Thursday, January 15, 2026

My High 9 Free File Restoration Software program Picks for 2026


I understand how nerve-racking it may be to complete a mission solely to have a pc crash erase all of your information, or to unintentionally delete essential consumer knowledge that brings enterprise operations to a halt. Whether or not you’re an IT skilled or a scholar, dropping ultimate information, essential paperwork, or monetary data can shortly flip every thing the wrong way up.

I see free file restoration software program as a reliable security web when reasonably priced instruments are wanted to retrieve or restore misplaced data. On this article, I evaluate the perfect free file restoration platforms, outlining their options, strengths, and limitations that can assist you discover the precise choice.

Comparability of the perfect free file restoration software program 

Nonetheless not sure which free file restoration software program is greatest to your knowledge backup wants? Contemplate evaluating their free plans and pricing choices earlier than getting began.

Greatest free file restoration software program   G2 Ranking  Free plan  Paid plan
Acronis Cyber Shield 4.3/5 ⭐️ Free trial out there Beginning at $85 per 12 months
Arcserve UDP 4.2/5 ⭐️ 30-day free trial out there Contact Arcserve UDP for pricing
AvePoint Multi-SaaS Cloud Backup 4.5/5 ⭐️ 30-day free trial out there Contact AvePoint Multi-SaaS Cloud Backup for pricing
Cove Information Safety 4.5/5 ⭐️ 30-day free trial out there Contact Cove Information Safety for pricing
CrashPlan 4.4/5 ⭐️ 14-day free trial out there Beginning at $4 monthly
HYCU 4.7/5 ⭐️ Free trial out there Contact HYCU for pricing
Tenorshare 4DDiG 4.9/5 ⭐️  Free trial out there $45.95/month
Veeam Backup for AWS 4.5/5 ⭐️ Sure, for as much as 10 situations Contact Veeam Backup for AWS for pricing
Veeam Information Platform 4.6/5 ⭐️ Free trial out there Contact Veeam Information Platform for pricing

*All pricing particulars talked about within the article are based mostly on publicly out there knowledge on the time of publication and are topic to vary.

9 greatest free file restoration software program I like to recommend

Information loss is turning into more and more frequent as folks rely extra on digital information for work, research, and on a regular basis life. From unintended deletions to system crashes and corrupted storage gadgets, dropping essential knowledge can disrupt productiveness in seconds.

File restoration software program performs a essential function in serving to customers retrieve misplaced paperwork, images, movies, and different important information with out instantly turning to costly skilled providers. As storage applied sciences evolve, so does the necessity for dependable restoration instruments that may deal with trendy file methods and gadgets.

A number of free file restoration software program choices out there in 2026 nonetheless ship significant restoration capabilities, making it potential to revive deleted information, scan broken drives, and preview recoverable knowledge with out upfront prices. These instruments could be particularly helpful for people, college students, and small groups in search of a sensible first line of protection in opposition to knowledge loss.

How did I choose and consider the perfect file restoration software program?

To construct this checklist, I began with G2 knowledge, shortlisting top-rated instruments based mostly on their G2 scores and constant efficiency within the file restoration software program class.

From there, I reviewed product capabilities and up to date, verified consumer suggestions to substantiate that these instruments ship real-world worth and to grasp the place each stands out, whether or not that’s restoration success charges, supported file varieties and gadgets, ease of use, or scan pace.

The objective was easy: to see whether or not these file restoration options dwell as much as their claims, what each is greatest suited to, and whether or not there’s a free model or free trial you possibly can check with minimal threat. Since restoration wants can differ broadly, I paid shut consideration to what you possibly can really recuperate with out paying, comparable to knowledge measurement limits, preview performance, gadget help, and any restrictions that may immediate an improve.

 

The screenshots featured on this article could also be a mixture of these taken from the seller’s G2 web page or from publicly out there supplies.

File restoration or file restore software program helps you retrieve or restore misplaced or broken data by reconnecting the parts of deleted information to revive them. People, IT professionals, and enterprise house owners depend on these file restoration methods to retrieve knowledge they could have unintentionally deleted. 

