Top 12 Data Recovery Software for Windows 7

Updated to Home > HowTos > File Recovery Tips in Windows by Nancy on Apr 15, 2024 | Approved by Daryl Baxter

A lot of times we accidentally press the Delete key and lose important files and data from the hard disk or USB drive under Windows 7. In some cases, a virus or software bug can corrupt your hard disk, affecting your files. In such a situation, you desperately need a data recovery software for Windows 7 that you can rely on to get your important data back. This is when a reliable windows 7 file recovery software can save you from a lot of misery and worry. However, there are numerous recovery tools for Windows 7 out there that can make it difficult to choose the right one. In this article, we have listed down some best recovery software/tool for Windows 7 that can help you retrieve your lost data and files without a hassle.

Quick Navigation
Part 1: Best Recovery Software for Windows 7
Part 2: Free Download Data Recovery Software for Windows 7 to Get Files Back

Part 1: Best Recovery Software for Windows 7

  1. iBeesoft Data Recovery
  2. If you are looking for powerful and versatile recovery software for Windows 7 that can help you find lost files and folder in Windows 7 then iBeesoft Data Recovery is the software for you. With a beautiful interface and intuitive navigation features, the tool is incredibly easy to use and can be used to recover files of a number of different formats. The data recovery Windows 7 program is our recommended tool for anyone that is looking to quickly restore files after empty recycle bin, deleted data/partition, repartition/formatted drive, device initialization, system/app crash, virus attack, etc.

    Your Best Data Recovery Software for Windows 7

    (Trust Score 4.7 by 1695 Users)
    • The supported file types by recover software for Windows 7 are graphic (.png, .jpg, .gif, .tiff/fif, .bmp, .crw, etc.), audio (.m4a, .mp3, .wav, .aif/aiff, .wma, .ogg, etc.), document (.doc/docx, .ppt/pptx, .xls/slsx, .pdf, .html, .cwk, etc.) , video (.avi, .mp4, .mov, .3gp, .flv, .mpg, .asf, etc.), email (.pst, .emlx, .dbx, etc.), and other file (.exe, .rar, and more.) types.
    • It is the most efficient and reliable data recovery Windows 7 tool available today. It can file recovery from PC, laptop, hard drive, memory card, external disk, digital camera, USB drive, and more.
    Download for Windows Download for macOS
  3. Recuva
  4. The fact that this particular tool is at the top of the list should be enough to tell you that it’s the most reliable data recovery software for Windows 7 to find your data. It has features that can restore files from DVDs, CDs, hard disks, external drives, and memory cards. Below are some characteristics that distinguish Recuva to make it the best file recovery software:

    Features
    Easy to understand user interface
    Advanced features for deep scanning
    Superior file recovery
    Options to recover files from recently formatted or damaged files
    Secure overwriting that works on military and industry standard techniques for deletion
    Pros
    Reliable
    Easy to use
    Powerful recovery features such as deep scan
    Cons
    Most recovery features are limited to paid version only.
  5. TestDisk
  6. TestDisk is another data recovery tool without which a list of recovery software can never be complete. The aim of creating this open-source was to fix non-booting disks and get back access to lost partitions. The tools consist of a file recovery system and are full of features that easily give it a better position when compared to other recovery tools for Windows 7. Its interface and features make it one of the best software for experts as well as novices. Some features that distinguish TestDisk are:

    Features
    It is available on all popular platforms such as Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, etc. It is widely used especially because you can find it on multiple Linux Live CD’s.
    It enables users to rebuild or recover the boot sector.
    Provides a reliable way of accessing deleted files from NTFS, ext, exFAT, and FAT file systems.
    Recovers or fixes partition tables that have been deleted.
    Pros
    Enables users to recover partition tables and boot sectors, too.
    Reliable and powerful – works with all types of file systems.
    Cross platform support.
    Cons
    Command line interface makes it very complex to use – can only be used by users skilled with computer systems.
  7. Undelete 360
  8. Undelete 360 is a recovery software for Windows 7 that has a look and feel of a typical Office application. This amazing tool works with a fast algorithm that is extremely efficient when it comes to undelete files. Some distinctive features of Undelete 360 include:

    Features
    A Hex Viewer, a data-wiping tool, and the option of previewing data files before recovering them.
    Ability to work on multiple devices like memory cards, USBs, digital cameras, computer hard drives, smartphones, etc.
    More efficient in recovering files when compared to many other free data recovery tools.
    Pros
    File preview available before recovery (so you can choose which files to recover).
    Supports a wide variety of file types.
    Simple and easy-to-understand user interface.
    Cons
    Very slow scanning speed.
    The recovery process can be a little complicated to understand.
  9. PhotoRec
  10. PhotoRec is considered one of the best data recovery software because of its strong and efficient file recovery that functions on a lot of devices including hard disks and digital cameras. This recovery tool for Windows 7 is specially designed to recover files like documents, videos, pictures, etc. from CD-ROMs and computer hard disks. Some of the best features of PhotoRec are:

    Features
    Ability to recover 440 plus different file formats.
    Compatibility with almost all popular and widely used platforms including Mac OC X, Microsoft Windows, etc.
    Helpful options like adding your own custom file types and the ‘unformat function’.
    Pros
    Powerful and reliable.
    Supports wide range of file types and devices.
    You can even add your own custom file types!
    Cons
    No graphical user interface (GUI) – not recommended for beginners.
    The recovery process can be a bit slow.
  11. Pandora Recovery
  12. Another extremely effective and reliable data recovery software is Pandora. This file recovery software Windows 7 tool has quite a lot of features for its users, including:

    Features
    Before recovering files, showing a preview of the deleted files if they are image or text files.
    A very easy-to-understand interface.
    Options to recover fata from NTFS and FAT-formatted volumes.
    Options to recover hidden, archived, compressed, and encrypted files.
    Pros
    Portable due to the small size of the tool.
    The user interface is easy to use with an explorer-like view.
    Cons
    Not as reliable as other data recovery tools.
    Does not support custom file types.
  13. MiniTool Partition Recovery
  14. If a couple of your files get deleted, then they may be recovered by using standard programs such as Pandora, Recuva, etc. which are perfect programs to recover such files, however what if once you have lost a whole partition? Then an expert application such as MiniTool Partition Recovery would probably be the best option for you. The specialist application contains some wonderful features which distinguish it from other standard programs. Those features are as follows:

    Features
    The Windows 7 data recovery software has a simple wizard-based interface.
    It is a specialist in recovering data on a whole partition.
    Point this specialist application at the drive which contains some problems and the missing partition will be scanned.
    A recovery report has been generated by MiniTool Partition Recovery tool which will help you in knowing what has been found by the program to help you to recover the data.
    Recovery of data cannot be used on the disk which is bootable.
    Pros
    Simple user interface and recovery process that is very easy to understand.
    Designed for recovering an entire partition that has been corrupted/deleted.
    Recovery reports allow you to analyze the scan results in a thorough manner.
    Cons
    Limited support for file types.
    Not very reliable when you want to recover a few deleted files only.
  15. Wise Data Recovery
  16. A quick and simple data recovery tool that offers reliable and efficient data recovery. Besides being quicker, it also contains some really nice features which are listed below:

    Features
    Different from other recovery tools for Windows 7, it has an instinctive and a simple interface.
    The deleted files can be recovered from USB drives, local drives, cameras, removable devices, memory cards etc.
    An inbuilt file extension groups are selected by using file’s type which makes it the fastest search filter.
    Pros
    Quick and reliable recovery process.
    Deep scan recovery mode allows a more thorough scanning process.
    Portable version of the tool does not require installation.
    Cons
    Limited file type support.
  17. Puran File Recovery
  18. Puran file recovery works in three main modes of recovery. If you use the "Find lost file" option, then it converts the Puran File Recovery to a recover software for Windows 7 which recovers every file from a broken or lost partition. Something else can also be done, which is to edit the custom scan list in order to save file signatures for a lot of accurate recovery of the data which is badly broken.

