5 Best Data Recovery Programs for USB Drives, Memory Cards, and HDDs
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Author:
Vladimir Artiukh
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Editor:
Oleg Afonin
Removable media, such as USB flash drives and memory cards, are extremely convenient, but they are also the most common source of data loss. Today we will examine the main causes of file loss and run a comparative test of five data recovery programs.
- Test Media Configuration
- Comparison of Data Recovery Programs
- TEST 1. Recovery After Deleting Files and a Partition
- TEST 2. Recovery of Encrypted Files
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Comments
Users most often encounter accidental deletion. Unlike on hard drives, files on removable media are deleted directly, bypassing the Recycle Bin. The same happens when using the Shift + Delete shortcut.
Another common cause is accidental formatting of a memory card in a camera or smartphone, or an incorrect selection of a partition for deletion on a PC.
Logical failures and file system corruption also occur, when the drive becomes RAW. The situation becomes more complicated if data is lost from encrypted BitLocker, LUKS, or APFS Encrypted partitions. Such files, as well as compressed NTFS items, can be recovered only with specialized software.
Best Data Recovery Software 2026: USB, Memory Cards & External Drives — 5 Tools Tested
Test Media Configuration
The first tested drive is a memory card with six standard partitions. We assembled the most popular file systems here to check how the programs read drives from different operating systems.
The card includes standard Windows file systems, such as NTFS with compressed files, as well as the universal FAT and exFAT. In addition, to verify compatibility with Apple computers and Linux systems, we added HFS+, APFS, and EXT4 drives.
The second medium is a USB flash drive for the most complex stage of testing. It contains three encrypted partitions where information is securely protected by passwords. This is a BitLocker-protected drive with files additionally encrypted by EFS. The next partition is protected by LUKS with additional fscrypt folder encryption, and the macOS protected volume uses APFS Encrypted.
Comparison of Data Recovery Programs
We conduct further research exclusively on byte-by-byte images, since working with a virtual image instead of a physical drive eliminates additional hardware load.
Please note! If you do scan the drive directly, under no circumstances save the recovered files back to the same media, as this will cause irreversible overwriting and permanent data loss.
Before starting the test, let us briefly introduce the participants. All of the programs are established tools, so they will compete on completely equal terms. For the sake of the experiment, we selected free trial versions that anyone can download from the Internet. The main criterion for successful recovery will be the correct display of files in the preview window.
Important note! All of the selected programs are capable of creating an exact byte-by-byte disk image. We used this function before starting the scan to work safely.
Five popular data recovery programs took part in our test:
- Hetman Partition Recovery 5.4;
- DMDE 4.4;
- R-Studio Demo 9.5;
- UFS Explorer Standard Recovery 10.21;
- Disk Drill 6.3.
The first four programs are available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, while Disk Drill supports only Windows and macOS. Each of these solutions uses its own algorithms for drive analysis, encrypted partition handling, lost file search, and data recovery.
TEST 1. Recovery After Deleting Files and a Partition
For the test, we deleted files on each partition of the memory card. In addition, we separately deleted the APFS partition to check how the programs find a lost partition and recover data after it has been deleted.
1st PLACE. Hetman Partition Recovery
Mount the created memory card image in the program. The utility instantly recognizes the connected media and automatically identifies the file systems on all its partitions.
Select any volume to view its detailed information. The program successfully detects even deleted partitions, which are conveniently marked in gray in the interface.
To begin analyzing our image, double-click it with the left mouse button and choose the required scan type: Quick or Full.
Let us consider the quick scan option for the image. The program will accurately find both existing and deleted files. After the scan is complete, the utility will open the partitions with the found items.
Please note! All volumes are displayed in logical order, and the file systems where the data was stored are shown.
For example, let us open the first partition with the NTFS file system, which contains both regular and compressed data. The program immediately marks all deleted items with a red cross.
Click the required file and it will immediately appear in the preview window.
The interface is designed as logically as possible, so the process will be clear to both a technical specialist and an ordinary user.
Note! Compressed files are visually distinguished from the rest by color, which makes them easy to find in the general list.
The program allows you to view both existing and deleted data in a wide variety of formats without any issues. These include MP4 video, RAR archives, text documents, and images, including BMP files. Check the exact status and size of each item in the corresponding column.
Finally, simply select the required files and start the recovery process.
Review the scanned partitions of the memory card – on each of them, the program found lost files in popular formats. No additional actions are required – everything is as simple and clear as possible.
Since the last partition has been deleted completely, we will use it to demonstrate file search with Full Analysis. To scan this partition, double-click it with the left mouse button and choose Full Analysis.
Please note! When selecting this scan type, you must additionally choose the APFS file system.