The checklist under has real consumer evaluations from the perfect file restoration software program class web page on G2. Please be aware that throughout the context of this checklist, software program that requires cost after a free trial is taken into account free. 

To be included on this class, an answer should:

  • Present instruments to restore information or recuperate deleted information
  • Supply an interface to assist navigate and choose information for restoration
  • Rebuild or reconstruct desired information

This knowledge was pulled from G2 in 2025. Some evaluations could have been edited for readability.

1. Acronis Cyber Shield: Greatest for all-in-one backup, restoration, and cybersecurity safety 

Acronis Cyber Shield gives stable backup and file restoration options for cloud, on-premises, and hybrid environments. Options like steady knowledge safety, backup notarization, and safe file sync and sharing do their half to maintain consumer knowledge protected. The platform’s superior catastrophe restoration capabilities assist corporations bounce again quick from catastrophic occasions so operations proceed uninterrupted. 

Professionals and cons of Acronis Cyber Shield: At a look

Professionals of Acronis Cyber Shield

Cons of Acronis Cyber Shield

Helps Workplace 365, Azure servers, VMware, and different environments Difficult to combine with Google Workspace
Inexpensive pay-per-use and month-to-month subscriptions Could cost extra for technical help
Minimizes downtime with environment friendly knowledge restoration Time required to be taught the device
What G2 customers like about Acronis Cyber Shield:

“Now we have been utilizing Acronis Cyber Shield for a number of shoppers, and managing all of the endpoints and servers of various shoppers below a single dashboard is handy. The interface could be very user-friendly, and the connectivity with the agent deployed on endpoints is fairly good concerning real-time monitoring.”

Acronis Cyber Shield Assessment, Raj B.

What G2 customers dislike about Acronis Cyber Shield:

“The costing did not make sense. When you’ve got 500 GB of knowledge, you want round 1.2 TB of backup storage. In any other case, it will get caught, and your backups would fail. The complete backups would take very lengthy.”

Acronis Cyber Shield Assessment, Warren S.

Pairing file restoration with dependable backup software program ensures you’re by no means vulnerable to everlasting knowledge loss. Listed below are the highest picks for 2025.

Pairing file restoration with dependable backup software program ensures you’re by no means vulnerable to everlasting knowledge loss. Listed below are the highest picks for 2025.

2. Arcserve UDP:
 Greatest for enterprise-grade backup and catastrophe restoration readiness

Arcserve UDP’s all-in-one knowledge safety resolution integrates backup, catastrophe restoration, and knowledge administration capabilities. Mid-market and enterprise companies depend on it to guard knowledge and decrease downtime throughout cloud, digital, and bodily environments. Different options embody world deduplication, superior encryption, and automated catastrophe restoration testing. 

Arcserve UDP

Professionals and cons of Arcserve UDP: At a look

Professionals of Arcserve UDP

Cons of Arcserve UDP

Prevents knowledge loss from {hardware} failures, software program points, or cyber-attacks Lacks useful buyer help
Achieves spectacular knowledge discount charges Could are compatible points with particular {hardware} and software program platforms
Ensures catastrophe restoration readiness via automated testing Sophisticated licensing mannequin and related prices 
What G2 customers like about Arcserve UDP:

“Immutable backups and granular restores are amongst its most useful modules. Total, Arcserve UDP is an effective alternative for companies that want a complete knowledge safety resolution. It’s simple to make use of, dependable, and supplies good ransomware safety.”

Arcserve UDP Assessment, Felipe R.

What G2 customers dislike about Arcserve UDP:

“Arcserve UDP will not be totally appropriate with all {hardware} and software program platforms, and a few organizations could have to take extra steps to make sure compatibility with their present IT infrastructure. “

Arcserve UDP Assessment, Prasanth V.

 

3. AvePoint Multi-SaaS Cloud Backup: Greatest for SaaS knowledge restoration throughout Microsoft 365 and cloud apps

AvePoint Multi-SaaS Cloud Backup is a complete backup and restore resolution that helps platforms like Workplace 365, Change, Azure Digital Machines, Google Workspace, Salesforce, and AWS Digital Machines. It makes use of industry-standard encryption protocols to maintain backups safe. Different options embody environment friendly restore choices, a user-friendly interface, and constant knowledge safety

AvePoint Multi-SaaS Cloud Backup

Professionals and cons of AvePoint Multi-SaaS Cloud Backup: At a look

Professionals of AvePoint Multi-SaaS Cloud Backup

Cons of AvePoint Multi-SaaS Cloud Backup

Permits granular search and restoration of particular person gadgets or folders Restricted integrations with third-party functions
Helps a variety of SaaS functions Occasional gradual backups or excessive processor reminiscence utilization
Straightforward and versatile knowledge restoration from backups Lacks a pleasant consumer interface
What G2 customers like about AvePoint Multi-SaaS Cloud Backup:

“As soon as a schedule is about up for backup, it continues backing up Microsoft 365 paperwork by itself, based mostly on sure guidelines (if we need to), and that’s the neatest thing about AvePoint Multi-SaaS Cloud Backup. I might even arrange a number of backups in a day at totally different intervals to make sure that the frequency matched the up to date file schedules by totally different remotely situated groups inside our group. If there was any failure, an e-mail alert was routinely obtained, together with an answer.”

AvePoint Multi-SaaS Cloud Backup Assessment, Anirban S.

What G2 customers dislike about AvePoint Multi-SaaS Cloud Backup:

“The built-in reporting capabilities appear to lack depth and complete insights. That’s not to say it’s ineffective, however enhancements might positively be made to the upgrades. Extra integration choices would even be extremely appreciated.”

AvePoint Multi-SaaS Cloud Backup Assessment, Sankhadeep D.

4. Cove Information Safety: Greatest for MSPs and IT groups managing multi-tenant backups

Cove Information Safety is a cloud-first backup and catastrophe restoration platform that protects servers, workstations, and Microsoft 365 knowledge. It lets organizations guard essential knowledge throughout a number of environments from one multi-tenant dashboard. Cove Information Safety makes use of knowledge facilities worldwide to isolate data from native networks and maintain backups within the area. In keeping with G2 Information, it ranks because the 2nd best to make use of device.

Cove Data Protection

Professionals and cons of Cove Information Safety: At a look

Professionals of Cove Information Safety

Cons of Cove Information Safety

Dependable, quick backup and restore capabilities

Sluggish efficiency and restoration when utilizing a weak web connection

Assist for Workplace 365, servers, and workstations

Difficult setup for standby photographs

Straightforward configuration

Laborious to configure knowledge retention instances

What G2 customers like about Cove Information Safety:

“The consumer interface could be very good and simple to make use of. No reboots are wanted when putting in the brokers, and they aren’t restricted to the storage measurement of an area equipment. Customer support is nice as there are totally different choices and good response instances.”

Cove Information Safety Assessment, Darius L.

What G2 customers dislike about Cove Information Safety:

“The passphrase and safety key have totally different names somewhere else. When deciding on a point-in-time restore, the choice screens change (simply watch out to double examine earlier than you begin). I am not an enormous fan of the restore-to creating the listing construction beginning with the supply drive letter.”

Cove Information Safety Assessment, Kevin M.

5. CrashPlan: Greatest for automated endpoint backup and file restoration

Enterprises use CrashPlan’s automated endpoint backup resolution to make sure knowledge resilience and safety. The platform supplies limitless backup capability so customers can retailer delicate data with out worrying about working out of area. It additionally retains knowledge in transit and at relaxation protected with encryption. Different options embody dashboards for monitoring backup standing, customized deployment, automated provisioning, self-service, and admin restores.  

CrashPlan

Professionals and cons of CrashPlan: At a look

Professionals of CrashPlan

Cons of CrashPlan

Works seamlessly within the background 

Endpoint gadgets could take longer to attach after CrashPlan updates

Reduces the time and assets required to revive machines after a crash

Lacks a centralized documentation hub

Person-friendly buyer help

Limits customizable backup studies 

What G2 customers like about CrashPlan:

“Quite a few instances, our customers have had a tool fully blue display screen or crash, and even probably the most uncommon occasion – a laptop computer falling out of a suitcase on a runway and being run over by an airplane! If CrashPlan had not been put in on these gadgets, we’d not have been in a position to simply and seamlessly restore the information for misplaced, broken, or stolen gadgets.

