UFS Explorer Review – A Powerful Recovery Tool With Lots to Offer

3.97

Out of 5 Total Score

No. 2 Among all Windows solutions

Price range $24.95...$1049.95 • SysDev Laboratories LLC • Windows

Last update:

UFS Explorer prides itself as a top-tier data recovery solution catering not only to tech specialists but also to everyday users. A key question, however, is whether it strikes the right balance between delivering advanced recovery features while maintaining accessibility for beginners. Find out in this UFS Explorer review.

UFS Explorer for Windows – Gallery

Main Pros and Cons of UFS Explorer for Windows

PROS

  • Extensive file system support. UFS Explorer supports most existing file systems including NTFS, FAT, exFAT, HFS+, Ext2/Ext3/Ext4, Btrfs, XFS, and others.
  • Network recovery. Offers the ability to recover data over a network, allowing you to work with remote or corrupted systems without having to physically access them.
  • Modularity and extensibility. The software uses a modular structure, allowing you to add new features or enhance existing ones to meet your specific data recovery needs.
  • Data recovery from encrypted media. The program can work with encrypted file systems such as BitLocker and FileVault2.
  • Virtual machine support. Can recover files from virtual machines in VMDK and VHD formats.
  • Good at processing large amounts of data. The application is designed to handle large amounts of data efficiently, allowing you to process large disks and partitions without sacrificing performance.
  • User-appropriate licensing. The flexible licensing options allow users to choose the most appropriate option depending on their needs.
  • High-speed data processing. Thanks to optimized scanning and data processing algorithms, UFS Explorer provides fast file recovery.
  • Corrupted RAID capability. Includes tools to recover data from corrupted or misconfigured RAID arrays, including automatic RAID detection and array reconstruction.
  • Multi-session recovery support. Users can handle multiple recovery tasks simultaneously.
  • Support for non-standard RAID configurations. Can handle complex or non-standard RAID configurations, including nested and custom RAID levels.
  • Advanced settings for professionals. The program offers in-depth settings for professionals, including manual configuration of scanning parameters, selection of specific processing algorithms, and customization of recovery strategies for the most efficient results.
  • Support for a large number of operating systems. The program also works fine on older versions of Windows, such as Windows XP.
  • Good performance of file system scanners. The program can often always restore the file structure on all supported file systems.
  • Advanced hex editor. The built-in hex editor allows you not only to view data but also to edit the entire connected hard disk drive.
  • Emergency version. There is a separate version of the program that can run from a flash drive or CD, which is useful for computers that don’t have a working system drive.
  • Recovery chances prediction. The program can show the recovery chances for files.
  • S.M.A.R.T. data. The application can read S.M.A.R.T. data for various types of disks.
  • Works well on different types of operating systems. The developers have done a good job at coding the program for different platforms (Windows, macOS, and Linux), to the point where each version produces equally good scanning results.
  • Customizable known file types. To increase the chances of recovering very specific files, you can add your own, quite complex file signatures to make finding these files easier.
  • Works with bad sectors. The program can identify bad sectors and give you options on how to address them.

CONS

  • Cannot detect device disconnection. Continues to scan and backup even when a device is disconnected. There is no notification that a device is missing from the system.
  • The full range of functionality can be difficult for novice users to understand. Beginners may not be able to harness the full potential of the software, especially advanced functions and settings.
  • Technical knowledge is required. To maximize the use of advanced features, technical knowledge is required, such as an understanding of file system structure and RAID principles.
  • Difficulty understanding scan results. Users without experience or technical knowledge may have difficulty interpreting scan results and determining what data can be recovered.
  • Demo version limitations. The demo version can only recover files up to 256 KB.
  • Complexity of settings for advanced users. Deep customizations are an advantage for professionals but can be a stumbling block for users who may inadvertently change critical parameters that will affect the recovery process.
  • Insufficient information about complex functions. Some of the most complex functions and features of the program may not be described in sufficient detail, making them difficult to use.
  • Cannot read S.M.A.R.T. data for external devices. The program does not allow you to see S.M.A.R.T. data for externally connected devices.
  • Selecting a source for scanning. The source selection interface is so cluttered that selecting the right disk to scan is difficult.
  • Does not auto-resume scanning. If a drive reconnects to the system, the program does not track it during scanning.
  • Limited functionality during scanning. While scanning is in progress, the program does not allow you to see the results or navigate and preview them.
  • Found results. The found tree is quite convoluted and it takes time to understand what the program found during the scanning process.
  • Scan session handling. The software does not have a convenient session manager for remembering previous scans.
  • Slow file previews. The preview function is very slow at loading files.
  • Recovery while scanning. The program cannot recover files until the scan is finished or paused.
  • Minimal results screen. The scan results can only be viewed in a tree view. Furthermore, there are no filtering options.