Wait for the process to finish and review the found files. To verify data integrity and save the required items, use the preview window. Select the needed files and save them to another drive.
2nd PLACE. Disk Drill PRO
The first thing that stands out is the modern design.
During scanning, Disk Drill automatically sorts found data by category: photos, videos, audio, and documents. This looks attractive, but in practice it creates inconvenience in serious data loss scenarios.
In addition, the program does not support archive preview, and many different files of unknown origin appear among the results.
The utility also lacks a quick scan function. It is unclear which files are present on the media and which are deleted, because the program does not mark them in any way – the user must either know the exact file name or only guess it.
While Disk Drill spends valuable time resorting files by type and destroying the original hierarchy, Hetman Partition Recovery algorithms work much more efficiently. They instantly read the intact file table, and you immediately see the original directory tree with all folders and original file names.
However, Disk Drill receives a well-deserved point for its preview feature. The built-in player instantly plays video without lag, and large photos and documents open quickly and without delay.
At the same time, in other testing scenarios the program delivered results comparable to Hetman Partition Recovery: it successfully found and recovered files on most of the tested media.
3rd PLACE. R-Studio
In our ranking, this program took third place. It handles most everyday data recovery tasks well, but falls behind the leaders due to a less convenient interface. In particular, it does not provide document or archive preview.
In the first stage of testing, the utility successfully loads the image and identifies the basic partitions with different file systems.
After the quick scan is complete, the program displays a general list of folders, with deleted objects clearly marked with a red cross.
Let us check the preview capabilities for different data types: multimedia files and documents. The program handles this task well: you can easily play an MP4 video, view photos in high quality, or read a plain text document.
However, in practice things are not as convenient. This program is intended primarily for professionals and does not include simple step-by-step wizards for quick one-click recovery.
Nevertheless, the quality of the data search itself left a positive impression. During testing, the utility successfully found and recovered files at the level of Hetman Partition Recovery. The main differences between the programs are not in recovery results, but in ease of use and the set of available features.
4th PLACE. UFS Explorer Standard Recovery
Next in our review is UFS Explorer Standard Recovery, which took fourth place in the ranking.
The program offers a wide range of tools for professional data recovery, but is less convenient to use than its competitors. Its interface is more difficult to understand, and the recovery process itself is not organized as a simple step-by-step wizard.
The program also lacks a thumbnail view mode, which makes it harder to find photos and other media files. The interface is available in only a limited number of languages, and support for ZFS, Btrfs, and VMFS file systems is absent.
During scanning, the program may find a large number of fragments of unknown data whose origin is difficult to determine. Many system folders that contain no files also appear in the results.
As a result, the structure of the results can look overloaded and confusing. It is especially difficult to find the required data if the user does not remember the exact name or original location. In such cases, searching for the necessary files may take a long time.
Another drawback of UFS Explorer Standard Recovery is the absence of a quick scan function.
The program works very well with the NTFS file system and reads the drive instantly. If the file table is not damaged, the folder structure opens immediately, without a long scan wait.
The built-in preview module opens graphics correctly. We tested BMP files – the images are displayed without distortion. However, when testing compressed data, the viewer noticeably slows down, forcing you to wait for the preview to load.
The program successfully finds lost data on FAT32, exFAT, as well as on Linux Ext4 and macOS HFS+ partitions.
In terms of usability, the interface is overloaded with technical details. Constant confirmation pop-ups and awkward menu navigation force extra clicks. For an ordinary user, the program logic will seem complex.
At the same time, the data recovery itself raised no concerns. All test scenarios were completed successfully, and the program correctly found and recovered files regardless of the media type.
5th PLACE. DMDE Professional
Last in our ranking is DMDE.
Despite its powerful capabilities for professional disk work, the program took fifth place because of its complex interface. It does not support thumbnail view mode, does not provide preview for most file types except images, does not offer a convenient step-by-step recovery wizard, and does not support ZFS, Btrfs, or VMFS file systems.
After launching the program, it becomes clear that it is not intended for beginners. The interface is as minimalistic as possible, without hints or explanations, so it is quite difficult to understand the sequence of actions on your own. Instead of familiar dashboards and buttons, the user sees plain sector tables and service directories.
Unlike utilities that waste extra time on background resorting of content by category, this program works at a low level. It instantly reads the partition structure and file tables, so folder access opens almost immediately, without delays or unnecessary actions.
It is an extremely fast, precise, and error-free tool. However, because its interface is completely unfriendly to beginners, this highly efficient software remains strictly a professional solution rather than a choice for everyday use.
