# Best File Recovery Software - Page 7

  *By [Tian Lin](https://research.g2.com/insights/author/tian-lin)*

   File recovery, sometimes called file repair, software is used to retrieve or repair lost or damaged files. Traditional storage mechanisms do not completely erase files upon deletion; they simply reallocate that storage once new memory is required. File recovery software works by accessing the components of deleted files, reconnecting these components, and then saving them for future access. In the case of corrupted or damaged files, repair can be more complicated. But many of these tools also help users repair damaged information in the form of various file types.

To qualify for inclusion in the File Recovery category, a product must:

- Provide tools to repair files or recover deleted files 
- Provide an interface to help navigate and select files for recovery 
- Rebuild or reconstruct desired files 




  
## How Many File Recovery Software Products Does G2 Track?
**Total Products under this Category:** 385

### Category Stats (May 2026)
- **Average Rating**: 4.39/5
- **New Reviews This Quarter**: 53
- **Buyer Segments**: Small-Business 79% │ Mid-Market 17% │ Enterprise 4%
- **Top Trending Product**: Disk Drill (+0.033)
*Last updated: May 18, 2026*

  
## How Does G2 Rank File Recovery Software Products?

**Why You Can Trust G2's Software Rankings:**

- 30 Analysts and Data Experts
- 5,000+ Authentic Reviews
- 385+ Products
- Unbiased Rankings

G2's software rankings are built on verified user reviews, rigorous moderation, and a consistent research methodology maintained by a team of analysts and data experts. Each product is measured using the same transparent criteria, with no paid placement or vendor influence. While reviews reflect real user experiences, which can be subjective, they offer valuable insight into how software performs in the hands of professionals. Together, these inputs power the G2 Score, a standardized way to compare tools within every category.

  
## Which File Recovery Software Is Best for Your Use Case?

- **Leader:** [Veeam Data Platform](https://www.g2.com/products/veeam-data-platform/reviews)
- **Highest Performer:** [C2 Backup](https://www.g2.com/products/c2-backup/reviews)
- **Easiest to Use:** [Veeam Data Platform](https://www.g2.com/products/veeam-data-platform/reviews)
- **Top Trending:** [Tenorshare 4DDiG](https://www.g2.com/products/tenorshare-4ddig/reviews)
- **Best Free Software:** [Veeam Data Platform](https://www.g2.com/products/veeam-data-platform/reviews)

  
  ## What Are the Top-Rated File Recovery Software Products in 2026?
### 1. [AceThinker Fone Keeper for iOS](https://www.g2.com/products/acethinker-fone-keeper-for-ios/reviews)
  Fone Keeper for iOS is an easy and reliable program that can help you recover lost and deleted photos, text messages, contacts, call history, videos, music, notes, apps, and more from iPhone/iPad/iPod quickly and safely. You can also get back your lost data from iTunes and iCloud backup files for all models of iOS devices. Whenever you're faced with some data loss risk, Fone Keeper iOS can be your first option



**Who Is the Company Behind AceThinker Fone Keeper for iOS?**

- **Seller:** [AceThinker](https://www.g2.com/sellers/acethinker)
- **HQ Location:** London, England
- **Twitter:** @AceThinker_soft (268 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/acethinker/about/ (1 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 2. [Advanced Disk Recovery](https://www.g2.com/products/advanced-disk-recovery/reviews)
  Get the best data recovery solution to retrieve lost or deleted photos, videos, audios, documents & other files from your Hard Drive, USB & other storage media.



**Who Is the Company Behind Advanced Disk Recovery?**

- **Seller:** [Systweak Software](https://www.g2.com/sellers/systweak-software)
- **Year Founded:** 1999
- **HQ Location:** Jaipur, Rajasthan
- **Twitter:** @systweak (1,156 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/3739341/ (55 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 3. [Advanced File Recovery](https://www.g2.com/products/advanced-file-recovery/reviews)
  Advanced File Recovery is a program that can help you recover deleted video, music, documents, & other file types. Not only this, but Advanced File Recovery also displays a preview of contents for deleted or lost files, allowing you to recover what you need.