Other Options Besides UFS Explorer for Windows

popular
Disk Drill Logo
Disk Drill

Score 4.55 15%

Best choice for Windows users


Compare
Wondershare Recoverit Logo
Wondershare Recoverit

Score 3.70 7%

Can it really recover it?


Compare
Tenorshare 4DDiG Logo
Tenorshare 4DDiG

Score 3.54 11%

All That Glitters Is Not Gold


Compare
UFS Explorer for Windows

SysDev Laboratories LLC

Visit website

UFS Explorer for Windows Summary

🏅 Highly recommended

UFS Explorer is equipped with the recovery features necessary to tackle a range of data loss scenarios, making it a very versatile recovery solution. At an affordable price point, users gain access to a comprehensive recovery toolkit that offers quick scan speeds and access to advanced settings for experts. In terms of recovery, it performed consistently well across all tested file systems and demonstrated a commendable ability to recover data by file signature alone. Additionally, the software has the ability to rebuild broken RAID arrays and has some good options for helping you recover data from a computer that no longer has a functional operating system.

In terms of usability, it may pose a challenge for novice users who are introduced to the software without prior familiarity, as the user interface is quite technical. Furthermore, finding the data you want to recover can be difficult due to the lack of filtering options and view modes, especially if you need to search through large amounts of data.

Prospective users can download the program for free to give it a trial run to see if it suits their needs. The free trial allows you to scan your drive and preview the data that it finds. Files below 256 KB can be recovered for free, but anything more will require a paid license.

TitleResult
Compatibility Good
Recovery Rate Excellent
Usability Good
File Type Support Good
Scan Speed Superb
Free Trial Yes
Starting Price $24.95 / Lifetime
Money-Back Guarantee Yes

What Is UFS Explorer for Windows?

 #

UFS Explorer is a suite of data recovery software designed to recover lost or inaccessible files from various storage devices and file systems.

Before we do a deep dive into everything the software has to offer, let’s start with some basic information about the software and the company behind it.

UFS Explorer for Windows Factsheet

RequirementsWindows XP-11
Latest version 10.5 • Released 18th Mar, 2024
Download size18 MB
CategoryData Recovery Software
UI languagesEnglish, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Ukrainian

How Much Does UFS Explorer for Windows 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

There are file size and the Save function limitations in the trial version:

  • The software will copy files with the size below 256 KB.
Paid plans
  • UFS Explorer Standard Access
  • UFS Explorer Standard Recovery
  • UFS Explorer RAID Recovery
  • UFS Explorer Network RAID
  • UFS Explorer Professional Recovery
Price range $24.95...$1049.95
License model Lifetime
No credit card to tryNo credit card to try
Money back guaranteeMoney back guarantee

The trial version of UFS Explorer can be downloaded for free, which lets you scan your drive and recover any data below 256 KB. In terms of licenses, you have a few options based on what you want to get out of the software. UFS Explorer Standard will give you the most basic access to its recovery features for $64.95. All licenses above this will give you access to more features, such as recovery from RAID storage, network recovery, and support for more technologies.

All licenses are perpetual, so you won’t need to keep reaching into your wallet every month or year. You also have the option of getting a refund, provided all refund conditions are met.