    Features
    Default Quick Scan (The FAT or NTFS system file is simply read for files which are deleted from the recycle bin etc.)
    Deep Scan (all free space which is available is scanned)
    Full Scan (all space is checked on device for the great likelihood of recovery)
    Pros
    The various recovery modes allow you to adjust between efficiency and quickness of the scan with Full Scan showing promising results for recovery.
    Powerful partition recovery feature allows you to restore a lost/damaged partition.
    Cons
    User interface and design of the tool can be improved.
    Better for partition recovery than individual file recovery.
  19. PC Inspector File Recovery
  20. PC Inspector File Recovery performs well on FAT & NTFS drives, even though there is a broken or an erased boot sector. Some of the amazing features of this data recovery software for PC Windows 7 are listed as follows:

    Features
    Simple search dialog will facilitate find files by name.
    Files which are recovered can be fixed to network drives or a local hard disk.
    The video and image of various types of files can be recovered in different formats like AVI, DOC, XLS, GIF, HLP, JPG, MID, MP3, PNG, RTF, TIF, ZIP, ARJ, BMP, DXF, EXE, HTML, LZH, MOV, PDF, TAR, WAV.
    The Cluster scanner can be used to scan areas of the disc which are just specific.
    Pros
    Search "by name" feature is helpful for recovering specific files.
    Supports a wide range of file types.
    Cons
    The user interface is confusing and can be difficult to understand.
  21. Restoration Data Recovery
  22. The last rank is awarded to Restoration Data Recovery Program among the top best tools for great recovery of data. It is similar to the other undeleted specialist applications on the list. A few features that are liked by us about this recovery software Windows 7 are listed below even if this tool holds the 10th position.

    Features
    Very easy and straightforward to use.
    There are no cryptic or confusing buttons or any difficult or complexed procedures for recovering a file.
    The data and files can be recovered from USB drives, memory cards, hard drives and other external drives too.
    The recovery of data can be done from a USB drive and it does not require to saved or installed.
    Pros
    Very easy to use with a simple recovery process.
    Supports a wide range of devices.
    No installation required.
    Cons
    Not as reliable as other data recovery tools.
    Scanning can be quite slow at times.
  23. Stellar Data Recovery
  24. We would say the quality of this tool is just according to its name. It does a stellar job to data recovery software for Mac or Windows PC. Stellar Data Recovery tool will be to your rescue if you want to get your deleted files back and have no idea what to do. This effective data recovery Windows 7 tool is free of any risks and allows users to recover files from multiple storage devices such as smartphones, hard disks, memory cards, USB drivers, and others. The simplicity of Stellar Data Recovery tool is what makes it a good choice. All you have to do is download it, start the scanning, and just wait until it recovers all your deleted files.

    Pros
    Clean, intuitive user interface.
    Easy to install and set up – simple recovery process.
    Cons
    Limited file type support.
    Not as powerful as some of the other data recovery tools.

Part 2: Free Download Data Recovery Software for Windows 7 to Get Files Back

Here is how you can recover lost files using the best data recovery software for Windows 7. First of all, free download and install iBeesoft Data Recovery on your Windows 7 PC by running the setup and following the on-screen instructions.

1. A window displaying the partitions/drives on your system will open now – choose the partition that you want to recover the files from. For instance, if you accidentally deleted files from the "C:/" partition and select it. Once you have chosen the partition, click on the "Scan" button on the top right of your window.

2. The best file recovery software for Windows 7 will now perform a Quick Scan of the partition that you selected and it will now display all of the deleted/recoverable files that you can restore to your system. All the files are sorted in a tree-directory that can be viewed in the left-hand panel of your screen. You can now choose the files that you wish to recover from here by simply checking the box next to them. After this, click on the "Recover" button the top right of your screen to start the recovery process.

Alternatively, if you can not find the files that you are looking for in the previous step then you will need to perform a ‘Deep Scan’. For this, click on the "Deep Scan" option that can be found on the top panel of the current window. This will start the "Deep Scan" process. After it is complete, you will be able to preview all the deleted/recoverable files again in a tree-directory. Choose the files that you wish to restore and then click on the "Recover" button to start the recovery process.