At the same time, the recovery algorithms themselves work at a high level. Despite the complexity of using the program, it successfully handled all test scenarios and delivered the same final recovery result as the leaders in our comparison.
TEST 2. Recovery of Encrypted Files
For testing, we deleted part of the files in each encrypted image. In particular, data additionally protected by file-level encryption. This made it possible to evaluate how effectively the programs find and recover both regular and encrypted files. Separately, we deleted an encrypted APFS partition to check the programs’ ability to detect it, decrypt it, and recover the lost data.
1st PLACE. Hetman Partition Recovery
Let us move on to reviewing the drive with different partition encryption types.
Please note that the utility automatically recognizes file systems and their protection type.
In our case, the volume is locked with BitLocker, and the folder inside contains EFS files. The corresponding status and encryption details are displayed in the right pane of the window.
To start the search, be sure to unlock the drive.
Remember that without this step, it is impossible to access any data, whether existing or deleted. Please enter the password and start the scan.
After the scan is complete, the program will open a window with a message indicating that encrypted files have been found.
Add the unlock key or enter the password. After entering the required information, click the Finish button.
After successful unlocking, wait for access to the found files. Use the preview to verify their integrity, select the required items, and save them to another drive.
In addition, the program detected the encrypted Linux partition protected by the LUKS standard. Inside it is a folder with additional fscrypt encryption. It is important to remember that each of these protection layers requires its own unique password.
A special dialog box will immediately notify you that unlocking is required. Please enter the appropriate passwords so the program can access the volumes and begin scanning.
When the process is complete, review the results carefully. Open the corresponding directories, as the lost files may be located there. To verify their integrity, be sure to use the preview window, then save the recovered data to a safe drive.
Another major advantage is that the program successfully finds and scans deleted APFS encrypted partitions. To restore the lost data, double-click the found deleted partition with the left mouse button. In the window that appears, select Full Analysis as the scan type.
Please note! When selecting this mode, you must additionally specify the APFS file system.
After that, the program automatically recognizes that the volume is encrypted and asks you to unlock it. Enter the required password, wait for the scan results, and retrieve your files.
2nd PLACE. R-Studio
R-Studio takes the next place in our test.
The program delivered a good result when working with encrypted partitions, providing stable support for BitLocker and APFS Encrypted.
R-Studio has no problems identifying BitLocker partitions and offers to enter a password or recovery key to unlock them. After successful authentication, the program opens the directory structure and shows both existing and deleted files.
If the partition contains files additionally encrypted with EFS, they also appear in the list. At the same time, their contents remain inaccessible, since EFS uses a separate encryption mechanism. However, it is impossible to preview or recover their decrypted content because the program does not support decryption of EFS-protected files.
The program also works with APFS Encrypted without issues. After scanning, simply enter the password, after which the full volume structure opens, deleted items become available, and the preview function is enabled.
The only limitation was the lack of LUKS support. The program does not recognize the container as encrypted, displaying it only as a Basic Data Partition. As a result, it is impossible to enter a password, open the EXT4 file system, or check folders additionally protected by fscrypt.
It is the combination of stable work with the two most common encryption systems, a clear unlocking process, and full data access after password entry that placed R-Studio second in our ranking.
3rd PLACE. UFS Explorer Standard Recovery
UFS Explorer Standard Recovery also works well with encrypted media and is only slightly behind the test leader. Immediately after opening the drive, UFS Explorer identifies all encrypted partitions and marks them with a lock icon. This makes it immediately clear which volumes require a password.
BitLocker is fully supported. After entering the correct password, the program unlocks the volume, opens the directory structure, displays both existing and deleted files, and also finds folders containing EFS-encrypted data. At the same time, viewing or recovering the decrypted content of such files is unavailable due to the characteristics of EFS encryption.
During testing, UFS Explorer offered unlocking by password only. No separate options for using a Recovery Key or loading a BEK file were found in the program interface.
UFS Explorer finds and displays folders and files encrypted with EFS. However, the program does not decrypt their contents and does not provide preview. EFS files can be saved, but they remain encrypted and require the original EFS certificate to be opened in Windows.
APFS Encrypted is also supported without restrictions. After entering the correct password, the program opens the full contents of the encrypted volume, displays the directory structure, and provides access to preview of the found files. This allows you to verify their integrity before recovery begins.
During testing of LUKS, the result was different. The program correctly identifies the partition boundaries, but reports that this encryption type is not supported. After selecting the file system, the analysis does not actually start, so access to the EXT4 file system or inspection of the container contents is impossible.
UFS Explorer receives third place because in terms of BitLocker and APFS Encrypted support it is almost on par with R-Studio, but LUKS support is implemented less effectively.
