Stellar Data Recovery for Windows Review – A Hard Sell

3.38

Out of 5 Total Score

No. 11 Among all Windows solutions

Price range $59.99...$599 • Stellar Data Recovery Inc. • Windows

Last update:

Stellar Data Recovery for Windows is among the most frequently recommended data recovery software applications for Windows. But as this review reveals, recommendations should always be taken with a grain of salt because they can be seriously misleading. 

Stellar Data Recovery for Windows – Gallery

Main Pros and Cons of Stellar Data Recovery

PROS

  • Support. Customer support is responsive and willing to solve issues over TeamViewer.
  • Repair of photos and videos. The software can repair photos and videos that otherwise wouldn't be possible to open even after being recovered.
  • S.M.A.R.T. Stellar Data Recovery can read S.M.A.R.T. data of internal storage devices.
  • Preview in safe mode. There is an option that allows you to view file previews in safe mode to prevent crashes when opening corrupted data.
  • Backup creation. When creating a byte-to-byte copy of the disk, it's possible to specify the range of data to be backed up.
  • Custom file signatures. New file signatures can be manually added using sample files.
  • Scan settings. It's possible to configure which file signatures the software should look for.
  • Scanning for bad sectors. The program has an option that allows you to scan the surface of the disk for bad sectors.
  • Disk cloning. You can use the software to create exact copies of storage devices.
  • Scanning speed. The speed of reading data from the media is very fast, but the analysis of the received data is slow.
  • Scan screen. The screen used to display scanning progress is well-designed and informative.

CONS

  • Updates in the free version. The free version of Stellar Data Recovery doesn't check for updates.
  • Lost license information. The entered license information becomes lost with every update and must be entered again.
  • Slow previews. The preview feature is slow, with individual previews of recoverable files taking a long time to generate.
  • Preview limits. The preview feature only works for files up to 100 MB and for limited types.
  • Scanning speed. Stellar Data Recovery is able to scan a storage device relatively quickly, but it then takes a long time to process the scan results.
  • Recovery speed. It takes the software a long time to recover selected files.
  • No real-time recovery. During a scan, the user can't view and restore found files.
  • Disks without a file system. It's not possible to scan storage devices that don't have a file system. Such storage devices have to be formatted first, which increases data loss chances.
  • Crashes during scanning. The software failed to scan our test drives to recover the original folder structure and file names, soft failing (crashing) every time.
  • Sessiong management. Previous sessions are not conveniently displayed and take some time to find.
  • Signatures. The software isn't able to recognize many signatures (118).
  • Additional features. The few additional features supported by the software are not easy to find.
  • Ability to scan the entire disk. The program doesn't allow you to scan the entire disk if it has partitions on it. You only need to scan each partition individually.
  • Search for lost partitions. The software doesn't look for lost partitions by default. Instead, you have to begin a partition scan manually.
  • Recovery performance. Considering how much Stellar Data Recovery costs, the overall recovery performance is poor.
  • Changelog. The official website doesn't provide a complete changelog that includes all previous updates.
  • Auto scan resume. If something interrupts the scan process, the application doesn't notify the user in any way.
  • Bad sectors. If the disk has a bad sector, the application doesn't report this, but, instead, continues scanning, which is an unsafe thing to do.
  • Hex view. It's not possible to view the hexadecimal form of recoverable files.
  • Language support. The app is only translated into 6 languages.
  • Fullscreen mode. It's not possible to enter fullscreen mode.
  • Lack of feedback. Stellar Data Recovery doesn't provide any feedback at the end of the recovery process.
  • File browser. The built-in file browser, which is used to display recoverable files, is slow and unresponsive.
  • File view modes. It's not possible to choose between different file view modes.

Stellar Data Recovery Summary

👍 Worth a try

Stellar Data Recovery for Windows is a tool that seems promising at first glance, especially with its user-friendly interface and decent compatibility with various file types and devices. It’s easy to navigate, even for those who aren’t tech-savvy, and the scan speeds are commendable. The free trial is a nice touch, allowing users to test the waters before committing financially.