**Who Is the Company Behind Advanced File Recovery?**

- **Seller:** [Tweaking Technologies Pvt Ltd](https://www.g2.com/sellers/tweaking-technologies-pvt-ltd)
- **HQ Location:** Jaipur, IN
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/tweakingtechnologies (81 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 4. [AnyMP4 Android Data Recovery](https://www.g2.com/products/anymp4-android-data-recovery/reviews)
  Secure and reliable software to recover Android data. Recover deleted or lost data like photos, messages, contacts, videos, audios, call logs, WhatsApp messages, and more from Android tablet/phone. Restore Android deleted/lost data not only on the internal memory but also on the micro SD card. Support various Android devices from the manufacturers like Samsung, HTC, LG, Sony, Google, and more.



**Who Is the Company Behind AnyMP4 Android Data Recovery?**

- **Seller:** [AnyMP4 Studio](https://www.g2.com/sellers/anymp4-studio)
- **HQ Location:** N/A
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/No-Linkedin-Presence-Added-Intentionally-By-DataOps (1 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 5. [AnyMP4 Data Recovery](https://www.g2.com/products/anymp4-data-recovery-for-mac-anymp4-data-recovery/reviews)
  AnyMP4 Data Recovery helps you recover lost files like photos, documents, emails, audio, videos and more from computer drive, flash drive, memory card on mobile phone or camera. You can simply recover files from Windows computer in one click.



**Who Is the Company Behind AnyMP4 Data Recovery?**

- **Seller:** [AnyMP4 Studio](https://www.g2.com/sellers/anymp4-studio)
- **HQ Location:** N/A
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/No-Linkedin-Presence-Added-Intentionally-By-DataOps (1 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 6. [AnyMP4 Data Recovery for Mac](https://www.g2.com/products/anymp4-data-recovery-for-mac/reviews)
  AnyMP4 Data Recovery is the professional and safe data recovery software. It can help you restores almost all lost files like photos, documents, emails, audio, videos and more from computer drive, flash drive, memory card/stick on mobile phone or camera easily.



**Who Is the Company Behind AnyMP4 Data Recovery for Mac?**

- **Seller:** [AnyMP4 Studio](https://www.g2.com/sellers/anymp4-studio)
- **HQ Location:** N/A
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/No-Linkedin-Presence-Added-Intentionally-By-DataOps (1 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 7. [AnyMP4 iPhone Data Recovery](https://www.g2.com/products/anymp4-iphone-data-recovery/reviews)
  Recover any data from iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 7, iPad/iPod, and fully compatible with iOS 12. Recover lost and deleted photos, text messages, contacts, video, notes, and more from iPhone/iPad/iPod. Restore iPhone/iPad/iPod data including photos, contacts, messages, videos, and more from iTunes Backup and iCloud.