4th PLACE. Disk Drill
Disk Drill supports working with encrypted BitLocker and APFS Encrypted volumes, although it has certain specifics in how it displays the drive structure. To unlock BitLocker, you can use a password or Recovery Key, but BEK files are not supported.
After the first successful unlock, Windows may save the entered credentials in Credential Manager. The next time you open the same volume, the program will automatically use them, so you do not need to enter the password or Recovery Key again.
After opening the image, Disk Drill builds a logical tree instead of showing the physical partition layout. For example, APFS is displayed as a sequence of Physical Store, APFS Container, and APFS Encrypted, which may differ from the actual partition order on the disk.
BitLocker is detected without issues. After analysis, the program finds regular files as well as folders containing EFS-encrypted data.
As for files encrypted with EFS, the program only displays them in the list of found data. Preview and recovery of their contents are not supported.
APFS Encrypted is also supported. The volume is marked with a lock icon, and analysis starts automatically after the correct password is entered.
After completion, both existing and deleted files become available. The program displays the original directory structure if it was preserved, and also allows you to preview found files in the preview window before recovery. This lets you verify that the data is read correctly before saving it.
The biggest drawback was the lack of LUKS support. The program does not detect the container, does not show the EXT4 file system, and effectively hides the existence of this encrypted partition. As a result, the user cannot even proceed to its analysis.
Disk Drill takes fourth place because of its limited support for Linux encryption and less informative display of the drive structure compared to the test leaders.
5th PLACE. DMDE Professional
Closing the ranking is DMDE Professional.
During testing, DMDE Professional did not find the BitLocker and LUKS partitions, so it was not possible to verify unlocking of these volumes. The program did not offer to enter a password, Recovery Key, or other unlock keys.
APFS Encrypted was successfully identified by service markers, but instead of unlocking the volume the user sees numerous Found entries, and after analysis only RAW search results are available without a file system structure.
Because the BitLocker NTFS partition was not found, it was also not possible to test work with EFS-encrypted files.
This is where DMDE’s main characteristic becomes apparent. The interface is overloaded with technical information, there is no familiar file explorer, and folders and files do not open automatically.
To access a volume’s contents, you must manually find the required entry, open it through Open Volume, and only then enter the correct password if the partition is encrypted.
If the required partition is not found immediately, you have to run a Full Scan, which requires additional time and some experience with the program.
Despite the complex interface, the search algorithms work efficiently. During testing, the program successfully found partition structures and delivered recovery results comparable to the other test participants. It was the complexity of use, not the quality of the algorithms, that became the main reason for the last place in our ranking.
Conclusion
Summing up the results, it can be said that the professional tools DMDE, UFS Explorer, and R-Studio provide powerful capabilities, but have a complex interface and require in-depth knowledge. At the same time, Disk Drill offers a modern design, but falls behind in speed and in preserving directory structure logic.
The undisputed leader of our test is Hetman Partition Recovery. The program combines deep scanning, support for BitLocker, LUKS, and APFS encryption, and a simple interface. Thanks to the step-by-step wizard, it is easy to use for both specialists and beginners.
| Feature | Hetman Partition Recovery 5.4 | R-Studio Demo 9.5 | UFS Explorer Standard Recovery 10.21 | Disk Drill 6.3 | DMDE 4.4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank in test: deleted files and partitions | 🥇 1 | 🥉 3 | 4 | 🥈 2 | — |
| Rank in test: encrypted data | 🥇 1 | 🥈 2 | 🥉 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Quick scan | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | — |
| Search for deleted partitions | ✅ | — | — | — | — |
| HFS+ | ✅ | — | ✅ | — | — |
| APFS | ✅ | — | — | — | — |
| EXT4 | ✅ | — | ✅ | — | — |
| BitLocker | ✅ + unlock | ✅ + unlock | ✅ + unlock | ✅ + unlock | ❌ Not detected |
| EFS | ✅ decryption after key/password | ⚠️ Finds files, does not decrypt contents | ⚠️ Finds files, does not decrypt contents | ⚠️ Finds files, does not decrypt contents | — |
| LUKS | ✅ + unlock | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ Not detected |
| fscrypt | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| APFS Encrypted | ✅ + unlock | ✅ + unlock | ✅ + unlock | ✅ + unlock | ⚠️ Detected, but without normal access |
| File preview | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
| Archive preview | ✅ | ❌ | ⚠️ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Thumbnail view | ✅ | — | ❌ | — | ❌ |
| Original folder structure | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ Depends on the scenario | ✅ |
| Interface usability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
| Step-by-step wizard | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | — | ❌ |
| Suitable for beginners | ✅ | ⚠️ | ⚠️ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Professional capabilities | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Linux | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