However, the picture isn’t all rosy. Stellar shines in some aspects, like its responsive customer support, which is willing to go the extra mile by offering help through TeamViewer. The software is also adept at repairing photos and videos that might seem beyond recovery.

But, when you start to dig deeper, some cracks appear. Although it’s quick to scan, the software tends to slow down considerably when processing the results. The occasional crashes during scanning can be frustrating, and the software’s limitations in recognizing various file signatures are notable. The paid version of the software can be a hard pill to swallow budget-wise, especially considering the performance issues. 

TitleResult
Compatibility Good
Recovery Rate Good
Usability Good
File Type Support Good
Scan Speed Excellent
Free Trial Yes
Starting Price $59.99 / 1 year
Money-Back Guarantee Yes

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Stellar Information Technology Pvt. Ltd.

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Best choice for Windows users

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What Is Stellar Data Recovery?

 #

The data recovery software we’re reviewing today is a widely recognized name in its niche. That’s in part because it has been around for nearly three decades now, but its age alone doesn’t tell the full story. Here’s a concise overview of Stellar Data Recovery for Windows to help you understand today’s test subject and the company behind it. 

Stellar Data Recovery Factsheet

RequirementsWindows 7-11
Latest version 11.0.0.5 • Released 15th Nov, 2023
Download size300 MB
CategoryData Recovery Software
UI languagesEnglish, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Dutch

Sibling version

Stellar Data Recovery for macOS

3.31

In addition to Windows, Stellar Data Recovery is also available for macOS, offering pretty much identical performance and user experience. Read full review

No. 7 Among all macOS solutions

Stellar Data Recovery Logo

How Much Does Stellar Data Recovery Cost?

Distributed as Freemium Some features are provided free of charge, but money is required to unlock the rest
Trial version availableTrial version available
Trial version limitations

With trial version you can:

  • Recover up to 1 GB lost or deleted data on Windows, absolutely free
Paid plans
  • Standard
  • Professional
  • Premium
  • Technician
  • Toolkit
Price range $59.99...$599.00
License model Subscription + Lifetime
No credit card to tryNo credit card to try
Money back guaranteeMoney back guarantee

We always appreciate when data recovery software makes it possible recover some data for free because it gives users a welcome opportunity to painlessly evaluate its capabilities on their own. Stellar Data Recovery for Windows shines in this regards, with the free version recovering up to 1 GB of data. Unfortunately, going beyond this limit can be expensive because the software relies on subscription plans, with lifetime upgrades being a rather expensive extra option.

All Stellar Data Recovery Pricing Options

11 Year License $59.99
2LifeTime License $99.00
3Details
  • Recovers Deleted Photos, Videos, and other Critical Files
  • Recovery from Formatted Systems
  • Recovers from Any Storage Media
  • Recovers Data from NTFS, exFAT, FAT(FAT16/FAT32)
  • BitLocker Data Recovery
11 Year License $89.99
2LifeTime License $149.00
3Details

Everything in Stellar Standard Data Recovery plus:

  • Recovers Files from Lost Partition
  • Supports Unbootable System Recovery
  • Optical Media Recovery (CD,DVD, HDDVD, Blu-Ray Disc)
  • Creates Disk Image
  • Monitors Hard Drive Health (SMART) & HDD Cloning
11 Year License $99.99
2LifeTime License $199.00
3Details

Everything in Stellar Professional Data Recovery plus:

  • Repairs Corrupt or Distorted Videos
  • Repairs Corrupt or Distorted Photos
  • Repair Multiple Videos or Photos simultaneously
  • Extracts Thumbnails of Images
11 Year Subscription $199.00
23 Year Subscription $399.00
3Details

Everything in Stellar Premium Data Recovery plus:

  • RAID 0, 5 & 6 Data Recovery
  • Supports Creation of Virtual RAID
11 Year Subscription $299.00
23 Year Subscription $599.00
3Details

Everything in Stellar Technician Data Recovery plus:

  • Virtual Drive Recovery
  • Recovers Data from Linux and Mac Drives (HFS, HFS+, ext2, ext3, ext4)

Discounts and coupons

DiscountDescriptionLink
-15%
Stellar Data Recovery 15% Discount

Coupon code - ColormangoStellar15.