**Who Is the Company Behind AnyMP4 iPhone Data Recovery?**

- **Seller:** [AnyMP4 Studio](https://www.g2.com/sellers/anymp4-studio)
- **HQ Location:** N/A
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/No-Linkedin-Presence-Added-Intentionally-By-DataOps (1 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 8. [AnyMP4 iPhone Data Recovery for Mac](https://www.g2.com/products/anymp4-data-recovery-for-mac-anymp4-iphone-data-recovery-for-mac/reviews)
  AnyMP4 iPhone Data Recovery for Mac is the best and easy-to-use software, which can help users recover and back up various data on Mac from iPhone 12/12 Pro/11/11 Pro/11 Pro Max/XS/XS Max/XR/X/8, iPad Air, iPad mini 4/5, iPad Pro, iPod touch, etc. It can also help users recover data from iTunes/iCloud backup files. Besides, it supports various data such as Contacts, Messages, Call history, Calendar, Notes, Camera Roll, and Photo Stream, etc. Now, it newly add the function to back up WhatsApp data to computer and restore the backup files to device. Key Functions: 1. Recover lost or deleted data. AnyMP4 iPhone Data Recovery for Mac can recover lost/deleted Messages, Contacts, Call History, Calendar, Notes, WhatsApp data, Kik Attachment, Line, Line Attachment, Viber, Viber Attachments, Viber Call History, Messenger, Messenger Attachments, WeChat, WeChat, Attachments, QQ, QQ Attachments notes from iPhone/iPad/iPod and from iTunes/iCloud backup files. You can preview the detailed deleted/lost files. 2. Regain data from iTunes/iCloud backup files. AnyMP4 iPhone Data Recovery for Mac enables you to extract data from iTunes/iCloud Backup for all Apple devices, including iPhone 12/12 Pro/11/11 Pro/11 Pro Max/XS/XS Max/XR/X/8, iPad mini 4/5, iPad Air, etc. 3. iOS System Recovery. With this software, you can fix your abnormal phones from such as DFU/recovery/Apple logo/headphone mode to normal state and recover iOS system from blue/black/white screen problem easily. 4. iOS Data Backup & Restore. You just need one click to back up almost all types of data on iPhone/iPad/iPod devices with no limitation and then restore the data without data loss. 5. Transfer WhatsApp data easily. With iOS WhatsApp Transfer, you could transfer WhatsApp data between your iOS devices. Whats more, you can back up WhatsApp data to your Mac and then restore the data to iOS device.



**Who Is the Company Behind AnyMP4 iPhone Data Recovery for Mac?**

- **Seller:** [AnyMP4 Studio](https://www.g2.com/sellers/anymp4-studio)
- **HQ Location:** N/A
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/No-Linkedin-Presence-Added-Intentionally-By-DataOps (1 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 9. [AnyMP4 Mac Video Downloader](https://www.g2.com/products/anymp4-mac-video-downloader/reviews)
  AnyMP4 Mac Video Downloader is the best online video downloader software for Mac users to download and convert online videos.



**Who Is the Company Behind AnyMP4 Mac Video Downloader?**

- **Seller:** [AnyMP4 Studio](https://www.g2.com/sellers/anymp4-studio)
- **HQ Location:** N/A
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/No-Linkedin-Presence-Added-Intentionally-By-DataOps (1 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 10. [AOMEI FastRecovery](https://www.g2.com/products/aomei-fastrecovery/reviews)
  AOMEI FastRecovery is a professional Windows data recovery software that helps you quickly retrieve lost or deleted files from your PC, hard drives, USB flash drives, and SD cards. Whether you lost data due to accidental deletion, formatting, or system crash, AOMEI FastRecovery can efficiently recover your photos, videos, documents, and more. Its clean interface and fast scanning make data recovery simple and reliable for everyone.



**Who Is the Company Behind AOMEI FastRecovery?**

- **Seller:** [AOMEI Technology](https://www.g2.com/sellers/aomei-technology)
- **Year Founded:** 2010
- **HQ Location:** Jiangxi, China
- **Twitter:** @aomeitech (3,182 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/aomeitech/ (30 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 11. [Apeaksoft Android Data Recovery](https://www.g2.com/products/apeaksoft-android-data-recovery/reviews)
  Apeaksoft Android Data Recovery can help you to recover deleted or lost photos, videos, contacts, messages, call logs, apps and documents from your Android phones, tablets and SD cards. It is compatible with 5000+ Android portable devices.



**Who Is the Company Behind Apeaksoft Android Data Recovery?**

- **Seller:** [Apeaksoft Studio](https://www.g2.com/sellers/apeaksoft-studio)
- **HQ Location:** Genève, CH
- **Twitter:** @ApeaksoftStudio (80 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/apeakstudio/ (2 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 12. [Apeaksoft Broken Android Data Extraction](https://www.g2.com/products/apeaksoft-broken-android-data-extraction/reviews)
  Apeaksoft Android Data Extraction is a professional software to help you fix frozen, crashed, locked, black screen, etc. Android devices back to normal and extract contacts, messages, photos, call logs and more from broken phone and tablets.