CrashPlan additionally makes it simple for our establishment to do gadget life biking, permitting our pc tech staff to pick out particular knowledge and switch it to the brand new gadget in the identical location. Earlier than CrashPlan, lifecycles had been difficult, and knowledge switch was painful.”

CrashPlan Assessment, Rebekah D.

What G2 customers dislike about CrashPlan:

“The documentation hub could be centralized and cleaned up, making gadgets simpler to seek out and higher organized.”

CrashPlan Assessment, Adrien B.

6. HYCU: Greatest for application-aware backup in hybrid and multi-cloud

HYCU’s superior software program discovery and visualization capabilities empower companies to design tailor-made backup options. This platform options application-consistent backup, simplifies hybrid and multi-cloud knowledge administration, and gives agentless catastrophe restoration. Different highlights embody cross-platform knowledge mobility, ransomware safety, and knowledge privateness. In keeping with G2 Information, HYCU experiences the strongest adoption within the mid-market, with 54% of its customers originating from this phase.

HYCU

Professionals and cons of HYCU: At a look

Professionals of HYCU

Cons of HYCU

Helps attain RTO targets

Barely clunky bodily servers

Useful tech help

Doesn’t present how a lot storage a consumer makes use of throughout the Workplace 365 backup

Straightforward to implement

Could encounter bugs and failed backups

What G2 customers like about  HYCU:

“The HYCU help staff is aware of their product and will help and resolve points shortly. The onboarding was simple to observe and guided us via the implementation of the product to again up our Atlassian situations. The options are additionally attention-grabbing in comparison with different merchandise available on the market. Total, it’s a very easy-to-use resolution that works effectively and does what we ask.”

HYCU Assessment, Jonathan B.

What G2 customers dislike about HYCU:

“HYCU generally can encounter bugs and failed backups. HYCU help has been responsive, however generally, if there’s a service, API, or Azure error, it’s troublesome to pinpoint the rationale for a failure.”

HYCU Assessment, Will F.

7. Tenorshare 4DDiG: Greatest for private file restoration from deleted or formatted drives 

Tenorshare 4DDiG is an information restoration device designed to assist customers restore misplaced or deleted information from inner PCs and exterior storage gadgets comparable to USB drives, SD playing cards, and exterior laborious drives. It helps restoration throughout a number of knowledge loss eventualities, together with unintended deletion, formatting, virus assaults, and system crashes. With help for over 1,000 file varieties, together with images, movies, and paperwork, Tenorshare 4DDiG supplies a sensible resolution for retrieving essential knowledge from a variety of gadgets and conditions. In keeping with G2 Information, it ranks because the third best to make use of device.

Tenorshare 4DDiG

Professionals and cons of Tenorshare 4DDiG: At a look

Professionals of Tenorshare 4DDi Cons of Tenorshare 4DDi
Straightforward-to-use interface appropriate for rookies Licensing points when switching or reinstalling on new methods
Efficient restoration of misplaced and corrupted information Restoration could be gradual on giant or defective drives
Quick scan and restoration speeds in lots of instances Occasional replace and reinstallation points
What G2 customers like about Tenorshare 4DDi:

“Excellent software program for restoration and very easy to make use of and perceive. I’ve been utilizing it for round 3 years now, and there have been only a few instances that the software program has not recovered what I used to be in search of. I’ve used it for photograph, knowledge restoration largely. I even have discovered there help staff excellent, who I’ve solely ever needed to contact as soon as, which reveals how dependable and good the software program is, they had been fast and efficient in serving to with the difficulty that I had. I might and have beneficial this software program to others because the go-to software program to make use of in case you’re needing to seek out deleted or misplaced knowledge”.

Tenorshare 4DDi Assessment, L.J.

What G2 customers dislike about Tenorshare 4DDi:

“The one factor I didn’t like is that after doing a purchase order of the software program, there isn’t a solution to take away the license from the machine, so I might reinstall it after doing a tough drive alternative with a contemporary OS set up on my workstation. I contacted Tensorshare help, and because of their assist, they reset the license for me, permitting me to reinstall the software program. Bravo to them however simply want like different software program packages I’ve you possibly can pull the license and reactivate after a reinstall”.