All UFS Explorer for Windows Pricing Options

1Personal License $24.95
2Business License $69.95
3Details
  • Immediate access to undamaged file system;
  • Work with internal and external storage media;
  • Work with disk images and virtual disks;
  • File preview;
  • VMware VMDK (sparse, flat), Hyper-V (VHD/VHDX);
  • Support of disk images instead of original disks (including ones of third-party software).
1Personal License $64.95
2Commercial license $129.95
3Corporate license $189.95
4Details

Everything in UFS Explorer Standard Access plus:

  • Recovery of lost and deleted data;
  • Recovery of corrupted file systems;
  • Work with encrypted storages;
  • QEMU, XEN (QCOW/QCOW2);
  • VirtualBox (VDI);
  • R-Studio image files (RDR);
  • Apple Disk Image files (DMG);
  • Drive reading configuration;
  • Advanced disk imaging tool;
  • Creation of a defects map during imaging.
1Personal License $139.95
2Commercial license $229.95
3Corporate license $419.95
4Details

Everything in UFS Explorer Standard Recovery plus:

  • Data recovery from RAID storages;
  • NT LDM, MDADM, MS Storage Spaces;
  • Creating “dynamic” (pattern-based) maps of bad blocks for disk images;
  • Software processing of defective areas on disk images with the help of bad sector maps created by UFS Explorer or third-party programs (DeepSpar DDI, ACE Lab PC-3000 and others).
1Personal License $209.95
2Commercial license $484.95
3Corporate license $839.95
4Details

Everything in UFS Explorer RAID Recovery plus:

  • Direct (network) access to disks connected through DeepSpar Disk Imager.
1Commercial license $629.95
2Corporate license $1049.95
3Details

Everything in UFS Explorer Network RAID plus:

  • Virtual disk-on-disk recovery;
  • Advanced data analysis tools;
  • Raw data editor;
  • Apple Core Storage, LVM thin provisioning;
  • LUKS, BitLocker, FileVault 2, encrypted APFS, eCryptFS;
  • Encase image file format (both versions 1 and 2);
  • Split disk images created by DDI;
  • SCSI/SAS-drives with non-standard sector sizes (520 bytes, 524 bytes, 528 bytes, etc.);
  • Sorting and combining MRT DE file image chunks into an image file;
  • Read-once disk access;
  • Conversion of used file system space to a mask;
  • Direct (network) access to disks connected through DeepSpar Disk Imager;
  • Support of task files of MRT Data Explorer;
  • Control over disk imaging performed by MRT solutions (by ranges, files, maps etc.).

Discounts and coupons

DiscountDescriptionLink
-15%
Save 15% OFF on UFS Explorer Professional Recovery for Windows

Don’t let any opportunity of saving money slip away, get 15% Off on UFS Explorer Professional Recovery for Windows – Corporate License (1 year of updates). Enter code BMC-SAVE15 at checkout for the discount.

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 — SysDev Laboratories LLC

UFS Explorer was developed by SysDev Laboratories, LLC. The company is based in Kyiv, Ukraine, and has been producing software in the data recovery space since 2004.

1% 18.4% than avg

Online market share
Reflects the share of online traffic within the niche captured by the data recovery software based on data taken from ahrefs.com and Google US.

690 74.6% than avg

Brand name popularity

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

The company started out under the name SysDevSoftware PE, only taking on the name SysDev Laboratories, LLC in 2008. The company itself may not be well-known by name, but UFS Explorer has garnered a good reputation over the years with many users relying on it as their go-to recovery solution.

Developer website ufsexplorer.com
Support email info@sysdevlabs.com
Founded

2004 • 20 years on the market

HQ location

28V Druzhby Narodiv Blvd, Kyiv, 01103, Ukraine

Social media LinkedIn YouTube

The company has a presence on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube where it posts fairly regularly. The only channel of support it offers is through a contact form found on the company’s main website.

How to Use UFS Explorer for Windows

Tested on: Windows 11 (version 23H2)

Now that you have a basic understanding of the software and its developers, we’ve prepared a basic set of instructions that detail what the recovery process looks like with UFS Explorer.

Step 1

Installation

After opening the installer, you're immediately asked to choose which language you'd like to use. Following that, you will need to accept the UFS Explorer EULA and choose where you want to install the software.