**Who Is the Company Behind Apeaksoft Broken Android Data Extraction?**

- **Seller:** [Apeaksoft Studio](https://www.g2.com/sellers/apeaksoft-studio)
- **HQ Location:** Genève, CH
- **Twitter:** @ApeaksoftStudio (80 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/apeakstudio/ (2 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 13. [Apeaksoft Data Recovery](https://www.g2.com/products/apeaksoft-data-recovery/reviews)
  Recover files from Windows PC, Mac, recycle bin, hard drive, flash drive, memory card, digital camera, mobile phones, etc. Recover data like image, document, email, audio, video, and more. Easy handle any data loss due to mistakenly deletion, data overwritten, hard drive damage, virus attack, and so on.



**Who Is the Company Behind Apeaksoft Data Recovery?**

- **Seller:** [Apeaksoft Studio](https://www.g2.com/sellers/apeaksoft-studio)
- **HQ Location:** Genève, CH
- **Twitter:** @ApeaksoftStudio (80 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/apeakstudio/ (2 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 14. [Apeaksoft iOS Data Backup & Restore](https://www.g2.com/products/apeaksoft-ios-data-backup-restore/reviews)
  Apeaksoft iOS Data Backup & Restore can help you quickly and safely back up all frequently-used iPhone/iPad/iPod data, including messages, contacts, photos, notes, call logs, videos, audio, reminders, and all kinds of documents without overwriting original data on iOS devices. The iOS files backup process is simple and fast.



**Who Is the Company Behind Apeaksoft iOS Data Backup & Restore?**

- **Seller:** [Apeaksoft Studio](https://www.g2.com/sellers/apeaksoft-studio)
- **HQ Location:** Genève, CH
- **Twitter:** @ApeaksoftStudio (80 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/apeakstudio/ (2 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 15. [Apeaksoft iOS System Recovery](https://www.g2.com/products/apeaksoft-ios-system-recovery/reviews)
  iOS System Recovery enables you to fix iOS system for different scenarios: unlocking failure, stuck in recovery mode, stuck in Apple logo, stuck in headphone mode, black/red/blue/white screen death, etc.



**Who Is the Company Behind Apeaksoft iOS System Recovery?**

- **Seller:** [Apeaksoft Studio](https://www.g2.com/sellers/apeaksoft-studio)
- **HQ Location:** Genève, CH
- **Twitter:** @ApeaksoftStudio (80 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/apeakstudio/ (2 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 16. [Aryson Archive Recovery](https://www.g2.com/products/aryson-archive-recovery/reviews)
  Aryson Archive Recovery is a reliable tool for repairing and recovering data from damaged or corrupt archive files, including PST, OST, and DBX files. It restores emails, attachments, contacts, and other data while preserving the original folder structure. The software is easy to use and ensures secure recovery.



**Who Is the Company Behind Aryson Archive Recovery?**

- **Seller:** [Aryson Technologies](https://www.g2.com/sellers/aryson-technologies)
- **Year Founded:** 2014
- **HQ Location:** Noida, Uttar Pradesh
- **Twitter:** @Arysontec (46 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/13397311/ (108 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 17. [Aryson Backup Exec BKF Repair Pro](https://www.g2.com/products/aryson-backup-exec-bkf-repair-pro/reviews)
  Aryson Backup Exec BKF Repair Pro is a superlative BKF file recovery solution for Windows users.



**Who Is the Company Behind Aryson Backup Exec BKF Repair Pro?**

- **Seller:** [Aryson Technologies](https://www.g2.com/sellers/aryson-technologies)
- **Year Founded:** 2014
- **HQ Location:** Noida, Uttar Pradesh
- **Twitter:** @Arysontec (46 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/13397311/ (108 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 18. [Aryson SharePoint Server Recovery](https://www.g2.com/products/aryson-sharepoint-server-recovery/reviews)
  Aryson SharePoint Server Recovery software provides you an easy and effective way to perform SharePoint data recovery from corrupt MDF file. This advanced SharePoint Server Recovery tool is highly capable to repair SharePoint database which is corrupt or inaccessible due to various reasons.



