5 Best Free Photo Recovery Software (No License Required)

Published by Color Experts International March 22, 2022

What is photo recovery software and what are its benefits?

A photo recovery tool is a software application that helps you recover deleted or corrupted digital photographs from your computer. These applications typically work by scanning your computer’s hard drive for traces of the missing photos. And then restoring them to their original location on your hard drive.

Some photo recovery tools also offer the ability to preview the recovered photos before restoring them. It can be helpful in verifying that the correct photos were recovered. Additionally, some software include features that allow you to restore photos from damaged or corrupted storage media such as USB flash drives, SD cards, and digital cameras.

Image recovery software can be incredibly helpful in cases of data loss or corruption. By using this, you can often recover lost files that would otherwise be inaccessible.

The benefits of using photo recovery tool include:

Easy to use: Most recovery software programs are easy to use, even for those who are not computer experts.

Supports a wide range of file formats: It supports a wide range of file formats, so you can recover any type of photo you may have lost.

Recovers images from recycle bin: Most recovery software programs can recover images that have been deleted from the recycle bin. This is because the images are not actually erased from your hard drive.

Best 5 Free Photo Recovery Software Programs

If you have experienced data loss or corruption, it is important to use recovery software as soon as possible, as the longer the files are unavailable, the less likely they are to be recovered.

1. Disk Drill

Disk Drill is a free image recovery software that can help you get your photos back quickly and easily. It’s perfect for restoring lost or deleted pictures from digital devices like cameras, smartphones (including Android), tablets, etc. The application has been optimized to work with virtually any type of disk-based storage device (external hard drives, micro SD cards, USB drives, SD and memory cards, and more). So there’s nothing to worry about compatibility issues!

Noteworthy Features:

Before performing recovery, it lets you preview the scan results.
Intuitive user interface along with advanced scanning algorithms.
Includes free data protection tools.
Provides free recovery support for hundreds of pictures.
Supports a wide variety of image formats (BMP, JPEG, JP2, GIF, TIFF, PSP, etc.), camera raw photo formats (X3F, PEF, RAF, etc.), and graphics picture formats (AEP, APM, AI, PSD, etc).

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2. Recoverit Photo Recovery

Don’t panic if you accidentally delete a cherished photo or video! Recoverit Photo Recovery can quickly and easily restore your files from all storage media. With its user-friendly interface, it’s easy to use even for those with no recovery experience. And with its deep scanning capabilities, it can find files that other recovery software might miss. So don’t lose hope if you think your photos are gone forever – Recoverit Photo Recovery is here to help!

Noteworthy Features:

Along with pictures, it can also recover video and audio files.
It can recover the lost/deleted files from drones & instant cameras with SD cards.
Supports different types of cards like Micro SD card, CF card, SmartMedia, MMC, and xD-Picture card.
Hassle-free photo recovery from Android phones (different brands and models, including Nokia, Samsung, Windows phone, HTC, Motorola, etc.)
Works fine with both Mac and Windows platforms.

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3. MiniTool Power Data Recovery

MiniTool Power Data Recovery is a professional data recovery software that can quickly recover lost files from various devices like laptops, HDD, SSD, USB drive, memory cards, and more. It supports quick data recovery from Desktop, Recycle Bin, and specific folders. The software is reliable and efficient for various data loss situations due to deletions, OS crashes, formatting errors, virus attacks, etc.

Noteworthy Features:

Compatible with both Windows and Mac platforms.
Intuitive scanning interface with beautiful icons.
Enabled solving different types of data losses like RAW partition, deleted, virus attack, partition loss, OS crash, and hard drive failure.
Supports multiple category devices like Windows computer, SSD, USB, SD card, external drive like HDD, and memory card.

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4. Wise Data Recovery

Wise Data Recovery is a professional, easy-to-use data recovery software that can quickly and easily recover deleted photos, videos, email, documents, etc. Along with other removal devices, it can recover data from local drives, external drives, SD cards, mobile phones, floppy disks, and USB drives. It has advanced algorithms that can finish the Quick Scan process within a short period.

Noteworthy Features:

Enables recovery of data from crashed Windows and Mac OS through WinPE bootable media technology.
Suitable for more than 1000 types of files like documents, graphics, videos, audios, etc.
Provides the facility to use the portable version without installing it on your device.
Automatic updates, video tutorials, and premium tech support (for premium users).
Compatible with Mac and Windows (almost all versions).

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5. IObit Undelete

IObit Undelete is a free software that can be used to recover deleted files from your computer with one click. The program’s safe steps allow you to restore any document or video without having an external backup device for fear of losing them again! IObit Deep Scan Technology will find all lost items – even those which have been missing for years-and delete them right off the surface of data storage systems so they’re never seen by anyone else other than their original owner.

Noteworthy Features:

Deeper Scanning features to undelete lost files.
Provides better files recovery experience evaluating files status before recovery.
Ability to scan faster in particular devices and locations.
Doesn’t require installation to use.

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How to use photo recovery software to recover your lost photos

To use a free photo recovery software to retrieve your lost pictures, you’ll first need to download and install the software on your computer. Once the software is installed, you can then open it and begin scanning your computer for deleted photos.

Depending on the size of your hard drive and the number of photos you have stored on it, scanning for deleted photos can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. So be patient and let the software do its job.

Once the scan is complete, you’ll be able to view a list of all the deleted photos that were found on your computer. From there, you can select which photos you want to recover and save them to a location of your choosing.

How to Protect Old Photographs Digitally

There are a few things you can do to protect your old photographs digitally. First, make sure you back them up onto at least two separate devices (e.g., computer and external hard drive). Second, password protect your files so that no one can access them without your permission.

Third, encrypt your files so that even if someone manages to get into them, they won’t be able to view the photos without the encryption key. Finally, store your devices in a safe place where they won’t be damaged or destroyed in case of a fire or natural disaster.

In addition to taking these precautions, it’s also important to be vigilant about deleting old photos from your device once you’ve backed them up elsewhere.

You may also read- How to Restore Old & Damaged Photographs.

Final Thoughts

So, a free photo recovery software can be beneficial in multiple ways while you’ll need to retrieve important photos and data. You can check our mentioned list to choose the most appropriate one for you. Before finalizing, don’t forget to have a try at the demo/ trial version.