- Pandora
- The 7 Best Photo Recovery Software for Retrieving Lost Images
The 7 Best Photo Recovery Software for Retrieving Lost Images
Photos can bring back memories and remind us of the moments spent with those who are closest to us, which is why losing just a single important picture can feel utterly devastating – almost as if you lost the memory itself. The good news is that most lost or accidentally deleted photos can be recovered using photo recovery software, and we know which applications are the best.
Our complete ranking
05:54 • 69794 views
Key features analysis
Criteria We Used to Assess the Programs
These are the selection criteria we used when assessing the photo recovery software for Windows and Mac. Keep in mind that not all parameters carry equal weight, and we may have sacrificed some of them for the main one – the ability to recover data.
- Our review results
Our mission is to bring honesty into the data recovery software review niche by conducting in-depth data recovery software reviews that explore what available applications are truly capable of. We evaluate each software using a weighted average score on a 5-point scale, which forms the basis of our ratings. Of course, we base listicles such as this one on our test results to provide you, our dear readers, with the best solutions for your needs.
- Usability
We gave preference to software with a simple, modern, and intuitive interface because not everyone is a data recovery expert, and not everyone should become one just to recover lost data. An intuitive user interface can provide a seamless recovery experience by allowing users to, for example, preview recoverable photos, easily select a suitable recovery destination, and more.
- Recovery capabilities
A photo recovery software can be considered "best" only if it can recover all file formats commonly used by digital cameras, smartphones, and other photo-taking devices. This includes RAW photo files formats that are used to store information for the camera's sensor directly without any post-processing applied to it. In our tests, we focused on around 40 file signatures from the "photo and image" category, including key RAW formats such as CR2, NEF, DNG, and ARW, prioritizing software solutions that can deliver excellent recovery results when used to recover them.
- System compatibility
We focused on software that works natively on both Windows and Mac platforms and supports their latest and older versions alike. We also prioritized solutions updated every 6-12 months to maintain compatibility, as new versions of Windows and Mac are released regularly.
- File system support
Another crucial evaluation parameter we took into consideration is the ability of the software to recognize different file systems and recover original file names and folder structures. This can make a huge difference when recovering a large number of files because it greatly simplifies their subsequent organization.
- Scan speed
We prioritized photo recovery tools with efficient scanning performance. This often-overlooked factor can make a huge difference when recovering large amounts of photos from high-capacity memory cards, internal and external drives, and other storage devices.
- Extra features
There are several extra features we looked for because they can make a huge difference when recovering photos. These include byte-to-byte backup capabilities to turn a damaged storage device into a disk image or the ability to work with storage devices that have suffered a file system damage.
- Price
Knowing how precious and irreplaceable photos can be, we focused on tools that deliver the best value for money possible. We tried to include as many free software and software with generous trial periods as possible, but still prioritized the price-to-quality ratio.
Top 7 Best Photo Recovery Software
#Now that you know our criteria, it’s time to take a closer look at the top 7 best photo recovery software for Windows and Mac!
1. Disk Drill
Impressive photo data retrieval results
4.54 • Best choice for Windows users – The Windows version of Disk Drill empowers regular users to reliably recover all kinds of lost data with a few simple clicks.
macOS Windows
Freemium Some features are provided free of charge, but money is required to unlock the rest
Recover up to 500 MB for free
$89...$598
Disk Drill is a popular photo recovery software application for Windows and macOS. It has been downloaded more than 10 million times by home users and professionals alike, who like its powerful undelete capabilities and one-click approach to recovery, among many other things. With Disk Drill, you can recover all popular image file formats, as well as image file formats you’ve probably never heard of.
-
Intuitive. Approachable design for users of any skill level.
-
Great usability. Real-time scanning process with organized results.
-
Results filtering. Advanced filters and multiple view options.
-
File preview capabilities. Direct preview and recovery of common photo formats within the interface.
-
Top performance. High recovery performance of 91% out of 100% in tests.
-
Limited Windows version. The free Windows version has a 500 MB data recovery limit, which may not be sufficient for all users.
2. PhotoRec
Open-source software
3.37 • Intimidating but rewarding at the same time – PhotoRec for Windows offers unbeatable value, but you need to overcome a steep learning curve to unlock it.
macOS Windows Linux
Free All features are provided free of charge, and the software can be used, studied, and modified without restriction
Metadata recovery
Free
PhotoRec is the best free deleted photo recovery software distributed under GNU General Public License (GPLV v2+). Being primarily a command-line application, it can easily scare away less computer-savvy users, but an optional GUI for Windows is available.
-
Optional GUI. Optional graphical user interface is available for Windows users.
-
Portable. Portable software that allows for launching without installation.
-
Low requirements. Lightweight and capable of running on low-end computers.
-
File format support. Supports over 480 file extensions and multiple file systems across Windows, macOS, and Linux.
-
Free and open-source. PhotoRec is completely free and open-source, without any limits on recovery.
-
Poor GUI. The GUI may slow down during scanning, and selecting the device to scan can be challenging.
