Best Data Recovery Software for PC and Android (2026)

By Rohan Jaspal • November 5, 2026 • Updated November 5, 2026

Deleted the wrong folder? Formatted a drive by mistake? Lost photos after a phone reset? Don’t panic — and don’t keep using that drive or phone. Every new file you save can overwrite the very data you’re trying to get back. That’s the first rule of recovery, and it matters more than which tool you pick.

So which tool should you pick? We’ve compared the best data recovery software for PC and Android in 2026 — three desktop programs and three Android options — with real prices, free limits, and honest limits. No tool can bring back everything, and this guide says so where it counts.

Best Data Recovery Software for PC

On a PC, recovery works well. Deleted files usually stay on the drive until something overwrites them, so a good scanner can often find them — even after a format. Here are the three programs reviewers rate highest.

1. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard — Best for Most People

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is TechRadar’s Editor’s Choice, and it’s easy to see why. The wizard-style walkthrough asks what you lost and where, then scans hard drives, SSDs, USB sticks, and memory cards for more than 1,000 file types. It handles deleted files, formatted drives, lost partitions, and crash-damaged systems.

The free version recovers up to 2 GB, which covers a lot of everyday accidents. If you need more, the Pro plan starts at $69.95 per month, with yearly ($99.95) and lifetime ($149.95) options. Scan first, preview what it finds, and only pay if your files are actually there.

Download: EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard (official site)

2. Stellar Data Recovery — Best for Advanced Users

Stellar Data Recovery is the pick for trickier jobs. It offers deep scans, disk imaging (so you can scan a copy instead of a failing drive), and encrypted-drive scanning, and Stellar cites 4.5-star ratings from both TechRadar and PCMag. The interface stays friendly even with those pro options under the hood.

The free edition recovers up to 1 GB. The Standard plan, with unlimited recovery, starts at $59.99 per year. Higher tiers add crashed-system recovery and repair for damaged photos and videos — handy when a recovered file won’t open.

Download: Stellar Data Recovery (official site)

3. Disk Drill — Best for Preview-First Recovery

Disk Drill, from Cleverfiles, is rated 4.0 out of 5 by both PCMag and TechRadar. Its strength is the preview: you scan, look at exactly what it found, and decide before spending anything. It also covers both Windows and macOS under one license, for up to three devices.

The catch is the free limit — the Windows free version recovers only 100 MB, so treat it as a trial. The PRO plan costs $89 per year or $149 for a lifetime license. If your missing files are on a camera card, Disk Drill’s camera-focused recovery is a nice bonus.

Download: Disk Drill (official site)

Setting up a fresh PC after a recovery scare? Our roundup of essential Windows apps for 2026 covers the tools worth installing first — including a proper backup app, so you need recovery software less often.

Best Data Recovery Apps for Android

Android is a different story, and you deserve the honest version. Since Android 10, the system walls off each app’s storage, so no ordinary Play Store app can deep-scan a phone’s internal memory without root access. On a non-rooted phone, on-device apps mostly recover cached thumbnails. Desktop tools that scan over USB, and PC tools for SD cards, reach much further. With that in mind, here are the three Android options worth your time.

4. Tenorshare UltData for Android — Best All-Round Android Recovery

Tenorshare UltData for Android tops several 2026 Android recovery roundups. It runs as a desktop program (Windows and Mac) and also offers an on-device app, and it claims support for more than 6,000 Android phones and tablets. It recovers photos, videos, contacts, messages, call history, and WhatsApp data from internal storage and SD cards, with a simple connect, scan, and recover flow.

A free scan shows what’s recoverable before you pay; paid plans start at $35.95 per month, with yearly and lifetime options. Prices vary by offer, so check the official page at checkout.

Download: Tenorshare UltData for Android (official site)

5. Dr.Fone Data Recovery (Android) — Best for WhatsApp and Broken Phones

Wondershare’s Dr.Fone is the guided option. The desktop tool walks you through recovery step by step, supports more than 6,000 Android devices, and covers photos, videos, contacts, messages, and documents — plus WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business data, Google Drive backup restore, and data from broken phones. If your phone’s screen is dead but the device still connects, that broken-phone mode is a real lifeline.

The free trial scans and previews files but won’t restore them. Paid plans for Data Recovery (Android) start at $34.95 per month, with a $39.95 yearly plan and a $49.95 perpetual license.

Download: Dr.Fone Data Recovery (official site)

Since WhatsApp chats are among the most-recovered items, keep WhatsApp for Android itself backed up to Google Drive — a backup restores chats in minutes, no recovery tool needed.

6. DiskDigger — Best Free On-Device Option

DiskDigger is the classic on-device Android recovery app, with more than 100 million downloads on Google Play. The free version recovers photos and videos straight from your phone — no computer needed — and you can send recovered files to Google Drive, Dropbox, or email.

Be clear-eyed about it, though. Its Play Store rating sits at 3.0 from over 518,000 reviews, and without root, its basic scan mainly finds cached copies and thumbnails — fine for a recently deleted photo, not for deep recovery. The Pro version ($14.99) adds other file types and SFTP upload, but full internal-storage scans still need a rooted phone. If your files were on a microSD card, pull the card out and scan it with a PC tool like the ones above instead — cards recover far better than phone storage.

Download: DiskDigger (official site)

How to Choose the Right Tool

Stop using the drive or phone right now. New data overwrites deleted files, and once overwritten, they’re gone for good.
PC drive or USB stick? Any of the three PC tools will do — start with the free scan and pick the one that finds your files.
Android phone, no root? Use a desktop tool like UltData or Dr.Fone, or restore from a backup first. On-device apps only go so far.
Files on a microSD card? Scan the card from a PC. It’s the most reliable Android recovery route there is.
Never pay before previewing. Every tool here lets you scan and preview first. If it can’t find your files, don’t buy it.
After you recover, back up. A file manager like CX File Explorer plus a cloud backup means next time, you restore instead of rescue.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can data recovery software bring back everything?

No. If new data has overwritten the old files, if the drive is physically dead, or if a phone’s encrypted storage has been wiped, no software can reverse that. Recovery tools work best when you act fast and stop using the device at once.

Do I need root access for Android data recovery?

For a full scan of internal storage, yes. Without root, on-device apps can mostly recover cached photos and thumbnails. Desktop tools that scan over USB reach further, and SD-card data is best recovered by scanning the card from a PC.

Is free data recovery software safe?

Yes, if you download it from the official site — every link above goes to the maker’s own page. Free tiers are real but limited: EaseUS gives 2 GB, Stellar gives 1 GB, and Disk Drill gives 100 MB on Windows. Watch out for lookalike download sites, which are a common source of bundled junk.

One last thought: the best recovery is the one you never need. Turn on cloud backup for your photos and chats today, and a deleted file becomes a two-minute restore instead of a rescue mission.