Unformat Hard Drive in Windows 10/11 and Mac Free

Updated to File Recovery Tips by Amy on May 25, 2023 | Approved by Christian Cawley

A hard drive is a staple of modern computing, allowing you to store all your files and data in one convenient location. It has come a long way since its first iteration and now offers much more space, faster speeds, and more excellent reliability than ever before. However, we may lose important files due to intentional or unintentional formatting when using them if you are one of them. Don't worry. Here, we will show you how to unformat hard drive free in Windows 11/10 and prevent such a disaster from happening again.

Quick Navigation
Part 1: What does unformat mean, and Can I undo a disk format for free?
Part 2: Top 6 Best Freeware for Unformat Hard Drive in Windows 10/10 and macOS
Part 3: How to Recover Files from Formatted Hard Disk using Freeware
Part 4: How to Unformat Hard Drive Free by Backup
Part 5: How to Avoid Data Loss Caused by Accidental Hard Disk Formatting
Part 6: FAQs

What does unformat mean, and Can I undo a disk format for free?

Unformatting is a term used to describe the process of recovering lost data from a storage device that has been formatted intentionally or accidentally. Usually, without backups, this process is done with special software. Them using advanced algorithms, can restore the erased items to their original state. It's a savior for those who have lost important files that they thought were gone forever. It's like a magic trick that can make your lost files reappear, giving you a second chance to retrieve that essential document or family photo. For this purpose, this article will provide the best six tools to help you unformat hard drive for free without backup and three ways to get back erased files by the backup.

Top 6 Best Freeware for Unformat Hard Drive in Windows 10/10 and macOS

It's not fun to run into a situation where hard disk formatted recovery is necessary, and nothing you do is producing the desired results. For this reason, professional tasks need to be handed over to professional tools to complete. To save you the trouble of how to choose. Here, we tested many tools, and these six programs stand out. They can help you quickly unformat hard drive free in Windows 11/10 and Mac. You can choose one that suits you.

  1. iBeesoft Free Data Recovery
  2. It is a valuable tool for anyone needing to unformat hard drive free. This free unformat software is compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems. Furthermore, it offers a wide range of functions to help users pull back missing documents, photos, videos, music files, and more – no matter the cause of the data loss! An intuitive user interface and detailed tutorials ensure users can access lost data after format without hassle or fuss.

    Pros:
    Save 2GB files for free without function limitation
    Automatically reorganize fragmented files
    Provide two scan modes that can be replaced by a free unformat hard drive in Windows 10, 10, and Mac.
    Cons:
    No portable version
    Videos over 200M cannot be previewed
  3. TestDisk
  4. It is an open-source recovery application that provides users with an effective way to unformat hard drive free, if necessary, repair damaged file systems. By researching the corrupted drive's content and structure, it can detect the most logical failures and get lost files. Overall, it offers a dependable means of restoring lost data regardless of the source or cause of corruption.

    Pros:
    Free with no restrictions
    Support multi-platform
    Cons:
    Cannot preview found files
    No user interface is hard to use for novices
  5. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free
  6. It is an invaluable tool for anyone who has suffered from data loss. Whether a missing file is mistakenly deleted or an entire hard drive formatted, It can help restore them quickly and securely. With such an intuitive program, you can get the most out of this free format recovery software even if you are not tech-savvy. Anyone can easily benefit from its features and regain their wiped data quickly.

    Pros:
    You can save 500M data for free
    Multiple file types are supported
    Cons:
    Expensive
    Cannot repair damaged items
  7. MiniTool Power Recovery
  8. It is an excellent app for anyone who has experienced data loss, no matter the cause. It can recover information from hard drives, flash cards, storage disks, and even some of the latest mobile devices. From photos, music, and documents to emails or just about any file you accidentally deleted or lost due to formatting your device, it allows you to restore what was previously thought gone forever quickly.