Overall, the installation is fairly standard. The installer is relatively small at roughly 18.6 MB, and the application is even smaller once installed, only taking up 14.6 MB of disk space.

Step 2

Source selection

Once you open the application, you'll be met with the source selection screen. The application will display your connected storage devices, along with some information pertaining to each.

In terms of selecting what you'd like to scan, you can choose between scanning the entire disk or just a specific partition. The user interface is full of information that can make it seem very crowded, so ensure you're choosing the right disk before starting your scan.

Step 3

Scanning process

The scanning process is very technical. Before starting the scan, you will be met with screens that let you choose what part of the disk you want to scan, what file systems to search for, and whether you want to utilize its signature-based scanner (IntelliRAW).

Proceeding with the default options will be fine in most cases, so if you're unsure, just keep pressing next until you can click Start scan.

Step 4

Managing found files

Once the scan is finished, you'll have the option of exploring the scan results in a tree view. Unfortunately, there are no other view modes you can use, nor is there any option to filter the results. You can, however, use the search box to find files by name. And, clicking on a file will display a small preview of it.

To select the files you wish to recover, hold CTRL and click on each one.

Step 5

Recovery and post-processing

With all of your files selected, you can begin recovery by clicking on the Save selection button (denoted by a floppy disk). You will then need to choose where you want to store the selected files, then click Select.

The trial version of UFS Explorer will only let you recover files below 256 KB in size. To recover anything larger, you will need to purchase a license.

Is UFS Explorer for Windows Safe?

87%

Avg score UFS Explorer is safe and trustworthy

Safe and Trustworthy
👾 Malware
10/10

The software does not contain any malware.

🔒 Privacy
8/10

The program collects minimal information.

📊 Data Integrity
9/10

It does a good job at recovering your data intact.

👨‍💻 Developer
8/10

SysDev Laboratories, LLC is a trustworthy company.

SUMMARY

Our analysis of UFS Explorer's safety and trustworthiness returned good results. After an extensive malware scan, the software came back clean. As mentioned in the company's privacy policy, some information is collected but only used for internal purposes, excluding exceptional circumstances such as if the company was to be sold or if it was required to comply with a lawful court order. Although the software does not incorporate non-intrusive scanning algorithms, it did a really good job of recovering our data in a usable state. SysDev Laboratories, LLC is a trusted company with a range of useful software tools.

UFS Explorer for Windows - Full Review and Analysis

We reviewed UFS Explorer according to a specific set of evaluation parameters that we measure all data recovery tools against. Below, we’ve broken down how well the application performed in all areas.

63%

Karma

12 rating criteria

SysDev Laboratories does a great job of ensuring the software is well-maintained and updated regularly. It’s supported on the latest version of Windows 11 and also works well on older versions of Windows, such as Windows XP. An extensive knowledge base of helpful guides is available online and you can reach out to support via a contact form on the company’s website.

Because the company is relatively unknown, it loses some points in regard to brand name popularity and online market share. Furthermore, the lack of customer support channels can make the company difficult to get in touch with if you don’t like communicating through email.

#FeatureResult
1Update frequency Every 3 months
2Updated recently Yes
3Changelog available Available (View full update history)
4Latest Windows release supported Yes, all good
5Genuine or clone? Genuine
6Brand name popularity Unpopular
7Online market share Poor
8Maturity Mature
9Extensive knowledge base Available
10Helpdesk support Available
11Live chat Not available
12Phone support No
82%

Bang for the buck

8 rating criteria

UFS Explorer is competitively priced in a market that’s saturated with overpriced solutions that fail to deliver the results you hope to expect. Paid licenses are offered on a lifetime basis and the price you pay is determined by what sort of functionality you want out of the software. The free trial allows you to scan your drive and test its recovery capabilities by recovering any file below 256 KB.

While commercial use isn’t offered with the cheapest license, there are specific licenses available for use in commercial and corporate environments.

