Flash Drive Recovery: 5 Ways to Recover Files From USB Drive

What Causes Data Loss on USB/Pen Drive?

Why would your files stored on a USB flash drive get lost? There are several problems that can lead to data loss from the USB drive, such as hardware failures, accidental deletion, formatting errors, and more. Below, we'll explore the common factors that can result in significant data loss on a USB drive, memory stick, pen drive, or flash disk:

Physical Damage

Physical damage, such as water exposure, heat, or impact can damage the internal components or the storage medium itself, rendering a flash drive or pen drive unreadable.

Accidental Deletion

Accidentally deleting files or folders from a USB drive without having a backup can lead to permanent data loss. Be cautious when deleting files to avoid unintended consequences.

Formatting Errors

Accidentally formatting your USB drive or encountering format errors can erase all the data stored on it. However, formatting is not instantly irreversible, offering potential for data recovery.

Virus or Malware Infections

USB drives can be susceptible to viruses or malware, especially when connected to infected computers. These malicious programs can corrupt files or render them inaccessible.

File System Corruption

File system errors or corruption can occur on a USB drive, making the files unreadable or causing data loss. This can happen due to improper ejection, power outages, or software glitches.

Improper Ejection

Removing the USB drive abruptly without properly ejecting it from the computer can result in file system errors or data corruption. Always use the "Safely Remove Hardware" option to minimize the risk.

Electrical Issues

Sudden power surges or electrical issues, while the USB flash drive is connected, can damage the drive's circuitry or the files stored on it, leading to data loss or file corruption.

Partition Loss

Incompatibility between the USB drive and the device it's connected to can cause data loss or file corruption. This can happen when using an incompatible file system or connecting to an unsupported device.

What To Do When Your Data Got Lost From USB Flash Drive?

When your data is lost from a USB or pen drive, it's important to remember that the lost data is often recoverable. This is because when data is deleted or lost, it is typically not immediately erased from the drive. Instead, the space it occupies is marked as available for new data to be written.

Stop Using the USB Drive

The first and most crucial step when facing data loss on a flash drive is to stop using the drive immediately. Continued use or saving of new files can overwrite the lost data, making it much harder or even impossible to recover. By ceasing any further use of the drive, you minimize the risk of permanent data loss and increase the chances of successful flash drive data recovery.

Step 1

Use Data Recovery Software

After stopping the use of the USB drive, you can proceed with data recovery methods such as using reliable USB recovery software - Wondershare Recoverit. This software program can scan the drive and retrieve the lost files. Additionally, you can consider utilizing CMD or leveraging the automatic backup feature of Windows to recover deleted files from the USB without software.

Step 2

Consult Professional Services

If the data recovery software doesn't provide satisfactory results, it is worth considering professional flash drive recovery services. These experts possess specialized tools and techniques to retrieve data from severely damaged USB drives. However, it's important to note that professional data recovery services can be quite expensive and time-consuming.

Step 3

Which Kinds of USB Recovery Tool Will be Your Option?

Among the multitude of USB recovery tools available, Wondershare Recoverit stands out as the leading choice due to its patented technology and advanced scan and recovery algorithms. This powerful and user-friendly software is designed to address all data loss scenarios concerning removable flash drives. It provides several significant advantages, including:

√ Intuitive interface for easy USB drive data recovery in 3 steps.

√ Support for all USB flash drive brands and types.

√ Support recovering 1000+ file types.

√ Effective handling of 500+ data loss scenarios.

√ Instant file preview and ability to repair corrupted documents and photos during preview.

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*Free download to scan and preview your lost or deleted data.

Let's Check How To Recover Files From USB Drive With Only 3 Steps

To recover files from a USB drive using Wondershare Recoverit, follow the steps below. Before proceeding, ensure that you have downloaded and installed this USB recovery tool on your Windows or Mac PC and connected your flash drive to the computer.

Step 1：Choose the USB drive

Launch Recoverit Flash Drive Recovery on your computer and select the USB drive containing the files you're trying to recover to initiate the process.

Step 2： Scan lost files in the USB drive

The USB recovery software will begin scanning the device to search for your lost or deleted files. You can easily locate a specific file type by using the Filter feature and the Search option. Moreover, you have the flexibility to pause the scanning process at any time once you've found the desired files.

