I formatted my disk and need to recover files: best programs

It’s a situation we all hope we’ll never have to face: discovering that an important disk has been formatted and that you need to get the files back.

After a format, the files can often still be recovered as long as nothing new is written. If they matter, see Bot’s hard drive and external drive recovery, which starts with a free diagnosis.

Perhaps the drive was formatted by accident, or before you realized you still needed the files on it.

Or perhaps you formatted it to change the file system, something went wrong and now your data is inaccessible.

Is it possible to recover files from a formatted disk?

In many cases, yes, with a reliable hard drive recovery program or a professional recovery service.

That’s because a quick format doesn’t actually erase the data itself; it only creates a new, empty file system on top of it. (A full format in Windows Vista and later overwrites the drive with zeros, and formatting an SSD with TRIM enabled also wipes the data, so in those cases recovery is usually no longer possible.)

The data stays on the disk until new data is written to the space that is now marked as free.

So yes, after a quick format you can usually recover data from the disk.

How do you recover files from a formatted disk?

Here are the 7 steps you need to follow to recover files from a formatted disk.

1 – Don’t despair

Once you realize you’ve formatted your disk and need your files back, the first step is not to panic.

After all, as we’ve explained, a quick format doesn’t erase your data. The operating system simply marks the space where the files were stored as free, and therefore available for new data.

In short: after a quick format, your files are still physically on the disk, but they are no longer visible.

2 – Don’t write anything to the formatted disk

Although your files weren’t erased when you formatted the disk, they can still be lost if you save new files to the space where they were stored.

If that happens, the original data will be lost for good.

So stop using the formatted disk and don’t save, install or copy anything to it.

3 – Use data recovery software

To recover data lost after formatting your disk, you need specialized software.

The program performs a full scan of your disk, looking for the data that was there before the format.

It then copies the files it finds to a safe location where you can access them.

It’s important not to install the program on the same disk as the files you want to recover.

Otherwise, the installation itself could overwrite the data and make it impossible to recover.

Programs to recover files from a formatted disk

If you’ve formatted your disk and need your files back, several programs can help, such as:

To find out more about each of these recovery programs, with their pros and cons, read this article.

But remember: most of these programs only let you fully recover the files from a formatted disk with the paid version.

They also require some technical knowledge. So if you’re new to this, they may not work, or you may even make the situation worse.

4 – Choose where you want to save the recovered files

Whatever program you choose, you’ll need somewhere to save the files you recover.

So, after running the program as an administrator, choose the drive where you want the recovered files to be saved. It must be a different drive from the formatted one.

When choosing that drive, take into account the size of the data you want to recover, and have another device at hand in case you need more space.

5 – Set up the scan

Next, set up the scan that will search for your lost files. You can usually choose which types of file you want to recover (images, music, all data, etc.).

You also need to select the device or partition where the data you want to recover was stored.

At this point, be as specific as possible: choose exactly the drive or partition that was formatted.

Once that’s done, the program will start scanning.

6 – Analyze what you have found

When the scan is complete, preview the files to make sure they are intact.

Remember that not every file can be fully recovered: some may only be partially recovered, and others not at all.

If a file is damaged, it may need a second recovery attempt, ideally by a specialized recovery service.

7 – Recover the files

Once you’ve checked the files, select them and save them to a different drive from the original one.

This avoids overwriting data that hasn’t been recovered yet and damaging it permanently.

File recovery can take a while, depending on the size and condition of the disk and the amount of data.

Didn’t find what you were looking for or do you prefer not to take any risks?

When you’ve formatted your disk and need your files back, a recovery program can be very useful, but it isn’t always the safest option.

After all, you need a certain amount of technical knowledge to use recovery software correctly.

Otherwise, you could make the situation worse and lose any chance of recovering your data.

So, if you don’t want to take any risks, the best option is to rely on a specialized service to recover your files after formatting your disk.

How much does it cost to recover files from a formatted disk?

The cost of recovering files from a formatted disk depends on the condition of the disk, among other factors, so it needs to be analyzed first.

At Bot, the standard diagnosis is free and comes with a no-obligation quote. We also offer free collection of your device (islands not included).

To request your quote, just follow this link: it only takes a moment!

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Conclusion

As long as you don’t overwrite the data on your formatted disk, there’s a good chance you can recover your files.

To do this, you’ll need recovery software. There are many options, but most keep their most complete features for the paid versions.

These programs also require some technical knowledge, and a mistake can cause irreversible data loss.

That’s why it’s best to rely on a specialized service that recovers your data effectively and safely.

Like the one we provide: we at Bot recover data from internal and external disks, mobile phones, SSDs, USB flash drives and other devices.

We recover data with quality and security, with a 96% success rate.

Count on us to recover the data from your disk and join the more than 200,000 cases we have handled.

About the author

Filipe BragaGestor de laboratório · Laboratório Bot

Filipe Braga is an engineer and runs the Bot lab. He works on the most complex data recovery cases, mainly RAID systems and servers, where every drive counts and the order of steps matters. Day to day, he organises the bench work so that each device follows the right procedure. On the blog, he writes about RAID and difficult cases. Outside the lab, he enjoys cycling and a good wine.

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