Get the Deal
Have you found a better discount coupon and would like to share it with our readers? Then don’t hesitate to get in touch with us, and we’ll update this section promptly.

Developer — Stellar Information Technology Pvt. Ltd.

Stellar Information Technology Pvt. Ltd. was founded in 1993. The company is based in India, and it specializes in the development of software applications across multiple niches, including data recovery and file repair. 

3% 147.3% than avg

Online market share

Reflects the share of online traffic within the niche occupied by data recovery software, based on data taken from ahrefs.com (from Google US search engine).

19000 589.9% than avg

Brand name popularity

Based on the number of brand-related search queries on Google US according to ahrefs.com.

Since its inception, Stellar has successfully expanded its presence to the United States and Europe. The company has served millions of customers from most countries around the world, and it has established a strong online presence through its ongoing marketing effort. 

Developer website stellarinfo.com
Support email support@stellarinfo.com
Founded

1993 • 31 years on the market

HQ location

D16, Sector-33, Infocity Phase II, Gurugram-122001, India

Phone +1-732-584-2700
Social media LinkedIn YouTube

Stellar is active on social media sites like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Despite being based in India, it provides customer support to international customers through multiple channels, and it also maintains a comprehensive knowledge base where most commonly encountered issues are explained in great detail. 

How to Use Stellar Data Recovery

Tested on: Windows 11 (version 21H2)

The best data recovery software applications make it straightforward to recover lost files from any supported storage device. Is Stellar Data Recovery for Windows among them? Let’s find out.

Step 1

Installation

We experienced no issues during the installation of Stellar Data Recovery for Windows on our test machine. 

A free version of the software can be downloaded from the official website, and the installation process itself consists of a few simple steps, each of which is explained well. 

It's great that even the free version doesn't come bundled with promotional software or adware, a practice that has sadly become common in the software industry. 

Step 2

Source selection

Before you can begin scanning, Stellar Data Recovery for Windows requires you to go through two steps.

First, you need to select what you want to recover. All checkboxes all ticked by default, but you can manually narrow down scanning to just documents, emails, or multimedia files, for example. 

Next in order is the selection of the storage device you want to scan. In addition to connected drives, you can select a specific folder or recover from a disk image. Don't miss the Deep Scan button in the bottom-left corner if you want to recover as many files as possible.

Step 3

Scanning process

When you begin scanning by clicking the Scan button, Stellar Data Recovery for Windows displays a comprehensive scan progress screen to tell you which file is being scanned, how much time is left, and which scanning phase is currently in progress. 

Once finished, the software will automatically take you to its scan results browser window, where you can go through all recoverable files and preview some of them. 

Step 4

Managing found files

The scan results browser is basic, but it gets the job done. The pane on the left is divided into three separate tabs. The first tab lets you sort the scan results by file tap, the second tab is dedicated to a tree view, and the third tab displays only deleted and RAW files. 

The pane on the right provides basic information about individual files, such as their file sizes, creation dates, and modification dates. 

When you select a supported file format (such as an image), a preview of the file becomes visible above the right pane. You can manually turn off the preview feature for a small but noticeable performance boost.

Step 5

Recovery and post-processing

Selecting files for recovery can be done simply by clicking the checkbox next to each file you want to add to your recovery queue. Stellar Data Recovery for Windows will tell you how many files you have in your queue and what their total size is.