#FeatureResult
1Competitive pricing UFS Explorer is appropriately priced
2Price-quality ratio The program delivers great results for the price point
3Free trial A free trial of UFS Explorer is available
4Is it free? No, the software is not free
5Pricing policy All licenses are perpetual
6Unlimited recovery in full version Unlimited recovery is supported in the full version
7Free upgrades Free upgrades are included with the license
8Commercial rights in the cheapest license Commercial use is not permitted on the cheapest license
52%

Usability

18 rating criteria

Usability is one aspect of UFS Explorer where it’s particularly weak, striving to cater to both recovery experts and novices but struggling to strike a balance suitable for beginners. Its user interface is fairly basic. And, when paired with an abundance of technical details, casual users may find themselves overwhelmed. Additionally, the scanning process requires users to go through multiple screens with options that are unfamiliar to everyday users, which may only result in further confusion.

Although the software does have some beneficial features, such as a hex view for advanced recovery tasks and multiple scan modes, it lacks fundamental functions that would otherwise streamline the recovery process, such as scan result filtering options and additional view modes.

#FeatureResult
1Modern user-friendly interface No
2Dark mode Yes
3Easy-to-locate features No
4Automatic implementation of multiple appropriate scanning methods without user interaction Yes
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 Yes
14Filter recoverable items by type No
15Search recoverable items by file names Yes
16Sort results Yes
17Multilingual UI Yes
18Simple deployment Yes
70%

Recovery performance

122 rating criteria

UFS Explorer produced excellent results when we tested its ability to recover data using different scanning methods, a testament to how much time and effort the developers invested.

It utilizes multiple scan modes to recover your data, allowing it to cater to a range of data loss situations. There were some hiccups where it failed to restore some of our data with its original file names and folder structure, but seeing as the data was recovered nonetheless, this detail is minor in comparison.

Let’s take a look at how it performed in more detail.

#FeatureResultDescription
1Quick scan GoodThe tool was able to recover the majority of our shift-deleted data with ease
2Deep scan GoodThe software demonstrated a proficient ability to recover data following the loss or format of a file system
3Signature scan GoodUFS Explorer had few issues with recovering data by signature
4Additional scan features GoodUFS Explorer includes additional scan features that can be useful
5Device support GoodThe application is able to recover data from most storage devices, including RAID arrays
6Other notable recovery features GoodThe software does include other noteworthy recovery features

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
1FAT32 partitions44
2exFAT partitions44
3NTFS partitions45
4EXT4 partitions55
5HFS+ partitions55
6APFS partitions35
82%