-
Signature selection. Requires manual selection of all signatures for optimal recovery performance, which may be tedious for some users.
3. DiskDigger
3.37 • Simple and cheap, but with mediocre results – DiskDigger is a budget-friendly data recovery solution for those who aren’t looking for a tool that has all the bells and whistles.
macOS Windows Linux Android
Freemium Some features are provided free of charge, but money is required to unlock the rest
5-second delay after each recovered file
$0...$14.99
DiskDigger is a portable, lightweight photo recovery software with a decent signature scanner, though its interface has issues on high DPI monitors. It offers free recovery with some limitations and supports quick and signature scans, providing a cost-effective solution for users looking to recover lost photos.
-
Portable. No installation required, easy to transfer and use on the go.
-
Signature scanner. Decent signature scanner for file recovery.
-
Raw image formats. Supports most file formats, including raw images.
-
Free recovery. Offers a free license with unlimited photo recovery (with a 5-second delay).
-
UI scaling issues. Doesn’t work well on high DPI monitors, resulting in a blurry interface.
-
Limited recovery performance. Subpar quick scan results with both Windows and Linux partitions.
-
Can preview only some files. A small number of photo file formats is supported by the preview feature.
4. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
3.81 • Popular for its trial recovery capabilities – Easy to use and capable of delivering solid results, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is good at what it does.
macOS Windows
Freemium Some features are provided free of charge, but money is required to unlock the rest
Recover up to 2 GB for free
$69.95...$499
Since 2004, EaseUS has been offering a broad range of software tools intended to help users manage their data, including EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, a complete data restoration solution for Windows computers.
-
Great usability. Intuitive interface that’s easy to navigate.
-
Fast scanning results. The application can quickly generate a list of recoverable files.
-
Supports common file formats. Reliably recovers commonly used file formats from Windows-supported file systems.
-
Free recovery. The free version is generous, allowing up to 2 GB of data recovery.
-
Pop-up ads. There are pop-up ads that ruin the otherwise great user experience.
-
FAT32 and exFAT support. Struggles with FAT32 and exFAT scanning, causing issues with folder structures, small files, and directories.
-
Expensive licenses. Steep pricing for monthly subscriptions and lifetime upgrades.
5. Stellar Data Recovery
Decent recovery results
3.31 • Frequently recommended – Stellar Data Recovery is a good example of data recovery software that doesn’t to anything exceptionally wrong nor exceptionally right.
macOS Windows
Freemium Some features are provided free of charge, but money is required to unlock the rest
Recover up to 1 GB for free
$49.99...$599
Previously known as Stellar Phoenix Photo Recovery, Stellar Data Recovery is an accessible photo recovery software with the ability to repair photos and videos. Its free version offers 1 GB of data recovery, but upgrading to a subscription plan can be costly.
-
Easy-to-use interface. Suitable for users of all skill levels.
-
Repair of photos and videos. The software can repair photos and videos that would otherwise be impossible to open.
-
Free recovery. You can use the free version to recover up to 1 GB of data.
-
Lackluster preview feature Slow preview generation speed and limited preview capabilities.
-
Disappointing performance Many unsupported raw file formats are unsupported and recovery capabilities are limited.
-
Poor value Costly subscription plans and expensive lifetime upgrades.
6. Wondershare Recoverit
3.43 • Can it really recover it? – Wondershare Recoverit comes with an intuitive user interface, but subpar recovery capabilities that struggle to deliver.
Windows macOS
Freemium Some features are provided free of charge, but money is required to unlock the rest
Recover up to 100 MB for free
$59.99...$449.96
This easy to use software offers multiple scanning modes to tackle all kinds of photo loss scenarios. While it does well with some raw photo files, many formats remain unsupported. Also, its pricing structure doesn’t offer the best value for users.
-
Modern interface. The application is easy to use and pleasant to look at.
-
Preview capabilities. Recoverit allows users to scale and flip images before recovery.
-
Poor recovery performance. Struggles to find common file formats despite claiming support for 1000 file signatures.
-
Raw photos. Many unsupported raw photo file formats.
-
Hidden trial version. It’s not immediately obvious how to download the free trial version.
7. Recuva
Popular among Windows users
3.04 • Good for basic data recovery jobs – Despite its age and lack of development, Recuva is still worth taking a look at—if only because it recovers an unlimited amount of data for free.
Windows
Freeware All features are provided free of charge without any limitations
None
$0...$34.95
Recuva is a free photo recovery software tool from the developers of CCleaner. It features a similar user interface, so all CCleaner users should feel right at home. Due to lackluster development, its performance is limited.
-
Completely free. Allows for unlimited file scanning and restoration.
-
Two modes. Recuva offers two operating modes (simple and advanced) for users with different expertise levels.
-
Poor scan results. Limited recovery performance, scoring only 31% in tests.
-
Lost metadata. Struggles with restoring folder structures and file names, leading to disorganized recovered data.
-
Missing file formats. Difficulty recovering many image file types, including DNG and 3FR files.