To recover all selected files in one go, you need to click the Recover button. The free version can recover up to 1 GB for free. To recover more, you must purchase a license and enter your activation key. Regardless of whether you use the free or paid version of the software, the only step separating you from your lost data is the selection of a recovery destination. 

Before you exit the application, you can choose to save the scan session for later. This allows you to skip the scan process and start with the selection of recoverable files. 

Is Stellar Data Recovery Safe?

94%

Avg score Stellar Data Recovery is one of the most safe and trustworthy data recovery software applications

Safe and Trustworthy
👾 Malware
10/10

Nobody wants their data recovery solution to turn into a Trojan horse. Good news here—our tests found zero malware in Stellar.

🔒 Privacy
9/10

Our deep dive didn't reveal any privacy concerns, so you can rest easy knowing your data stays your data.

📊 Data Integrity
9/10

While it's generally reliable, it's worth noting that it doesn't exclusively use non-intrusive algorithms. This means there's a slight risk of data being affected during the recovery process.

👨‍💻 Developer
10/10

Stellar is a well-known name in the data recovery field with a track record of responsive, friendly customer support.

SUMMARY

So, is Stellar Data Recovery for Windows a safe choice? Absolutely. With top marks in malware and developer reputation, and strong scores in privacy and data integrity, it's a software that respects both your system and your data. 

But don't just take our word for it. For a well-rounded view, it's always wise to peek into real user experiences. Check out reviews on platforms like Capterra and Trustpilot for firsthand insights into the trustworthiness of this data recovery software.

Stellar Data Recovery - Full Review and Analysis

Let’s dive head first into our detailed review of Stellar Data Recovery Windows to objectively reveal what the software does and doesn’t do right. 

63%

Karma

12 rating criteria

Stellar Data Recovery for Windows isn’t updated nearly as often as many other data recovery software applications, and the developers don’t publish a full changelog. Judging by Stellar’s marketing efforts, you might think that the software is much more popular than it actually is. 

#FeatureResult
1Update frequency More than 6 months
2Updated recently No
3Changelog available Available (View full update history)
4Latest Windows release supported Yes, all good
5Genuine or clone? Genuine
6Brand name popularity Recognizable
7Online market share Poor
8Maturity Mature
9Extensive knowledge base Available
10Helpdesk support One-person project
11Live chat Available
12Phone support Yes
59%

Bang for the buck

8 rating criteria

The value provided by Stellar Data Recovery for Windows isn’t great. Why? Because there are many other data recovery software applications that deliver better results while costing less money. At least you can use the software to recover up to 1 GB of data for free before being forced to upgrade.

#FeatureResult
1Competitive pricing Yes
2Price-quality ratio Average
3Free trial Yes (unlimited time but limited amount of data)
4Is it free? Paid license is required to recover an unlimited number of files
5Pricing policy Three subscription plans with lifetime options.
6Unlimited recovery in full version Yes
7Free upgrades Yes
8Commercial rights in the cheapest license No
56%

Usability

18 rating criteria

Stellar Data Recovery for Windows has an appealing user interface, but the modern design is undermined by multiple usability issues that can be frustrating to deal with. The built-in file browser could use a few extra view options, and the built-in file previewer can be punishingly slow to work with. 

#FeatureResult
1Modern user-friendly interface Yes
2Dark mode No
3Easy-to-locate features Yes
4Automatic implementation of multiple appropriate scanning methods without user interaction No
5Auto-resuming scans of failing drives No
6Auto-resuming backups of failing drives No
7Convenient source selection on start So-so
8Convenient file-by-file preview of recoverable items Yes
9Convenient thumbnail preview of recoverable items No
10Mount recoverable items as disk No
11Built-in updater Yes
12Multiple view modes in scan results No
13Hex view for recoverable items No
14Filter recoverable items by type Yes
15Search recoverable items by file names Yes
16Sort results Yes
17Multilingual UI Yes
18Simple deployment Yes
44%

Recovery performance

122 rating criteria

The real-world recovery performance of Stellar Data Recovery for Windows is below-average. Many commonly used file formats can’t be recovered at all (at least not without manually adding their file signatures), and some of the most useful scan types deliver virtually no results. 