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

91%

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

5
2ARW

Sony Alpha RAW File

5
3BMP

Bitmap Image File

5
4CR2

Canon RAW Version 2 File

5
5CR3

Canon RAW Version 3 File

3
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

4
10ERF

Epson RAW File

5
11EXR

High Dynamic-range File Format

0
12FFF

Hasselblad RAW Image File

2
13GPR

GoPro RAW Format File

4
14HEIC

High Efficiency Image File Format

5
15IIQ

Intelligent Image Quality RAW File

2
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

0
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

4
25NRW

Nikon RAW Image File

4
26ORF

Olympus RAW Format File

5
27PEF

Pentax RAW Image File

5
28RAF

Fujifilm RAW Image File

4
29RAW

Native Digital Camera File

0
30RW2

Panasonic Lumix RAW Image File

0
31RWL

Leica RAW Image Format File

0
32SR2

Sony RAW 2 Image File

5
33SRF

Sony RAW File

2
34SRW

Samsung RAW Image File

5
35TIFF

Tag Image File Format

3
36X3F

Sigma Camera RAW Picture File

0
37X3I

Sigma Super Fine Detail Picture File

0
61%

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

0
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

0
7INSV

Insta360 Panoramic H.264 Video File

3
8INSV

Insta360 Panoramic HEVC or HVC1 Video File

3
9MOV

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

4
10MOV

QuickTime File Format with Apple ProRes 4444 Raw or HQ Codec

3
11MOV

QuickTime File Format with H.264 Codec

4
12MOV

QuickTime File Format with CineForm HD Codec

5
13MOV

QuickTime File Format with HEVC or HVC1 Codec

5
14MP4

Digital Multimedia Container Format with H.264 Codec

3
15MP4

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

5
16MXF

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

4
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

2
19MXF

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

2
20R3D

Red Digital Camera Company RAW Video File

4
21WMV

Windows Media Video Image with Pro RAW 9 Codec

5
63%

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

5
2DJVU

Scanned Document File Format Intended For Scanned Images

5
3DOC

Microsoft Word 97 – 2003 Document File

4
4DOCX

Microsoft Word 2007+ Document File

4
5FB2

FictionBook 2.0 eBook File

5
6KEY

Apple Keynote Office Application File

3
7MDB

Microsoft Access 97 - 2003 Database File

5
8NUMBERS

Apple Numbers Office Application File

3
9ODP

OpenDocument Presentation File Format

3
10ODS

OpenDocument Spreadsheet File Format

5
11ODT

OpenDocument Text Document File Format

5
12PAGES

Apple Pages Office Application File

3
13PDF

Portable Document Format File

4
14PPT

Microsoft Powerpoint 97 - 2003 Presentation File

4
15PPTX

Microsoft Powerpoint 2007+ Presentation File

5
16RTF

Rich Text Format File

5
17XLS

Microsoft Excel 97 - 2003 Spreadsheet File

5
18XLSX

Microsoft Excel 2007+ Spreadsheet File

5
84%

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.

UFS Explorer had great success in recovering recently deleted files, such as data that was emptied from Recycle Bin or deleted using Shift + Delete, across all tested file systems. However, it should be noted that it failed to recover the folder structure of the data on our FAT32 and ExFAT partitions. It was equally good at recovering data using file system records following the loss or reformatting of a file system, but it did miss some of the data from our APFS partition. Either way, we were impressed with the recovery results it delivered.

Recovering files by signature alone is a critical component of any recovery software, especially in cases where no part of the file system is usable. UFS Explorer was able to recover a significant amount of our data, but not all file formats were equally supported. In terms of raw photos, it was able to recover JPG, MRW, ORF, PEF, SR2, and a few others to a high degree. But, it struggled with some, such as FFF, IIQ, SRF, and TIFF. It had similar performance with video formats, where it was able to recover 360, AVI, MOV, MP4, and AMV with ease, but had some trouble with MXF and INSV. Document formats are where it excels. It supported all of the document formats we tested, only having minor problems recovering the file formats KEY, NUMBERS, ODP, and PAGES.

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
74%
Average Score
#FeatureScore
1The number of file types supported by signature scan3
2BitLocker support4
3Windows shadow copies scanning0
4Scan for lost partitions5
5Recovered files' labeling5
6Partial file recovery5
7Disk images: scan and recovery5

UFS Explorer is able to scan for lost partitions and recover the original metadata of your files. It’s also able to partially recover files, allowing you to repair them using other means. The software does support recovery from BitLocker-encrypted drives, but we found that 3 of our recovered files were restored with the wrong checksum. In terms of how many file signatures it can recover, we found the number to be somewhere between 200 and 300. Not as much as other recovery tools, but still a considerable amount.

Device Support

Supported internal and external storage devices Ideally, data recovery software applications should be able to recover internal and external hard drives, external USB flash drives, memory cards, smartphones, and other commonly used storage devices
65%
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
7NAS (Network-attached storage) RAID devices0
8Recovery from RAID arrays5
9Remote SSH (secure shell protocol) Linux based devices recovery0
10Unmountable partitions5

Internal and external hard disk drives and solid-state drives, USB flash drives, and memory cards (such as SD cards) are all storage devices that are supported by UFS Explorer. It also has the ability to recover data from broken RAID arrays by automatically reconstructing them. Unfortunately, it does not support recovery from iOS or Android devices at this time.

