Recuva

Softonic review

Conveniently recover lost or deleted files

Recuva is a convenient way to recover deleted files on your Windows PC. The freemium application can recover a range of file formats and types, including documents, emails, pictures, videos, music, and more. Whether you just lost a file or deleted it weeks ago, Recuva is able to recover information from memory cards, external hard drives, and internal system storage. Over the years, the platform has become the go-to choice for recovering data and content.

Quickly recover lost images, documents, PDFs, and other files

Recuva is a useful Windows utility program, which lets you recover deleted or lost files from any internal or external storage space. Since it is a freemium application, you can use the basic version without restrictions. However, you will have to upgrade the tool for additional recovery power, virtual hard drive support, and priority customer support. Moreover, Recuva can be used as a portable program, perfect for helping others with data recovery issues on the go.

How to get started?

Recuva download comes in a lightweight installation package. Like it goes for most utility apps, this one doesn’t present any difficulty or complications during the entire installation process. However, you might want to click the ‘Customize’ button, which lets you choose between opening Recuva on startup or leaving it in the task manager’s tray. Once you’ve installed Recuva on a hard drive on your computer, you can start recovering lost files instantly.

Considering the interface, the program looks quite basic and features a simple user interface. However, since this tool is really all about practicality, you won’t have to focus too much on the app’s aesthetics given the powerful data recovery features it provides. Whether you have previously used a data recovery program before or not, it will be easy to find your way around in Recuva once you start using it.

The program does not have too many ‘hidden’ features to think or possibly worry about as everything is listed and is easily accessible right on the home screen itself. The recovery options are presented in the form of a wizard, which guides you through the whole recovery process step-by-step.

How to use Recuva?

With a simple and clean interface, Recuva is an easy-to-use program. Once you choose to scan the system, the application will ask you for a specific hard drive. If you’re not sure, you can just opt to scan the entire system, letting the program find recently deleted files. Once the scan is complete, the tool will display a comprehensive list of recoverable items for you to check and choose from.

The app gives detailed information about the files, such as name, exact location on the hard drive, last modification date, file size, and the likelihood of recovering the data. Wherever possible, Recuva will give details about changes to the deleted files. For instance, some files may have been accidentally overwritten, and the program will let you know if such modifications happened to a particular file.

If you can see the file you’ve been looking for in the list, just click ‘Recover’, and the program will do whatever it can to salvage the data. Once the process is complete, you need to choose a destination folder to save the file. According to the development team, the chances of recovering a file are higher if you save it on a different drive than the one where Recuva has been installed.

What about the support?

Compared to other similar software such as Free Data Recovery, Wise Data Recovery, and Recover My Files, Recuva has a simpler recovery process. Most importantly, the tool offers good customer support, and answers your doubts or queries via a detailed FAQ section. There’s also a comprehensive forum, which focuses on information, tips, and advice to improve the quality of recoveries.

With tutorials and guides, Recuva explains the process of fixing corrupted files such as Word documents, for example, quite thoroughly. Moreover, the app has a dedicated ‘Options’ section, which lets you make small changes to improve the overall experience for yourself.

Simply put, there’s nothing fancy or glamorous about using Recuva. It’s just a lightweight, solid, and simply reliable program to conveniently recover lost files. Once you recover data, it’s not hidden behind a paywall, and you can restore files on your system without paying a penny.

The ‘Wizard’ takes you through all the steps, making everything easier for beginners. The program doesn’t have a steep learning curve, and you can start recovering data from the get-go. Without a doubt, Recuva is an excellent choice to backup data, recover deleted files, and ensure you don’t lose important files on your Windows 10 PC.

What’s new in the latest version?

The latest version of Recuva download comes with improved features. The development team has also made a few bug fixes, significantly enhancing the user experience. Whether you try to backup data, which leads to corrupted files, or mistakenly delete important documents, Recuva ensures enhanced partition and drive detection.

The program also comes with improved Ext3 and Ext4 file system support, and better Fat32 partition file scanning. For Windows 10 PCs, the tool features optimized secure overwrite and several GUI improvements. While there’s still no dedicated app for Android or Mac, you can connect these devices with your Windows laptop. For this purpose, you’ll have to browse through some advice or tips in the company’s forums.

The perfect way to recover deleted or lost files on Windows

With Recuva, you can quickly recover documents, images, videos, music, emails, or other file types. The program can recover data from rewritable media devices, including external hard drives, memory cards, USB sticks, virtual hard drives, and more. Unlike other file recovery tools, this program can even recover data from newly formatted or damaged drives.

Since Recuva offers greater flexibility, it leads to a better chance of recovery. Moreover, when it comes to hard-to-find file formats, the utility tool has an advanced ‘Deep Scan’ feature, which browses through the system’s drives to find traces of files you’ve lost or deleted. Overall, it’s an excellent choice and is definitely worth trying out. You won’t be disappointed with using it.