#FeatureResultDescription
1Quick scan BadFrequently results in crashes.
2Deep scan BadFrequently results in crashes.
3Signature scan FineThe software delivered mixed results.
4Additional scan features FineSome important scan types are lacking.
5Device support FineInternal and external storage devices are well supported.
6Other notable recovery features FineWith a few exceptions, there are not many features to write about.

Scan results

Summary of our scan results

This table presents a quick summary of the scan results we gathered when testing the data recovery software

#FeatureQuick ScanRecovery of recently deleted filesDeep ScanThe ability to restore data upon file system reformatting or loss
1HFS+ partitions
Application crashed
Application crashed
2APFS partitions
Application crashed
Application crashed
3FAT32 partitions
Application crashed
Application crashed
4exFAT partitions
Application crashed
Application crashed
5NTFS partitions
Application crashed
Application crashed
6EXT4 partitions
Application crashed
Application crashed
19%

Quick Scan is designed to find recently deleted files on a device. This score reflects the overall software's effectiveness of recovering permanently deleted files across various file systems

Average Score

11%

Deep Scan is primarily designed to recover data from formatted devices, and lost partitions. This score reflects the overall software's effectiveness of recovering data from various file systems after reformatting

Average Score

#SignatureDescriptionScan Score
13FR

Hasselblad 3F RAW Image File

0
2ARW

Sony Alpha RAW File

5
3BMP

Bitmap Image File

5
4CR2

Canon RAW Version 2 File

5
5CR3

Canon RAW Version 3 File

5
6CRW

Canon RAW CIFF Image File

0
7DCR

Kodak Digital Camera RAW File

3
8DNG

Digital Negative Lossless RAW Image File

3
9CinemaDNG

Adobe Industry-wide Standard File Format for Digital Video Files

0
10ERF

Epson RAW File

5
11EXR

High Dynamic-range File Format

0
12FFF

Hasselblad RAW Image File

0
13GPR

GoPro RAW Format File

0
14HEIC

High Efficiency Image File Format

0
15IIQ

Intelligent Image Quality RAW File

0
16INSP

Panoramic Image Insta360 File

0
17JP2

Bitmap Image Format JPEG 2000 File

0
18JPG

Joint Photographic Experts Group Compressed Image File

5
19KDC

Kodak Digital Camera RAW Image File

5
20MEF

Mamiya RAW Image File

5
21MOS

Leaf and Mamiya RAW Image File

5
22MPO

Multi Picture Stereoscopic Object File

0
23MRW

Konica Minolta RAW Image Format File

5
24NEF

Nikon RAW Image File

3
25NRW

Nikon RAW Image File

0
26ORF

Olympus RAW Format File

4
27PEF

Pentax RAW Image File

3
28RAF

Fujifilm RAW Image File

5
29RAW

Native Digital Camera File

3
30RW2

Panasonic Lumix RAW Image File

2
31RWL

Leica RAW Image Format File

0
32SR2

Sony RAW 2 Image File

5
33SRF

Sony RAW File

5
34SRW

Samsung RAW Image File

0
35TIFF

Tag Image File Format

3
36X3F

Sigma Camera RAW Picture File

3
37X3I

Sigma Super Fine Detail Picture File

0
51%

Most modern digital cameras and an increasing number of mobile devices allow their users to capture raw image data in a variety of raw file formats. This score reflects the software's ability to recover photos in these formats using their unique signatures

Average Score

#SignatureDescriptionScan Score
1360

GoPRO 360 Degree Video File

5
2ARI

ARRI Professional Digital Video Camera File

Application hangs
3ARX

ARRI Professional Digital Video Camera File

0
4AVI

Audio Video Interleave Multimedia Container with GoPRO CineForm Intermediate Codec