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
66%
Average Score
#FeatureScore
1Overall non-intrusive read-only algorithms0
2Network recovery5
3Effectively filters out corrupted scan results3
4Byte-to-byte device backups5
5Bootable recovery drive creation5
6Convenient scan session management2
7Bad sector management5
8Recovery chance prediction5
9RAID reconstructor5
10Disk vitals monitoring and tracking during scan3
11Data protection0
12Links to in-lab recovery service for physically damaged devices5
13Scan speed5
14Scan free space only5
15Start file recovery without interrupting the scan0
16Preview recoverable items without interrupting the scan0
17Forensic features5

In addition to its prowess with data recovery, UFS Explorer also offers some useful recovery features that complement the data recovery process. You have the ability to make byte-to-byte backups with the software and create bootable recovery drives in cases where your system drive is no longer functional. The software also does a good job of detecting bad sectors and lets you choose how you’d like to respond to them.

It does lose some points for not including non-intrusive read-only algorithms, as this would provide users with peace of mind knowing that there’s less risk to their data. Additionally, the application does not let you explore or preview any data that’s found while the scan is in progress, locking you out until it has finished completely.

23%

Extras

10 rating criteria

With the vast array of data recovery solutions available online, it’s become common for some data recovery tools to offer extra features in an effort to stand out from the competition. UFS Explorer doesn’t come with a lot of extras, but it does have some that are worth mentioning.

#FeatureResultDescription
1Disk space mapping NoNot supported
2Disk clean up NoNot supported
3Corrupted video repair tool PartialNot included with UFS Explorer
4Corrupted photo repair tool NoNot supported
5S.M.A.R.T. PartialThe tool can only read S.M.A.R.T. data from internal storage devices
6Duplicate finder NoNot supported
7Built-in disk space secure eraser NoNot supported
8Disk cloning YesYou can clone disks with UFS Explorer
9Disk surface test NoNot supported
10Secure data shredding NoNot supported

UFS Explorer supports disk cloning for easily transferring the contents of one drive to another. It does include the ability to read S.M.A.R.T. data, but only from internally connected hard disks and solid-state drives. An option to repair corrupted videos is available, but it is not included with the base version of UFS Explorer.

What Users Say about UFS Explorer for Windows

Just a follow-up to this: the standard licenses worked just fine in recovering all files. It took approx. 21 days to recover 10 TB of data, but every file was recovered.

Also important to note - of the 6 drives that were setup as a 3+3 disk pack (RAID 10), UFS required 4 total drives (it didn't matter which 4 drives) to read the Drobo's configuration natively. If I inserted only 3, it still showed me all files available, but I had to go through the BeyondRaid wizard to look for the correct configuration before it showed them to me.

But all-in-all, I'm happy with the UFS software.

JimSchuuz (reddit.com)

What do you like best about UFS Explorer Professional Recovery?
Complex knowledge for all FS and fast working interface

What do you dislike about UFS Explorer Professional Recovery?
Interface has own logic , but when you used to work with it is OK

What problems is UFS Explorer Professional Recovery solving and how is that benefiting you?
Very complex casses of RAID recovery - if its possible to recover , UFS Explorer will do it

Dimitar V. (g2.com)

And UFS Explorer Raid Recovery to the rescue again. This time it's with a mac disk with a corrupted HFS+ catalogue. Absolutely worth the money. That's twice now. Thanks.

Stephen Monro (twitter.com)

Okay, UFS explorer does recognize all my folders I had at least. Maybe only 30 GB (parity rebuild progress) is gone of 1.5 TB. That would be really good.

FayeInMay (forums.unraid.net)

Video Resources for UFS Explorer for Windows: Tutorials and Helpful Guides

To help you better understand how UFS Explorer for Windows works, we’ve put together a collection of useful tutorials and other video resources.

UFS Explorer Video Recovery – presentation

UFS Explorer Video Recovery is a professional software instrument specialized in data recovery from CCTV appliances and DVR systems ("black boxes") used in vehicles. Equipped with the support of numerous storage formats, intelligent techniques for the reconstruction of recordings as well as many tools for general data loss cases, the program provides unmatched assistance for specialists in digital forensics and other technical experts.

Recover data from over-degraded RAID with UFS Explorer

UFS Explorer is an effective data recovery tool able to cope with various data loss challenges, even ones related to defective RAID sets. Learn how you can perform the adaptive reconstruction of such an array to restore the part of the data when more components have been damaged than is allowed for data recovery from the redundancy information.

