powerful tool because DMDE is developed by a single person who clearly has other priorities than making the tool look pretty. For example, even something as simple as selecting your USB flash drive for scanning is more complicated than it should be, and the same can be said about navigating the scan results. However, if you're willing to invest some time reading the manual or online guides, you can unlock its full potential for USB data recovery.

Recovery Performance

As a USB data recovery tool, DMDE excels with its extensive file system support, which covers all file systems commonly used with USB flash drives, including the FAT family, exFAT, and NTFS. Just know that while DMDE does an excellent job in recovering common file types like documents and spreadsheets, it lags behind in supporting a wide range of multimedia formats. If you're specifically looking to recover audio, video, or high-definition image files, you may find DMDE's capabilities somewhat restrictive.

Value

Considering its price range and the freemium model, DMDE offers bang for your buck. Its advanced features, combined with competitive pricing, make it a cost-effective option for users who need more than just basic recovery features. Of course, the value this USB data recovery software has to offer can be fully unlocked only if you overcome its steeper learning curve.

Usability

Wondershare Recoverit boasts a modern and streamlined interface that makes it easy to initiate scans and manage recoverable files. You can effortlessly select specific locations to scan, such as your USB flash drive, and the software provides clear progress indicators during the scanning process. Recoverit also allows you to preview recoverable files before deciding whether to restore them. However, it's not without its flaws. The software encounters issues with resizing the program window and requires internet connectivity for installation due to additional file downloads, which could become a terrible obstacle at the worst possible moment.

Recovery Performance

The recovery performance of Wondershare Recoverit is only average. On the bright side, the software offers fast scanning speeds and the ability to repair video files, which is a notable advantage when recovering data from USB flash drives that have been used for video archival or transfer purposes. In theory, the software supports a wide range of file formats, but it doesn’t deliver corresponding results in practice. When recovering data based on file signatures, you can expect the best results with image file formats, followed by document file formats, and then video file formats. Yes, video file formats, which Recoverit can repair, are supported the worst. In terms of file system support, the USB recovery software offers only average support for FAT32 and exFAT partitions. That’s a shame because those file systems are found most often on USB drives. 

Value

Wondershare Recoverit is a freemium tool, with a pricing model that starts at $59.99/month for its Essential plan, extending up to $79.99/month for the Premium plan, with lifetime options being available. The Premium plan includes additional features like bootable media creation and video repair. While the initial free trial allows for the recovery of up to 100 MB of data, the software's overall value is somewhat diminished by its price point compared to its performance. There’s also the fact that no other extra tools are included except for the ability to repair corrupted videos. For USB flash drive recovery, it would be nice to have at least a disk cloning feature.

Usability

AnyRecover Data Recovery features a modern interface that’s designed with convenience in mind to increase its appeal to regular users. Starting a scan is straightforward, and you can easily use filters to narrow down your search within the scan results. While convenient, it lacks advanced usability features like auto-resuming scans of disconnected drives or a hex view for data. You also need to download a separate module just to preview recoverable files, which adds extra steps to the process for now no good reason at all.

Recovery Performance

While AnyRecover Data Recovery is compatible with many different file systems and devices, its performance in recovering data from them can be weak. If your goal is to recover lost data from a USB device with the software, then you better hope the device isn’t using the exFAT file system because AnyRecover Data Recovery can seldom restore the original folder structure and file names unless the file system is in top condition. Your only option would be its file signature scanners, which perform acceptably well with documents, but leave a lot to be desired with photos and especially videos, not supporting file formats like ORF, NRW, BRAW, and even the QuickTime File Format with Apple ProRes 4444 Raw or HQ Codec. At least FAT32- and NTFS-formatted storage devices are supported better by the software’s Quick and Deep scan algorithms. 

Value

AnyRecover provides both subscription and lifetime licensing options at competitive prices. It offers a free trial version, but keep in mind this trial only allows file previews, not actual recovery. Although the recovery performance may not justify its price for all users, the inclusion of a money-back guarantee adds some assurance for those considering a purchase.

Usability

The interface looks modern and feels intuitive from the moment you launch it. A visual guide pops up to explain how scanning works, and you can be running your first scan within seconds. The software also lets you choose specific file types before scanning with its filtering and search features, which speeds things up if you only care about photos or documents. The only criticism we have as far as usability goes is that you can't resize the application window, which feels like an oversight in 2026.

Recovery Performance

Tenorshare 4DDiG handles Windows file systems (NTFS, FAT32, exFAT) reasonably well for basic recovery tasks. If you've recently deleted files from a USB drive formatted in NTFS, you'll probably get them back. But the software can't recover anything from Linux (EXT4) or Mac (HFS+, APFS) file systems. Even on exFAT drives, it often fails to restore original folder structures and filenames. The signature scanner, which kicks in when file system data is corrupted, misses many common formats, including several Canon RAW types, Fujifilm files, and professional video codecs, which doesn’t seem right for a tool that markets itself as supporting 1,000+ formats.

Value

Tenorshare 4DDiG starts at $45.95 for a monthly subscription, with lifetime licenses available at higher price points. The free version only previews files, so you'll need to pay before recovering anything. That's a tougher sell than competitors who let you recover at least some data for free. Given the software's average recovery performance and missing features like disk imaging and bad sector management, the value proposition is weak.