    Pros:
    Can recover files up to 1GB from a formatted hard drive for free.
    Support previewing items before recovery
    Cons:
    Extracting lost data is not thorough enough
    Unformat SSD does not work well
  9. Recuva
  10. It is a fantastic recovery tool that can help you retrieve data from any storage device. Its intuitive user interface and advanced search algorithms make it extremely easy to use, no matter your technical background. Were you worried about any unwanted data overwriting the original item? Don't worry – it enables you to recover safely through its read-only operation. Recuva should be your good choice for a reliable unformat hard disk in Windows 10/11 free!

    Pros:
    Ease of use
    Flagged recoverable file status
    Cons:
    Only work on Windows PC
    The basic version has functional limitations
  11. Restoration
  12. Data loss due to accidental formatting frustrates everyone, from individuals who care about their personal information to businesses that rely on data for their operations. Thankfully, you can also rely on Restoration. It uses advanced algorithms to extract erased data quickly, and you can also view the scan results and select the items you need to recover. Also, it comes with a powerful filter search option, so it is an option for users who require unformat hard drive free.

    Pros:
    Support multiple file systems
    Available to install on an external drive
    Cons:
    Sometimes, the recovered files cannot be opened
    Time-consuming scanning

How to Recover Files from Formatted Hard Disk Using Best Freeware

Getting lost files from a hard drive after formatting can be tricky and time-consuming, but fortunately, the best free format recovery software is available to make the process easier. For this, you can use iBeesoft Free Data Recovery. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to use it to help you unformat hard drive in Windows 10, 11, and Mac for free.

Download for Windows Download for macOS
  1. Choose the correct version according to your system to install it.
  2. After running the free hard disk recovery software, select your formatted hard drive and click Scan.
  3. After the data extraction, you can view the files found according to the location on the left side of the screen.
  4. Select the data you lost by formatting the hard drive and click Recover to save them.

With the help of the best tool, unformat hard drive for free without backup is just a few mouse clicks away. If you backed up the hard drive before formatting, you could also use the following methods to complete data retrieval faster.

How to Unformat Hard Drive Free by Backup

Recovering data from the disk after formatting be a daunting task. However, doing so with a backup can make the process much easier. To this end, you can retrieve files lost due to formatting the hard drive according to your backup method by the corresponding steps.

Ways 1. From the Previous Version in Windows 10/11

This method requires you to activate file history on your Windows PC and back up the formatted drive in advance.

  1. Find the drive you accidentally formatted in Explorer.
  2. Right-click and select "Restore Previous Versions."
  3. Select the most recent copy from the "Folder Versions" list and click "Restore" to resave your files.

Ways 2. From the Time Machine on Mac

This unformat hard disk for free method still requires a backup of the erased files.

  1. Connect the external drive to the Mac where the backup files are stored
  2. Open Time Machine, select the target items, and click Restore to save them.

Ways 3. Use System Restore

  1. Open "Control Pane" and navigate to "System and Security" > "Backup and Restore (Windows 7)."
  2. Click "Select another backup to restore files from."
  3. Select a restore point in the newly opened window and follow the wizard to complete formatted hard drive recovery.

The above unformat hard drive free method can help you. However, they are at least remedial wording after all, for which you can follow the tips below to reduce such disasters from happening.

How to Avoid Data Loss Caused by Accidental Hard Disk Formatting

Almost everyone has accidentally deleted a file or two, but what if you accidentally format your entire hard drive? Losing all your data is enough to send anyone into a panic. However, you can take steps to prevent data loss caused by accidental hard disk formatting.

By taking these steps, you can avoid the headache and heartbreak of losing your essential data.

FAQs

Conclusion

Accidentally formatting your hard drive can lead to frustration and anxiety. It's easy to feel like your files are gone forever. Fortunately, this article provides several ways to unformat a hard drive on Mac or Windows 11/10 for free. I hope they can be your savior, and you can also follow our tips to avoid such a disaster from happening again.