Data Recovery ProDeleted photos on a USB flash drive can usually be recovered, as long as nothing has been copied to it since. Stop using it and scan it read-only.
Deleting a file from a USB drive skips the Bin or Trash, but the file stays on the drive until new files are written over it. Most flash drives use FAT32 or exFAT, which the quick scan reads with the original names and folders.
Drives formatted another way, such as NTFS or Mac OS Extended, get the deep scan only: photos, videos, documents and other common file types are found by their signatures, without their original names.
What to expect
| What happened | Chance |
|---|---|
| Files deleted, drive not used since | High |
| Drive quick-formatted | High usually without names |
| Files copied to the drive since | Low |
| Encrypted drive | None can't be scanned |
The ratings are a rough guide. We haven't measured recovery rates.
Recover them in four steps
- Stop using the card or driveDon't take more photos, copy files to it or format it. Every new file can overwrite one you want back.
- Connect it to your computer and open Data Recovery ProUse a card slot or a USB reader. If your computer offers to format or initialise the card, click Cancel or Ignore. Data Recovery Pro asks for permission so it can read the card directly.
- Scan and previewThe quick scan takes seconds; the deep scan reads every block. Files appear as they are found, each marked intact, partly damaged or not checked, so you see what can be recovered before you decide.
- Recover to your computerChoose the files you want and save them to a folder on your computer or another drive, never back to the card. You only pay if you choose to recover more than the free allowance.
Questions
Does it work with external hard drives and SSDs?
Yes, if the computer can see them as an external drive. External SSDs can erase freed space themselves, so the chance is lower than on a card or flash drive.
Can it recover Word documents and PDFs from a USB drive?
Yes. While the file table lists them, any type of file comes back with its name. After a format, or on an NTFS drive, the deep scan finds PDF, Word, Excel and PowerPoint files by their content, without their names. Plain text and CSV files can only come back through the file table.
Can it recover from my computer's own drive?
Not yet. Version 1 scans cards and external drives only.
Are my photos uploaded anywhere?
No. The scan and the recovery happen on your computer, and your files and file names never touch our servers.