Bottom line

UFS Explorer is an exceptional data recovery tool with only minor drawbacks in some areas. When subjected to various data loss scenarios, it effectively recovered our data and consistently delivered satisfactory results across all file systems that we tested.

For its price, it equips you with an array of useful recovery features. It has the ability to reconstruct broken RAID arrays and perform recovery over the network. In times when the drive containing your operating system is compromised, the option to create a bootable recovery drive is a welcomed addition. So too is the ability to clone drives when you need a quick and easy way to migrate data from one disk to another.

The area where it noticeably struggles is usability. Its attempt at combining comprehensive recovery features in a user-friendly manner falls short. While it is easy enough to perform a basic scan by accepting the default options that are presented, novice users may still find the list of customizable options intimidating. Furthermore, sifting through the recovery results screen can pose a challenge, as it doesn’t include any filtering options or additional view modes.

All-in-all, it’s a competitively priced data recovery solution that’s well-maintained by a team that seems to care a lot about its product. We implore you to download the free version of UFS Explorer to try it for yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

During our research, we compiled a list of commonly asked questions relating to UFS Explorer and provided an answer to them below.

Where can I download UFS Explorer?

You can download UFS Explorer from the official website.

There are a number of differences between the two editions. Compared to UFS Explorer Standard, UFS Explorer Professional Recovery includes the following:

  • Data recovery from RAID arrays.
  • Advanced data analysis tools.
  • Support for more technologies.
  • Access to network-connected disks.

You can learn more about the differences between UFS Explorer Standard Recovery and UFS Explorer Professional Recovery by checking out the comparison table on its official website.

Yes, UFS Explorer RAID Recovery is different from UFS Explorer Standard Recovery. The only difference is that it lets you recover data from RAID arrays and Microsoft Storage Spaces.

Yes, UFS Explorer is a legitimate data recovery tool that was developed by SysDev Laboratories, LLC.

Reddit users have good things to say about UFS Explorer. One user states that UFS Explorer is one of their go-to recovery tools. Another has stated that UFS Explorer was able to recover a professional photo archive.

🏅 Highly recommended

UFS Explorer Review – A Powerful Recovery Tool With Lots to Offer
3.97

Out of 5 Total score

No. 2 Among all Windows solutions

Despite its issues with ease of use for new users, UFS Explorer comes packed with advanced recovery features that make it a very capable data recovery solution.

Visit developer's website
UFS Explorer Logo
More Data Recovery Software You Should Also Consider
No. 1
disk drill windows icon

The Windows version of Disk Drill empowers regular users to reliably recover all kinds of lost data with a few simple clicks.

4.55
No. 2
ufs explorer icon

Despite its usability concerns, UFS Explorer demonstrates a proficient ability to recover data with great success.

3.97
No. 3
r-studio icon

R-Studio for Windows is a powerful data recovery software application, but regular home users may struggle to master it and put its capabilities to good use.

3.88
No. 4
easeus data recovery windows icon

Easy to use and capable of delivering solid results, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is good at what it does.

3.86
No. 5
cisdem data recovery icon

Cisdem Data Recovery is well-suited for recovering data from a multitude of data loss scenarios, but it won’t satisfy professionals and technicians.

3.8
View all Windows data recovery solutions
Jordan Jamieson-Mane
Author
  • 47 publishings
  • Auckland, New Zealand
  • LinkedIn

Jordan Jamieson-Mane is a content writer with a focus on technology-related content. He has spent much of his life studying and working with all types of technology. During his time as a writer, he has written countless articles in the field of data recovery, breaking down complex topics into articles that are easy to understand.

When he's not writing articles on data recovery, Jordan enjoys traveling the world, reading books, and building websites.

Jordan’s recent reviews
Jordan’s recent publishings
Yevgeniy Tolkunov
Yevgeniy Tolkunov
Approver

Yevgeniy Tolkunov is Hardware Engineer at ACE Data Recovery. Yevgeniy has a Master's Degree in Physics, Information Technology; 15+ years of experience.

Compare