4
5AVI

Audio Video Interleave Multimedia Container with MJPG, H.264, MSMPEG4 v2 Codecs

5
6BRAW

Blackmagic RAW Video File

3
7INSV

Insta360 Panoramic H.264 Video File

2
8INSV

Insta360 Panoramic HEVC or HVC1 Video File

0
9MOV

QuickTime File Format with Apple ProRes 422 Proxy, LT or HQ Codec

2
10MOV

QuickTime File Format with Apple ProRes 4444 Raw or HQ Codec

2
11MOV

QuickTime File Format with H.264 Codec

4
12MOV

QuickTime File Format with CineForm HD Codec

2
13MOV

QuickTime File Format with HEVC or HVC1 Codec

3
14MP4

Digital Multimedia Container Format with H.264 Codec

3
15MP4

Digital Multimedia Container Format with HEVC, HVC1 or Apple ProRes Codec

2
16MXF

Material Exchange Format for Professional Digital Video and Audio Media with H.264 Codec

2
17MXF

Material Exchange Format for Professional Digital Video and Audio Media with DVCPRO HD Codec

5
18MXF

Material Exchange Format for Professional Digital Video and Audio Media with ARRI RAW or Apple ProRes Codec

3
19MXF

Material Exchange Format for Professional Digital Video and Audio Media with XDCAM HD422 or HD35 MPEG2 Codec

3
20R3D

Red Digital Camera Company RAW Video File

0
21WMV

Windows Media Video Image with Pro RAW 9 Codec

5
49%

Video file formats have undergone significant evolution during the past decade. This rating assesses the software's effectiveness in recovering various video files using its signature scanner

Average Score

#SignatureDescriptionScan Score
1ACCDB

Microsoft Access 2007+ Database File

0
2DJVU

Scanned Document File Format Intended For Scanned Images

0
3DOC

Microsoft Word 97 – 2003 Document File

4
4DOCX

Microsoft Word 2007+ Document File

4
5FB2

FictionBook 2.0 eBook File

0
6KEY

Apple Keynote Office Application File

3
7MDB

Microsoft Access 97 - 2003 Database File

0
8NUMBERS

Apple Numbers Office Application File

3
9ODP

OpenDocument Presentation File Format

3
10ODS

OpenDocument Spreadsheet File Format

3
11ODT

OpenDocument Text Document File Format

3
12PAGES

Apple Pages Office Application File

3
13PDF

Portable Document Format File

5
14PPT

Microsoft Powerpoint 97 - 2003 Presentation File

2
15PPTX

Microsoft Powerpoint 2007+ Presentation File

3
16RTF

Rich Text Format File

0
17XLS

Microsoft Excel 97 - 2003 Spreadsheet File

4
18XLSX

Microsoft Excel 2007+ Spreadsheet File

4
47%

Documents are among the most commonly recovered file formats because their importance can be tremendous, especially when they're related to work or school. This score indicates the software's proficiency in recovering different document types based on their signatures

Average Score

Attention

Feeling puzzled by terms like "Quick scan" and "Deep scan"? This link explains the different scan modes and their specific purposes.

During our evaluation of Stellar Data Recovery for Windows, we encountered significant stability issues when performing Quick and Deep scans. This was a consistent problem across various partition types, including HFS+, APFS, FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, and EXT4. As a result, both scanning modes earned an overall average score of 0%.

Fortunately, the software was more capable in Signature Scan mode. Here, the recovery rates for RAW Photos and Videos were around the 50% mark, with Documents slightly lower at 47%. However, this mode also revealed a significant limitation of the software: its inability to support several file formats by default. Formats such as CRW, HEIC, NEF, SRW, R3D, DJVU, and RTF were not recognized automatically, requiring users to manually add their signatures. 

Overall, Stellar Data Recovery for Windows has potential in specific areas, but its overall performance is hindered by stability issues and limited file format support. 