Tenorshare 4DDi Assessment, Jay G.

8. Veeam Information Platform: Greatest for enterprise knowledge safety and speedy file restoration

Veeam Information Platform helps companies safeguard knowledge throughout cloud, bodily, and hybrid environments. This platform delivers safe knowledge backup, which minimizes downtime in case of loss or catastrophe. Apart from detecting dangerous backup actions, it additionally automates knowledge restoration with low-impact testing and tailor-made orchestration. In keeping with G2 Information, it ranks as the first best to make use of device. 

Veeam Data Platform-

Professionals and cons of Veeam Information Platform: At a look

Professionals of Veeam Information Platform

Cons of Veeam Information Platform

Large backup sizes at instances

Completes backups in much less time

Dear licenses

Performs higher than tape-styled backup merchandise

Complicated preliminary setup

What G2 customers like about Veeam Information Platform:

“Veeam Information Platform is easy and efficient for backups and restoring stuff. As somebody tremendous into constructing cellular apps, I’ve gotten a variety of good use out of it. Establishing backups is straightforward, and scheduling them to run routinely is clutch since I haven’t got to babysit continuously. The portal makes checking on stuff clean, too.”

Veeam Information Platform Assessment, Jatindra D.

What G2 customers dislike about Veeam Information Platform:

“Whereas primary capabilities are easy, mastering some extra superior options can require important effort and time. This studying curve is likely to be a hurdle for much less skilled IT workers.”

Veeam Information Platform Assessment, Renaldo B.

9. Veeam Backup for AWS: Greatest for native AWS workload backup and restoration

Veeam Backup for AWS gives native, policy-based safety providers to assist corporations recuperate knowledge in case of unintended deletion, knowledge loss, and ransomware. The platform leads with utility programming interfaces (APIs) to permit companies to create immutable backups and file-level restores. Customers may also use highly effective choices to satisfy near-zero restoration time aims and repair stage agreements. 

Veeam Backup for AWS

Professionals and cons of Veeam Backup for AW: At a look

Professionals of Veeam Backup for AWS

Cons of Veeam Backup for AWS

Saves storage prices with incremental backups and deduplication

Designed explicitly for AWS environments

Permits backup administration throughout a number of Amazon Internet Providers (AWS) accounts

It may be expensive for small companies

Prompt VM and file-level restoration

Efficiency points for some throughout backups

What G2 customers like about Veeam Backup for AWS:

“I’ve been utilizing Veeam Backup for AWS for a number of months now, and I’m totally impressed with its efficiency and ease of use. The answer supplies complete backup and restoration capabilities for our AWS workloads, enabling us to guard our essential knowledge and functions confidently.

I significantly admire the answer’s flexibility and scalability, permitting us to customise our backup insurance policies and scale our backup infrastructure as wanted. Total, I extremely advocate Veeam Backup for AWS to any group in search of a dependable and environment friendly cloud-native backup and catastrophe restoration resolution.”

Veeam Backup for AWS Assessment, Shagun B.

What G2 customers dislike about Veeam Backup for AWS:

“Whereas Veeam Backup for AWS supplies complete backup and restoration capabilities for AWS workloads, I discovered its usability to be fairly difficult. The interface could be complicated and never very intuitive, which made it troublesome for me to carry out primary duties comparable to configuring backup insurance policies.”

Veeam Backup for AWS Assessment, Shagun B.

Click to chat with G2s Monty-AI

Often requested questions on the perfect free file restoration software program

Q1. What’s the greatest free file restoration software program?

A. Veeam Information Platform is the perfect free file restoration resolution based mostly on G2 knowledge. 

Q2. How does file restoration software program work?

A. When a file is deleted, the working system marks the area occupied by the file as out there for brand spanking new knowledge, however doesn’t instantly erase the file’s contents. The precise knowledge stays on the disk till new knowledge overwrites it. File restoration software program searches for these marked areas to recuperate the information.

Q3. Is free file restoration software program protected to make use of?

A. Free file restoration software program could be protected to make use of in case you select a good and well-reviewed device. Earlier than utilizing it, consider the platform’s repute, encryption options, and safety replace frequency.