Step 3： Preview and restore your files

After previewing and locating the lost files from your USB drive, select the desired files and click on the Recover button. Then, choose a secure destination to save all the recovered files. It is important to avoid saving the recovered files back to the same USB drive where the data loss occurred.

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Recover Deleted Files From Any USB Storage Devices

Regardless of the type of USB drive you possess, you can trust our recommended USB recovery solution, Wondershare Recoverit, to restore lost files from any USB drive. It is specifically designed to efficiently and reliably retrieve data from all USB mass storage devices.

Supported USB Devices

Pen drives

recover deleted files from usb flash drive

USB flash drives

External hard drives

Android phone and tablets

USB-based digital cameras

USB-based gaming consoles

(e.g. X-box, PlayStation)

Portable SSDs

recover deleted files from usb-based players

USB-based MP3/MP4 Players

USB-based camcorders

Supported USB Types

USB-A

USB-A is the most common and recognizable type of USB connector. It's typically used to connect peripherals like keyboards, mice, printers, and flash drives.

USB-B

USB-B connectors are less common than USB-A connectors and are typically found on printers, scanners, and larger devices.

Mini-USB

Micro-USB connectors are smaller than USB-A and USB-B connectors. They were widely used in the past for devices like digital cameras, MP3 players, and older smartphones.

Micro-USB

Micro-USB connectors are smaller than USB-A and USB-B connectors. They were widely used in the past for devices like digital cameras, MP3 players, and older smartphones.

USB-C

USB-C supports faster data transfer speeds and can deliver higher power levels, making it suitable for a wide range of devices such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, and external storage devices.

Recover All File Formats Stored on USB Drives

Wondershare Recoverit is a comprehensive USB data recovery tool capable of retrieving a wide range of file formats. Whether it's documents, file archives, images, videos, or audio files, this software can recover them all. With support for over 1200 file formats, it surpasses the needs of most users and ensures successful recovery in various scenarios.

Documents

DOC/DOCX (Microsoft Word Document), PDF (Portable Document Format), XLS/XLSX (Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet), PPT/PPTX (Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation), TXT (Plain Text), RTF (Rich Text Format), CSV (Comma-Separated Values), HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), etc.

Images

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group), PNG (Portable Network Graphics), GIF (Graphics Interchange Format), TIFF (Tagged Image File Format), BMP (Bitmap Image File), RAW (Camera RAW Image), PSD (Adobe Photoshop Document), SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics), etc.

Videos

MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14), AVI (Audio Video Interleave), MOV (QuickTime Movie), MKV (Matroska Video), WMV (Windows Media Video), FLV (Flash Video), MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group), 3GP (3GPP Multimedia), etc.

Audio Files

MP3 (MPEG Audio Layer III), WAV (Waveform Audio File Format), AAC (Advanced Audio Coding), WMA (Windows Media Audio), FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec), OGG (Ogg Vorbis), AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format), M4A (MPEG-4 Audio Layer), etc.

User Reviews for Recoverit USB Data Recovery

Marty Alvear-Jasso on Trustpilot

Wondershare Recoverit is THE only data recovery you will need!!!

I was running out of options for recovering 30 GB worth of work-related docs and data. I made the mistake of buying a cheap Amazon USB thumb drive and lost it all in a few days. REcoverit was able to recover every single file at a reasonable price. I highly recommend their products and customer service it number one. Can't recommend it enough.

Donald T Davies on Trustpilot

I had a very important document which…

I had a very important document which had been accidentally deleted from a flash drive. I tried another product with absolutely no luck at all. I found Recoverit on the internet and decided to give it a try. It was extremely easy and effective. I can't explain how relieved I was to retrieve the document. It was wonderful.

Comparing the Popular USB Flash Drive Recovery Tools

When it comes to recovering data from USB flash drives, having the right recovery tool can make all the difference. If you're in search of the best USB flash drive recovery software, look no further. This comprehensive comparison will assist you in selecting the most suitable solution for recovering your valuable data from USB drives.