Additional scan features

Other notable scanning features and their performance These advanced scanning features expand the software's capabilities, adding flexibility to scanning process and allowing it to recover data from a wider range of data loss scenarios
57%
Average Score
#FeatureScore
1The number of file types supported by signature scan2
2BitLocker support5
3Windows shadow copies scanning0
4Scan for lost partitions3
5Recovered files' labeling3
6Partial file recovery5
7Disk images: scan and recovery5

In some ways, such as the option to look for only certain file formats, Stellar Data Recovery for Windows makes a great impression. However, this impression doesn’t last too long because several other aspects of its scanning capabilities leave a lot to be desired. 

Device Support

Supported internal and external storage devices Ideally, data recovery software applications should be able to recover from internal and external hard drives, external USB flash drives, memory cards, smartphones, and other commonly used storage devices
59%
Average Score
#FeatureScore
1Internal and external HDD5
2Internal and external SSD5
3USB thumb drives / Classic iPods (non-iOS) / FireWire devices5
4Memory cards5
5iOS devices0
6Android devices0
7Recovery from RAID1, 0, JBOD5
8Unmountable partitions3
9Remote SSH (secure shell protocol) Linux based devices recovery0
10NAS (Network-attached storage) RAID devices0

Stellar Data Recovery for Windows doesn’t support any mobile devices, and it also doesn’t handle internal and external storage device without a file system. Such devices need to be formatted first to be recognized by the software, and that can lead to worse data recovery outcomes.

Other notable recovery features

Additional recovery features and their performance These additional recovery features are what often separates average data recovery software solutions from those that can satisfy the needs of professionals and power users
34%
Average Score
#FeatureScore
1Overall non-intrusive read-only algorithms0
2Network recovery0
3Effectively filters out corrupted scan results0
4Byte-to-byte device backups5
5Bootable recovery drive creation5
6Convenient scan session management2
7Bad sector management0
8Recovery chance prediction0
9RAID reconstructor5
10Disk vitals monitoring and tracking during scan0
11Data protection0
12Links to in-lab recovery service for physically damaged devices0
13Scan speed4
14Scan free space only0
15Start file recovery without interrupting the scan0
16Preview recoverable items without interrupting the scan0
17Forensic features0

Using Stellar Data Recovery for Windows, you can create byte-to-byte device backups, bootable recovery drivers, and perform RAID reconstructions. The software is reasonably fast when scanning, but it does take its time when processing found files.

47%

Extras

10 rating criteria

The overall value of data recovery software is also influenced by the number and quality of included extra features. Stellar Data Recovery for Windows doesn’t make a huge impression in this regard, but it does come with a few noteworthy features you should know about.

#FeatureResultDescription
1Disk space mapping NoNot supported.
2Disk clean up NoNot supported.
3Corrupted video repair tool YesThe software can repair video files that have become corrupted.
4Corrupted photo repair tool YesThe software can repair photo files that have become corrupted.
5S.M.A.R.T. PartialIt's possible to read S.M.A.R.T. data of internal storage devices.
6Duplicate finder NoNot supported.
7Built-in disk space secure eraser NoNot supported.
8Disk cloning YesYou can use the software to create exact copies of storage devices.
9Disk surface test YesThe detection of bad sectors is supported.
10Secure data shredding NoNot supported.

The ability to repair corrupted videos and photos is arguably the most attractive extra feature included with Stellar Data Recovery for Windows. Unfortunately, this extra feature is held back by the application’s data recovery performance because you can only repair files that can be recognized in the first place, and Stellar Data Recovery for Windows recognized only around 100 file formats. 

What Users Say about Stellar Data Recovery for Windows

Stellar Data Recovery Premium recovers lost data files from all media, and it lets you know in advance which files are recoverable. However, this utility is too often unable to deliver on its recovery promises.