-
Limited preview options. This makes it challenging to choose the correct pictures for recovery.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for the best photo recovery software application for Windows or macOS, Disk Drill, PhotoRec, and DiskDigger are all excellent choices. Disk Drill is known for its straightforward user interface and one-click approach to image restoration, making it easy for amateurs and professionals alike to recover all lost or accidentally deleted photos from hard drives, memory cards, USB flash drives, and other storage devices. PhotoRec offers powerful signature scanning capabilities and is a great option for those seeking a free, open-source solution. DiskDigger provides a simple interface and reliable recovery performance, making it another viable alternative for photo recovery.
Was the provided information useful? Your vote is important to use!
Is It Possible to Recover Files from a Device's Internal Memory?
If you’re wondering whether it’s possible to recover files from a camera’s internal memory, the answer is a bit complicated. Most modern devices, including cameras, use the Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) for data transfer. Unfortunately, MTP doesn’t allow for scanning the internal memory of the device or accessing the SD card as a card reader. In other words, it’s not possible to recover data from the internal memory of cameras that rely on this protocol.
In the case of smartphones, the situation is more nuanced. They come equipped with their own TRIM function, similar to that found in SSDs (Solid State Drives). The TRIM function helps maintain optimal performance by cleaning up deleted files and preventing fragmentation. While this feature can reduce the chances of successful data recovery from internal memory, it’s important to note that there is still hope. Thumbnails, cached versions of files, or other duplicates can sometimes be found by scanning, and some data recovery software might be able to retrieve these. So, even though the odds may not always be in your favor, it’s definitely worth giving data recovery software a try—you might just get lucky!
Comparison table
#The comparison table below provides an overview of all data recovery software applications that have made our list.
| Feature | Disk Drill | PhotoRec | DiskDigger | EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard | Stellar Data Recovery | Wondershare Recoverit | Recuva |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Score Free Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque. | 100% | 73% | 74% | 84% | 73% | 76% | 67% |
| Requirements | Windows 10-11 (x64 only) | macOS 10.6-12.0 | Windows Vista-11 | Windows 7-11 | macOS 10.11-13.0 | Windows 7-11 (x64 only) | Windows XP-10, 11 (unofficial support) |
| Clever in-depth scan | |||||||
| Quick scan | |||||||
| Distributed as | Freemium | Free | Freemium | Freemium | Freemium | Freemium | Freeware |
| Trial version available | |||||||
| Trial version limitations | Recover up to 500 MB for free | Freeware. No limits | 5-second delay after each recovered file | Recover up to 2 GB for free | Recover up to 1 GB for free | Recover up to 100 MB for free | Freeware. No limits |
| Starting price | $89.00 / Perpetual | Free | Free | $69.95 / 1 month | $69.99 / 1 year | $59.99 / 1 month | Free |
| See Plans & Pricing | Pricing details | Pricing details | Pricing details | Pricing details | Pricing details | Pricing details | Pricing details |
| Raw photo recovery | |||||||
| Video formats recovery | |||||||
| Document formats recovery | |||||||
| S.M.A.R.T. | |||||||
| Helpdesk support | |||||||
| Live chat | |||||||
| Phone support |
Frequently Asked Questions
If you don’t want to use photo recovery software to recover lost images from your SD card, then we recommend you try the following methods instead:
- check the Recycle Bin/Trash
- check “recently deleted” albums
- check cloud storage
- check if there are hidden files or folders
Here are the top 7 best photo recover software applications for SD cards:
- Disk Drill
- PhotoRec
- DiskDigger
- EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
- Stellar Data Recovery
- Wondershare Recoverit
- Recuva
The best free photo recovery software capable of recovering an unlimited amount of data is PhotoRec, followed by Recuva (Windows only).
Permanently deleted photos can be recovered if the location where they were stored is accessible and overwriting hasn’t occurred yet. For example, images accidentally deleted when performing file management tasks using File Explorer or Finder can usually be recovered using photo recovery software.
There are several photo recovery software solutions that all PC users should consider when dealing with a photo-related data loss scenario. Our top picks include Disk Drill, PhotoRec, and DiskDigger.
Unfortunately, there are not many photo recovery software solutions that run natively on Android, but there is DiskDigger, which can recover lost photos, images, or videos from your internal memory or external memory card.
David Morelo is a professional content writer with a specialization in data recovery. He spends his days helping users from around the world recover from data loss and address the numerous issues associated with it.
When not writing about data recovery techniques and solutions, he enjoys tinkering with new technology, working on personal projects, exploring the world on his bike, and, above all else, spending time with his family.
- Cisdem Data Recovery for Mac Review – A Clone in Disguise
- Tenorshare 4DDiG Review – All That Glitters Is Not Gold
- TestDisk Review – Can This Repair Tool Recover Lost Files?
- Windows File Recovery Review – Internal Project Made Public
- Wondershare Recoverit for Mac Review – Is It Really Wonderful?
Frisco, Texas, United States
Yevgeniy Tolkunov is Hardware Engineer at ACE Data Recovery. Yevgeniy has a Master's Degree in Physics, Information Technology; 15+ years of experience.