	Wondershare Recoverit	Stellar Data Recovery	MiniTool Power Data Recovery	Recuva	TestDisk
Star Rating
Modern UI					（GLI Tool）
Supported OS	Windows, Mac	Windows, Mac	Windows	Windows	Windows, Mac, Linux
Supported USB File Systems	exFAT, FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, ReFS, HFS+, Encrypted HFS, HFSX, APFS, BTRFS, XFS, BFS, EXT4	exFAT, FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, HFS+, APFS	FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, exFAT, VFAT, NTFS, NTFS5	exFAT, FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, EXT2/3/4	FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, HFS, HFS+, HFSX, JFS, BTRFS, XFS, EXT2/3/4
Supported File Types	1000+	400+	100+	50+	100+
Quick and Deep Scan
File Preview				Partial Support
Resume Scanning Process
BitLocker/T2/M1/M2 Encrypted USB Drive Recovery		Partial Support
RAW Photo Recovery		Partial Support	Limited support	Limited support	Limited support
RAW Video Recovery
Lost Partition Recovery
Document/Photo/Video Repair		Partial Support	Partial Support
Price	Starts at $59.99	Starts at $39.99	Starts at $69.99	Starts at $24.95	Free and open source

Based on the comparison table above，Wondershare Recoverit is the clear winner when it comes to USB data recovery software. With its advanced features, compatibility, and competitive pricing, it's the ideal choice for anyone looking to recover lost data from USB flash drives. Don't hesitate – download Wondershare Recoverit today and experience its powerful capabilities for yourself.

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How To Recover Deleted Files From USB Without Software

If you prefer not to install a USB data recovery software application, there are alternative methods available to recover deleted files from a USB drive/USB stick. These methods allow you to retrieve your lost data without relying on additional software.

use cmd to recover deleted files from usb without software

Way 1. Use the Command Prompt (Windows)

If you're familiar with command-line operations, you can recover deleted files from a USB drive using simple commands. This method is especially effective for retrieving data from corrupted USB drives. Follow the step-by-step guide below to use the Command Prompt utility on Windows. By running a specific command, you can initiate a scan on the USB drive and potentially retrieve your lost files.

1. Connect the USB drive to your computer.
2. Open the Command Prompt by pressing the Windows key + R, typing "cmd," and pressing Enter.
3. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command: chkdsk X: /f (replace X with the drive letter assigned to the USB drive).
4. Press Enter to execute the command.
5. The command will scan and attempt to recover any lost data on the USB drive.
6. After the process completes, check the USB drive for recovered files.

Way 2. Utilize Previous Versions (Windows)

Windows has introduced the Restore Previous Versions feature to assist users in recovering deleted files. So, if you have enabled the "File History" feature or created system restore points on your computer, you can freely access previous versions of files and restore them from the USB drive without the need for third-party software.

1. Connect the USB drive to your computer.
2. Right-click on the USB drive and select "Properties."
3. In the Properties window, go to the "Previous Versions" tab.
4. Choose a previous version of the folder that contained the deleted files.
5. Click on the "Restore" button to recover the files to their original location on the USB drive.

use previous versions to recover usb data without software

use temp files to recover usb data without software

Way 3. Check for Temporary Files

Sometimes, temporary copies of files are created and stored on the USB drive. These temporary files might provide an opportunity to recover deleted files from USB without software. By searching for files with specific extensions, you can identify temporary copies and potentially restore your deleted data.

1. Connect the USB drive to your computer.
2. Open the USB drive in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac).
3. Look for files with extensions like ".TMP" or ".Bak" on the USB drive.
4. These temporary files often have names similar to the deleted files.
5. Select any files that match the criteria and rename them by removing the ".TMP" or ".Bak" extension.
6. Attempt to open the renamed files using the associated application (e.g., a Word document with ".docx" extension can be opened with Microsoft Word). If the renamed files open successfully, you have likely recovered the deleted files.

Note: These methods may not guarantee a successful recovery, and professional USB recovery software is generally more reliable. Remember
to stop using the USB drive immediately after data loss to avoid overwriting the deleted files.

Consult a Professional Data Recovery Service if All the Above Methods Failed

In the unfortunate event that none of the above USB data recovery methods prove successful, it may be necessary to seek the expertise of a professional data recovery service. These specialized experts possess the knowledge and tools required to handle complex data loss scenarios. Here is a guidance for selecting the right service to retrieve your valuable files from a flash drive.