**Who Is the Company Behind Aryson SharePoint Server Recovery?**

- **Seller:** [Aryson Technologies](https://www.g2.com/sellers/aryson-technologies)
- **Year Founded:** 2014
- **HQ Location:** Noida, Uttar Pradesh
- **Twitter:** @Arysontec (46 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/13397311/ (108 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 19. [Aryson SQL Backup Recovery](https://www.g2.com/products/aryson-sql-backup-recovery/reviews)
  The Aryson SQL Backup Recovery is a reliable tool for repairing and restoring corrupted SQL Server backup files. It supports various backup file formats like .bak, .trn, and .log. The software restores all database objects, including tables, views, and stored procedures, while maintaining data integrity and structure.



**Who Is the Company Behind Aryson SQL Backup Recovery?**

- **Seller:** [Aryson Technologies](https://www.g2.com/sellers/aryson-technologies)
- **Year Founded:** 2014
- **HQ Location:** Noida, Uttar Pradesh
- **Twitter:** @Arysontec (46 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/13397311/ (108 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 20. [Aryson SQL Database Recovery Software](https://www.g2.com/products/aryson-sql-database-recovery-software/reviews)
  SQL Database Recovery software is designed to repair MDF file and recover SQL Server Database from corrupted.



**Who Is the Company Behind Aryson SQL Database Recovery Software?**

- **Seller:** [Aryson Technologies](https://www.g2.com/sellers/aryson-technologies)
- **Year Founded:** 2014
- **HQ Location:** Noida, Uttar Pradesh
- **Twitter:** @Arysontec (46 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/13397311/ (108 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 21. [Aryson SQL Viewer](https://www.g2.com/products/aryson-sql-viewer/reviews)
  Aryson SQL File Viewer is a free tool that allows users to open and view SQL database files without SQL Server. This software supports viewing all SQL file data types and has a user-friendly interface for easy access to MDF and NDF files, even if they are corrupt. It's a smart solution for opening SQL database files without using MS SQL Server versions 2000 to 2019.



**Who Is the Company Behind Aryson SQL Viewer?**

- **Seller:** [Aryson Technologies](https://www.g2.com/sellers/aryson-technologies)
- **Year Founded:** 2014
- **HQ Location:** Noida, Uttar Pradesh
- **Twitter:** @Arysontec (46 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/13397311/ (108 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 22. [Aryson VHD Recovery Software](https://www.g2.com/products/aryson-vhd-recovery-software/reviews)
  Aryson VHD Recovery Software is a powerful tool to repair and recover data from corrupt or damaged VHD files. It restores data such as documents, photos, and other files. The software supports various VHD file types, ensures data integrity, and provides a preview of recovered files.



**Who Is the Company Behind Aryson VHD Recovery Software?**

- **Seller:** [Aryson Technologies](https://www.g2.com/sellers/aryson-technologies)
- **Year Founded:** 2014
- **HQ Location:** Noida, Uttar Pradesh
- **Twitter:** @Arysontec (46 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/13397311/ (108 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 23. [Aryson Virtual Machine Data Recovery](https://www.g2.com/products/aryson-virtual-machine-data-recovery/reviews)
  Aryson Virtual Machine Data Recovery is a trusted tool to recover lost or corrupted data from virtual machines. It supports various VM formats like VMDK, VHD, and VHDX. The software efficiently restores data from damaged virtual disks, ensuring fast and secure recovery without data loss.



**Who Is the Company Behind Aryson Virtual Machine Data Recovery?**

- **Seller:** [Aryson Technologies](https://www.g2.com/sellers/aryson-technologies)
- **Year Founded:** 2014
- **HQ Location:** Noida, Uttar Pradesh
- **Twitter:** @Arysontec (46 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/13397311/ (108 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 24. [Aryson Windows Data Recovery Software](https://www.g2.com/products/aryson-windows-data-recovery-software/reviews)
  Aryson Windows Data Recovery Software is a complete and an advanced solution for any kind of deleted or lost data recovery from corrupt, damaged or inaccessible FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, and NTFS5 partitions. An eminent tool for any kind of partition recovery and to get back corrupt or deleted images, videos, important documents and other crucial files.



