Top 10 Best Recently Deleted Files Recovery Software of 2026

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard uses an interactive selection flow that starts with choosing a drive or partition, then narrows results using preview and file type filters. The tool offers both quick scanning and deeper sector scanning, which helps when recent deletions are followed by drive churn or partial overwrites. It also includes lost partition detection when volumes no longer mount, then lets users attempt recovery from the discovered structure.

A key tradeoff is that deep scanning can take significantly longer than quick scanning on large drives, especially during recursive directory traversal. It is most effective for cases like emptied Recycle Bin recovery on NTFS or exFAT drives when enough metadata or file headers remain intact, and less predictable when TRIM or heavy overwrites have already cleared candidate sectors.

Disk Drill is built for situations where files were deleted and the original locations are now hidden behind the operating system file manager. Quick scans aim to surface recoverable entries faster, while deep scans spend more time scanning unallocated space and reconstructing candidate files for restoration. The preview and recover step helps validate that recovered items match expected names and types before the tool writes restored data to a new destination.

A tradeoff is that recovering from heavy disk wear or drives with aggressive TRIM behavior can reduce success rates, especially when deletion has already led to block reclamation. Disk Drill fits best for home and small office recovery where time matters, there is a clear target drive, and users want an interface-led process without manual carving workflows. It is also a reasonable option after accidental delete and after media corruption that still leaves recognizable file-system structures.

GetDataBack rebuilds file listings by interpreting on-disk metadata and correlating it with file headers during recovery runs. The product supports both physical drive scanning and recovery from disk images, which reduces overwrite risk when drives fail. The scan output includes a directory tree with estimated recoverability, so teams can judge what will likely come back before starting a restore.

A key tradeoff is that full deep scans take longer than tools that focus on fast preview extraction. The best usage situation is a logically deleted folder or emptied recycle bin where the underlying filesystem metadata still partially exists but directory traversal is unreliable.

TestDisk is a command-line file and partition recovery tool that focuses on repairing metadata and rebuilding partitions when disks show signs of corruption. It can recover lost files by reconstructing partition structures and then scanning for data using filesystem-specific logic.

The workflow favors sector-level visibility, so users can target repairs like boot sector and partition table issues before attempting deeper recovery. Its main differentiator for deleted-file scenarios is that it often treats “deleted” as a metadata problem, not only a missing directory entry problem.

Stellar Data Recovery is a Windows and macOS file recovery tool that targets recently deleted items by scanning file system metadata and also validating file structures during preview. The workflow supports recovery from internal drives and external media, and it includes file type filtering plus preview so users can judge results before writing anything back.

For harder cases, it can perform deeper sector-level style scanning to find file remnants in unallocated space. Recovery output focuses on recreating directory paths and restoring individual files rather than exporting raw images.

MiniTool Power Data Recovery is a Windows-first deleted-files recovery tool focused on file system metadata reuse plus sector-level scanning options for cases where directory structures are damaged. It supports preview-before-recovery for many common file types and includes workflows for recovering from deleted states and lost partitions.

The interface guides users through scan depth choices and selective recovery, which helps reduce accidental overwrite during triage. For deeper cases, it provides raw recovery style extraction that does not rely solely on intact directory entries.

Wise Data Recovery is aimed at recently deleted files on Windows and removable drives, using a scan workflow that tries to rebuild directory context before exporting recovered content.

The tool runs in phases that start with faster discovery, then continues into more intensive recovery passes when initial attempts do not yield the expected files.

Recovery output quality depends on file integrity verification of headers, the survival of file system metadata, and how much overwritten data exists in slack space or unallocated clusters.

Ontrack EasyRecovery is a deleted files recovery tool built around guided workflows for Windows and macOS. It focuses on recovering from local storage and removable media by scanning file system metadata, then validating file headers during restore to reduce corrupt results.

The app also provides media preparation steps for safer recovery workflows and preview output before committing recovered items. Compared with simpler recoverers, it emphasizes repeatable scan-to-restore processes with clearer next actions for partition handling.

DMDE can recover recently deleted files by scanning a raw disk image or the live drive and then rebuilding directory structures from file system metadata and headers. The software supports deep and targeted scans with preview-before-recovery so recovered candidates can be validated before writing anything back.

DMDE also provides lost partition detection and tools for handling partition table and boot sector inconsistencies when the file system no longer mounts normally. The workflow emphasizes manual control over recovery selection and write-back, which suits forensics-style disk handling.

Puran File Recovery focuses on recently deleted file retrieval on Windows and uses a guided scan workflow for locating items in deleted directories and unallocated space. The recovery engine combines quick scanning with deeper analysis that checks file headers to rebuild file candidates.

It also includes preview-before-recovery so restored results can be validated before writing anything back to the drive. Targeted workflows are mainly suited to common file systems and media where file metadata and raw signatures still exist in recoverable form.