Step 1: Research and compile a list

Start by researching reputable data recovery service providers that specialize in USB data recovery. Look for companies with a proven track record and positive customer reviews.

Step 2: Assess expertise and experience

Evaluate the expertise and experience of each data recovery service. Check if they have specific knowledge and success in recovering data from USB drives. Look for certifications or affiliations that demonstrate their expertise in data recovery.

Step 3: Check for cleanroom facilities

USB data recovery often requires specialized cleanroom facilities to handle delicate hardware components. Ensure that the data recovery service has a certified cleanroom environment to perform the necessary procedures safely.

Step 4: Consider security and confidentiality

Data privacy is paramount when choosing a data recovery service. Ensure the company follows strict security protocols and maintains confidentiality throughout the recovery process. Look for certifications such as ISO 27001 to ensure adherence to industry standards.

Step 5: Inquire about the recovery process

Contact the data recovery services on your list and ask about their recovery process. Seek information on the techniques, tools, and methods they use to recover data from USB drives. A transparent and detailed explanation of their process is a positive sign.

Step 6: Request a quote and turnaround time

Contact the shortlisted services and request a quote for your specific USB data recovery needs. Inquire about the estimated turnaround time for the recovery process. Compare pricing and timeframes among different providers.

Step 7: Verify data recovery success rates

Ask the data recovery services about their success rates for USB data recovery. While they may not provide specific percentages, a reputable service should give you an idea of their track record in successfully recovering data from USB drives.

Step 8: Consider customer support and after-recovery services

Assess the level of customer support provided by each data recovery service. Inquire about any after-recovery services they offer, such as data transfer or assistance with accessing the recovered files.

Step 9: Make an informed decision

Evaluate all the gathered information, including expertise, security measures, pricing, success rates, and customer support. Choose the data recovery service that aligns best with your requirements and inspires confidence in their ability to recover your USB data effectively.

Note: If data recovery software fails, professional data recovery services may be necessary. However, they have drawbacks: they can be time-
consuming and expensive. These services require thorough analysis, it could take days or even weeks to retrieve your data. Additionally,
specialized tools and expertise contribute to higher costs. Consider the importance of the data and weigh the cost and time factors before opting
for professional assistance.

Protect Your Precious Data:
Preventive Measures to Avoid USB Data Loss Again

Data loss can be a frustrating experience, especially when it happens to important files stored on a USB flash drive. Fortunately, by taking proactive measures, you can minimize the risk of USB flash drive data loss and ensure the security of your files. In this article, we will share essential tips to help you avoid data loss and maintain the integrity of your flash drive.

Regularly Back Up Your Data

One of the most effective ways to prevent data loss is to create regular backups of your flash drive. By regularly copying your files to another storage medium, such as a computer, external hard drive, or cloud storage, you can ensure that even if your USB device becomes inaccessible or gets damaged, you still have a copy of your important data.

Tip 1

Eject Safely

Always practice safe removal of your USB flash drive from the computer or device. Use the "Safely Remove Hardware" or "Eject" option provided by the operating system to ensure that all data transfers are complete and the drive is ready for safe removal. This helps prevent data corruption or loss that can occur when the drive is disconnected abruptly.

Tip 2

Protect Against Physical Damage

USB flash drives are compact and portable, but they can also be fragile. To avoid physical damage that can lead to data loss, handle your USB drive with care. Avoid exposing it to extreme temperatures, moisture, or physical impact. Use protective cases or covers to shield the drive from potential harm.

Tip 3

Scan for Malware

Before transferring files to your USB stick, make it a habit to scan them with reliable antivirus software. Malware-infected files can corrupt data on the drive and compromise the security of other devices it connects to. Regularly update your antivirus software to ensure optimal protection.

Tip 4

Avoid Overloading the Drive

USB flash drives have limited storage capacities. Avoid overloading the drive with files and ensure it has sufficient free space. Running out of storage can lead to data corruption or loss. Consider using larger capacity drives or transferring older files to other storage solutions to free up space.

Tip 5

Keep Firmware and Drivers Updated

Manufacturers often release firmware updates for USB flash drives to enhance performance and address potential vulnerabilities. Check the manufacturer's website for updates and ensure that your drive's firmware and drivers are up to date. This can help prevent compatibility issues and improve the overall reliability of the drive.

Tip 6