**Who Is the Company Behind Aryson Windows Data Recovery Software?**

- **Seller:** [Aryson Technologies](https://www.g2.com/sellers/aryson-technologies)
- **Year Founded:** 2014
- **HQ Location:** Noida, Uttar Pradesh
- **Twitter:** @Arysontec (46 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/13397311/ (108 employees on LinkedIn®)



### 25. [Aryson Zip File Recovery](https://www.g2.com/products/aryson-zip-file-recovery/reviews)
  Aryson Zip File Recovery is a reliable tool to repair and recover damaged or corrupted ZIP files. It restores data like documents, images, and other files from corrupted archives without any loss. The tool supports both small and large ZIP files, offering an easy and efficient recovery process.



**Who Is the Company Behind Aryson Zip File Recovery?**

- **Seller:** [Aryson Technologies](https://www.g2.com/sellers/aryson-technologies)
- **Year Founded:** 2014
- **HQ Location:** Noida, Uttar Pradesh
- **Twitter:** @Arysontec (46 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/13397311/ (108 employees on LinkedIn®)




    ## What Is File Recovery Software?
  [Backup Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/backup)
  ## What Software Categories Are Similar to File Recovery Software?
    - [Server Backup Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/server-backup)
    - [Online Backup Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/online-backup)
    - [Disaster Recovery Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/disaster-recovery)

  
---

## How Do You Choose the Right File Recovery Software?

### What You Should Know About File Recovery Software

### What is File Recovery Software?

File recovery software helps users retrieve and repair specific files. File recovery is a part of the data recovery process that aims explicitly to recover, restore, and repair deleted, corrupted, and damaged files. This software works on common types of data storage hardware, such as solid-state hard drives (SSD), USB drives, floppy disks, and other platforms, including mobile devices, IoT, cameras, and even SaaS-generated files. Most file recovery tools work on all types of file systems, such as FAT and ​​NTFS. 

The software first scans the file directory for hidden files to see which of those can be restored. To recover a specific file, it will check for attributes such as .docx, .txt, .pst, etc., from a list of recoverable files. The file recovery software will retrieve the file, check for formatting errors, or repair the files based on the file type. The user can then access the file in its original format and location. There are also quick, deep, and full scan options. When the user deletes the file from the recycle bin, the lost data can sometimes still be found in the operating system. The user can undelete the data with this software.

As business data storage moves from paper to digital, business operations become more data dependent. Employees need file recovery software to recover deleted or corrupt files to get back to work without downtime.

#### What Types of File Recovery Software Exist?

**Small-business file recovery software**

Many inexpensive file recovery solutions are available for recovering files on different platforms. Depending on the number of licenses and tech support, they cost anywhere from $0 to $100. These tools are affordable and fully functional for most users to recover any file type.

**Enterprise data recovery solution suites**

Most enterprises purchase this type of software because it includes other critical data recovery tools such as database backup software, server backup software, disaster recovery software, etc. This one-size-fits-all solution often has file recovery capabilities for various endpoints. 

### What are the Common Features of File Recovery Software?

The following are some core features within file recovery software that can help users  to recover and repair lost files to their original status:

**File discovery:** The software can either perform a quick scan to gather a list of permanently deleted common types of files or a full scan of all types of files. Some products include a filter and search option so users can locate different types of files. 

**File path restoration:**  The software can list and restore the deleted files to the original location. 

**Partition recovery:** The software will recover files when a hard drive partition is disrupted due to a power outage, software crash, turning off storage media during the writing process, or improperly pulling out the drive.

**System recovery:** When the user can’t boot the computer from a blue or black screen, the software can restore the system through another connected hard drive.

### What are the Benefits of File Recovery Software?

The following are some of the benefits of using file recovery software:

**Less downtime:** Business transactions require documents and data files. Missing files can delay business transactions, increase costs, and lower revenue. For example, a business can’t sign a deal when an important piece of a related document is missing. By using file recovery software, companies won’t waste time recovering files manually or recreating the files. 