This fall. What kinds of information can free restoration software program recuperate?

Most free file restoration software program can recuperate frequent file varieties comparable to paperwork (DOCX, PDF), images (JPG, PNG), movies (MP4), audio information, and primary archives.

Instruments like Tenorshare 4DDiG give attention to conventional file restoration eventualities and help a variety of private and work-related file codecs. Backup-centric instruments comparable to Acronis Cyber Shield, Veeam Information Platform, and CrashPlan recuperate information that had been beforehand backed up fairly than scanning disks for deleted knowledge.

Q5. Which free file restoration software program gives the very best restoration success price?

Restoration success is determined by how shortly you act and whether or not the deleted knowledge has been overwritten.

For direct file restoration, Tenorshare 4DDiG is usually trusted for unintended deletions and fast scans. Backup platforms like Acronis Cyber Shield, Veeam, and Cove Information Safety provide extraordinarily excessive restoration reliability, however provided that the information had been already backed up earlier than deletion.

In brief:

  • Deleted, not backed up → file restoration instruments
  • Misplaced however backed up → backup platforms

Q6. Are open-source file restoration instruments higher than freemium choices?

Open-source instruments could be highly effective and clear, however they typically require technical experience, command-line utilization, or guide configuration.

Freemium instruments like Tenorshare 4DDiG prioritize ease of use and guided restoration, which makes them extra sensible for many customers. Backup options comparable to Veeam, HYCU, and Arcserve UDP are enterprise-grade however not designed for informal, ad-hoc restoration with out prior setup.

Q7. What ought to I search for when evaluating free file restoration software program?

When evaluating free choices, give attention to:

  • File sort help
  • Scan depth (fast vs deep scan)
  • Restoration limits within the free model
  • OS compatibility (Home windows/macOS)
  • Preview performance earlier than restoration

In the event you depend on backups, consider platforms like CrashPlan, Acronis, or Veeam Backup for AWS based mostly on retention insurance policies, restore pace, and protection fairly than scan-based restoration.

Q8. Which free file restoration instruments are most trusted by customers?

Belief varies by use case:

  • Tenorshare 4DDiG is broadly trusted for private and SMB file restoration.
  • Acronis Cyber Shield, Veeam Information Platform, CrashPlan, and Cove Information Safety are extremely trusted in enterprise and IT environments for backup-based restoration.
  • HYCU and Arcserve UDP are trusted in enterprise and cloud-native setups.

Person belief typically displays consistency and reliability, not simply restoration pace.

Q9. Does free file restoration software program work on each Home windows and macOS?

Some instruments help each working methods, however not all.

  • Tenorshare 4DDiG gives variations for each Home windows and macOS.
  • Backup platforms like Acronis Cyber Shield and CrashPlan help a number of OS environments, relying on plan and configuration.
  • Enterprise instruments comparable to Veeam and HYCU are sometimes OS-agnostic on the infrastructure stage fairly than consumer-focused.

At all times examine OS help earlier than downloading.

Q10. What’s the greatest free file restoration software program for unintended deletion?

For unintended deletion on a private pc, Tenorshare 4DDiG is among the most sensible free choices attributable to its guided restoration course of and broad file help.

For companies, the “greatest” choice is commonly a backup-based resolution like Acronis Cyber Shield, CrashPlan, or Veeam Information Platform, as these stop knowledge loss altogether fairly than making an attempt restoration after the actual fact.

Stop setbacks earlier than they happen

I see file restoration platforms as important instruments for recovering knowledge misplaced to {hardware} failures, software program points, or human error. Understanding every platform’s strengths and limitations makes it simpler to check totally different choices earlier than selecting one that matches your particular wants.

I additionally advocate paying shut consideration to common updates and the supply of neighborhood help to keep away from sudden setbacks. Frequent updates assist maintain methods steady by fixing bugs and addressing safety vulnerabilities, whereas energetic communities can present steering when official help isn’t out there. 

Trying to safe delicate enterprise data? Try the highest knowledge loss prevention software program for knowledge safety and knowledge leak prevention. 

This text was initially revealed in 2024. It has been up to date with new data.



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