Edward Mendelson (pcmag.com)

The recovery software did not recover the calendar or contacts folders. There were about hundreds of email folders with the name MS-ALK-BGP created which were empty and had to be manually (per Stellar email) removed (not a lot of fun). After a week of emails back and forth they finally agreed to a download session. By that time I was able to restore the PST file myself. I asked them for a refund which was not accepted so I started a charge back with my credit card company. Stellar then offered to credit my card if I cancelled the chargeback (note that credit card companies do not allow cancellation of charge backs)

Joseph G. (capterra.com)

I attempted to recover my sons photos accidentally deleted. CS gave no help at all.
The preview photos were all good but the recovered photos are tiny with no detail and are hugely out of focus

Wendy N. (sitejabber.com)

My experience with StellarInfo has been terrible, and I believe most of the reviews here to be fake.

Ken S. (sitejabber.com)

Video Resources for iBeesoft Data Recovery: Tutorials and Helpful Guides

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Where do deleted files go? Are files actually removed from your computer when you delete them? Or are they still there and deletion just hides them from us? Find out through this video, exactly what happens!

How To Fix A Not Responding Hard Drive in Windows 10/11

A hard drive may stop responding on Windows 10/11 due to problems related to the system or storage hardware and software. In some cases, trying a different port or PC may work. But if it doesn’t, do not try to repair the drive by using any third-party drive or partition manager software such as Disk Management in Windows. Instead, follow this comprehensive guide to repair your ‘not responding’ hard drive without any risk of data loss.

Bottom line

Stellar Data Recovery for Windows would be a compelling data recovery software application if it were completely free. However, the application doesn’t just cost money—it’s fairly expensive as well. 

Considering how much Stellar Data Recovery for Windows costs and how poorly it performed when we put it to the test, we have to conclude this review by saying that the paid version isn’t worth the price. 

As far as the free trial version goes, we think that it’s worth trying if your goal is to recover a limited quantity of data without paying. Just remember that other free data recovery software for Windows exists, and some applications can recover much more file formats than Stellar Data Recovery for Windows. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Let’s answer some commonly asked questions about Stellar Data Recovery for Windows.

As a data recovery software, Stellar Data Recovery is designed to scan a selected storage device and find all files that are still physically present despite no longer being accessible from Windows.

Stellar Data Recovery is a reasonably fast data recovery software application, but its speed will be greatly influenced by the capacity and performance of your storage device.

To retrieve deleted photos on an SD Card using Stellar Data Recovery:

  1. Connect the SD card to your computer.
  2. Launch Stellar Data Recovery.
  3. Scan the SD card and recover your lost files.

To save a scan in Stellar Data Recovery, you need to click the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) when viewing scan results and select the Save Scan option.

Yes, you can use Stellar Data Recovery to recover up to 1 GB of data for free, but you have to purchase a license to recover more.

To register Stellar Phoenix Data Recovery:

  1. Launch the data recovery application.
  2. Click the key icon.
  3. Enter your activation key and click Activate.

Yes, Stellar Data Recovery is developed by a reputable company, and the software has been around for a long time to prove its legitimacy. 

Considering its price, Stellar Data Recovery Professional isn’t nearly as good as some other data recovery applications, but it can deliver decent results under certain conditions. 

👍 Worth a try

Stellar Data Recovery for Windows Review – A Hard Sell
3.38

Out of 5 Total score

No. 11 Among all Windows solutions

Windows users have so many great options when it comes to data recovery software that the paid version of Stellar Data Recovery for Windows simply doesn’t deserve our recommendation because it leaves much to be desired in every way.

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David Morelo
Author

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.

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Nikolay Lankevich
Nikolay Lankevich
Approver

Nikolay Lankevich has over 15 years of strong experience in various fields and platform includes Disaster Recovery, Windows XP/7. System analysis, design, application (Inter/Intranet) development, and testing. Provided technical supports on desktop and laptops on Win-XP and Macintosh for about 2000 employees.

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