**Ability to find files quickly:** With autodiscovery and filter options, file recovery software can easily find files in the external and internal storage. Traditional Windows recovery mode restores the entire drive, so users still have to spend time looking for the file location.

**One platform to recover everything:** Traditional Windows recovery software only works on specific file systems, so users can’t use it for everything. Using a complete file recovery tool, users can restore all files and systems like RAW FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, EXT2, FAT12, FAT16, APFS, HFS+, etc. This also works on external hard drive storage devices such as HDD, SSD, USB drives, floppy disks, pen drives, cameras, drones, video players, music players, SD cards, memory cards, etc. 

### Who Uses File Recovery Software?

**IT administrators:** IT administrators can use this software to recover or repair files on employee endpoints. With regular use, file recovery software can save time for IT administrators, from browsing file directories to restoring different types of files. 

**Employees:** Regular employees can use this software to recover accidentally deleted documents. However, employees might not know how to tackle more complex data recovery and so would need to ask IT administrators for help. For example, some deleted data on digital cameras might be overwritten with compression algorithms to different file names. The regular scan mode might not work on video files, so the scan results would return nothing. For particular types of devices and systems, regular users should still consult with the IT administrator. 

### Challenges with File Recovery Software

File recovery solutions can come with their own set of challenges. 

**Slow performance:** Some file recovery software products take a long time to scan the storage drive and an even longer time to recover data. Users should use a trial or free version before purchase to ensure that the software’s performance meets their expectations. Some software will even slow the computer down dramatically while scanning the file directory. 

**Incompatible files or systems:** Most file recovery software runs on Windows and repairs only common file types. The user should seek software compatible with their systems if they need to recover files on an operating system other than Windows, such as Linux, macOS, Android, or iOS.

**Lack of scalability:** Most file recovery tools have limited scalability due to performance speed. Large companies that need to recover hundreds of files on thousands of devices are better off using a complete data recovery solution that incorporates file recovery capability. Top data recovery software includes [backup](https://www.g2.com/categories/backup), [disaster recovery](https://www.g2.com/categories/disaster-recovery), and file recovery solutions. 

### How to Buy File Recovery Software

#### Requirements Gathering (RFI/RFP) for File Recovery Software

Requirements gathering for the best data recovery software is straightforward but can still vary greatly depending on the scope of work. Still, requirements should include the number of physical and digital resources that will need to be recovered and constraints related to budgeting, staffing, or continued maintenance. 

Budget and staffing will largely dictate where products end up on the short list. Still, a vendor’s ability to meet each of the company’s requirements will assist in determining the right product after discussing the price. It may be helpful to prioritize these based on impact to evaluate each solution better. 

#### Compare File Recovery Software Products

**Create a long list**

From meeting the functionality needs to implementation, vendor evaluations are essential in the software buying process. For ease of comparison after all demos are complete, it helps prepare a consistent list of questions to ask each vendor that addresses all needs and concerns.

**Create a short list**

From the long list of vendors, it is helpful to narrow down the list to develop a shorter list of contenders, preferably no more than three to five. With this list in hand, businesses can produce a matrix to compare the features and prices of various solutions.

**Conduct demos**

To ensure a thorough comparison, the user should demo each solution on the short list with the same use case and datasets. This will allow the business to evaluate like for like and see how each vendor stacks up against their competitors.

#### Selection of File Recovery Software

**Choose a selection team**

To choose a selection team, decision makers need to involve subject matter experts from all groups that will use the system. For file recovery software, this primarily involves IT and security staff. Management and department leaders should also have individuals who manage the solutions that might integrate with the file recovery product. 

**Negotiation**

Using the prioritized requirements, users can organize the data in a way that helps people understand how each solution meets their needs. This can prevent siloed thinking, serve as a catalyst for internal debates, and bring new questions to the vendor. 

**Final decision**

Every product will have pros and cons, but the selection analysis should paint a clearer picture of each product’s ability to meet the company's unique needs. The buyer can then use the identified cons to either eliminate options from the short list or serve as leverage for discounts and other offers.