Ultimate Guide: How to Recover Important Videos from a Formatted USB Drive Using Free Data Recovery Tools
Accidentally formatting a USB drive containing valuable videos can be a stressful experience, especially when you haven’t backed up the files. If you find yourself in this situation, don’t worry—there are effective, completely free data recovery solutions that can help you retrieve your lost data without the need for costly subscriptions.
Understanding the Situation
Most users have faced the dilemma of formatting a USB drive unintentionally, leading to the loss of critical files. When a USB drive is formatted, especially without overwriting data, the files are generally not permanently erased; instead, the system marks the space as available for new data. With the right tools and approach, you can often recover these files.
Commonly Used Data Recovery Tools
There are several free data recovery programs equipped to handle formatted USB drives. Two notable options are:
- PhotoRec: An open-source, powerful recovery tool capable of retrieving lost files from various storage devices, including formatted USB drives.
- Recuva: A user-friendly recovery solution that supports deep scans and file recovery from formatted drives.
Both tools have proven effective in numerous data recovery scenarios, but their success largely depends on whether the data has been overwritten.
Step-by-Step Guide to Recover Videos from a Formatted USB Drive
Step 1: Minimize Usage of the USB Drive
Immediately stop using the USB drive to prevent overwriting the files. Do not copy new data onto it until the recovery process is complete.
Step 2: Choose a Reliable Recovery Tool
Download either PhotoRec or Recuva from their official websites:
– PhotoRec
– Recuva
Ensure you’re downloading from trusted sources to avoid malware risks.
Step 3: Prepare Your Computer
Connect the formatted USB drive to your Windows 10 or 11 PC. Run the recovery tool with administrative privileges to ensure full access.
Step 4: Scan the USB Drive
- Using Recuva:
- Launch Recuva.
- Select your USB drive.
- Choose “Deep scan” for thorough recovery.
- Start the scan and wait for it to complete.
- Using PhotoRec:
- Launch PhotoRec.
- Select the USB drive.
- Choose the file types to
Share this content:
