Best Partition Recovery Software for Windows 10/11

Are you struggling to pick the best partition recovery software for Windows? We’ve tested most hard drive partition recovery tools available today — both free and paid — and narrowed them down to the very best. All you need to do is pick the one that best fits your preferences and budget.

Updated on:Nov 1, 2023

Written by

Jordan Jamieson-Mane

1. Disk Drill Partition Recovery

Disk Drill stands out as the best partition recovery software for a multitude of reasons. To start with, the tool combines powerful data recovery algorithms with a sleek user interface, putting professional data recovery capabilities in the hands of regular Windows users.

All commonly used file systems are supported, including NTFS/NTFS5, AFPS, HFS/HFS+/HFSX, FAT/FAT32/exFAT, EXT3/EXT4, and others. Disk Drill can also recover files (over 400 different file formats, in fact) from RAW partitions that don’t have any file system at all.

The free version of Disk Drill for Windows can recover up to 500 MB of data, and it comes with several useful disk tools that many other developers sell as stand-alone products. The latest version of Disk Drill for Windows runs on Windows 10 and 11. If you have older Windows version you need to download Disk Drill 4.

Free Download

Pros:

Easy to use
Powerful data recovery algorithms
Supports a great number of file systems and file formats
Extra disk tools
Free 500 MB file recovery
RAW partition recovery capabilities

Cons:

Phone customer support isn’t available

Supported file systems: FAT12/16/32, NTFS, NTFS5, exFAT, HFS, HFS+, APFS, ext2/3/4, RAW.

Fix partition table: No.

Price:

Disk Drill Basic	Free
Disk Drill PRO	$89.00
Disk Drill Enterprise	$499
Competitive Upgrade	50% OFF

Limitations on the free/trial version: The free version can recover only 500 MB of data.

Supported operating systems: Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7.

2. TestDisk

TestDisk is the most popular free partition recovery software tool. It runs under Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP, Windows Server 2016/2012/2008/2003, DOS (either real or in a Windows 9x DOS-box), Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, SunOS, and macOS. The tool was designed to help recover lost partitions and/or make non-booting disks bootable again, and it does a great job with both.

Inexperienced users often shy away from TestDisk because its command-line user interface is less than inviting. In reality, the tool does a good job of guiding its users through the partition recovery process, but it’s certainly not as intuitive as graphical partition recovery software.

Free Download

Pros:

Can make non-booting disks bootable again
Completely free and open-source
Runs on Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP
Powerful data recovery capabilities

Cons:

Command-line user interface

Supported file systems: BeFS, CramFS, FAT12/16/32, FATX, exFAT, HFS, HFS+ and HFSX, JFS, btrfs, ext2/3/4, GFS2, LUKS encrypted partition, Linux RAID md 0.9/1.0/1.1/1.2, RAID 1/4/5/6, Linux Swap, LVM, LVM2, NSS, NTFS, ReiserFS 3.5, 3.6 and 4, Sun Solaris i386 disklabel, UFS, UFS2, XFS, SGI's Journaled File System, Wii WBFS, Sun ZFS.

Fix partition table: Yes.

Price: Free and open-source software.

Limitations on the free/trial version: None.

Supported operating systems: Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP.

3. DiskInternals Partition Recovery

DiskInternals Partition Recovery is a purpose-built partition recovery tool intended for all home and business users who need to recover lost partitions and the data stored on them. The tool addresses all common and not-so-common partition loss situations, including accidental deletion, bad sectors, malware damage, and corruption caused by a power outage.

It features a step-by-step recovery wizard that does a good job of guiding the user through the recovery process and helping him or her choose between the available scanning modes (Fast scanning, Full scanning, and Reader mode). DiskInternals Partition Recovery supports many file systems, including FAT, ReFS, UFS, HFS, NTFS, ReiserFS, APFS (reader mode), RomFS (reader mode), Reiser4, XFS, Ext2, Ext3, and Ext4.

Free Download

Pros:

Can open unreadable partition in File Explorer
Step-by-step recovery wizard
Support for many file systems
Option to recover from disk image

Cons:

Slow scan speed
Limited trial

Supported file systems: FAT, ReFS, UFS, HFS, NTFS, ReiserFS, APFS(reader mode), RomFS(reader mode), Reiser4, XFS, ext2/3/4.

Fix partition table: No.

Price:

Trial version	Only preview
Personal	$139.95
Business	$219.95

Limitations on the free/trial version: The free trial version can only preview recoverable files.

Supported operating systems: Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP/2000.

4. MiniTool Power Data Recovery

MiniTool Power Data Recovery is a versatile lost partition recovery tool compatible with Windows 11/10/8/7 and Windows Server OS. You can use it to recover files from accidentally deleted partition or from lost partition after reinstalling Windows. The tool can even recover files from inaccessible/RAW partition, making it more than capable of solving even the most complex data loss scenarios.

Because MiniTool Power Data Recovery has a fairly intuitive graphical user interface, even users with little to no previous data recovery experience can use it to undelete files from lost and deleted partition without struggling to understand how it works.

Free Download

Pros:

Comprehensive partition recovery capabilities
Intuitive user interface
Can recover files from CDs and DVDs

Cons:

Unable to mount recovery results
Expensive subscriptions

Supported file systems: FAT12/16/32, exFAT, NTFS, NTFS5, ext2/3/4, HFS+, ISO9660, Joliet, UDF.

Fix partition table: No.

Price:

For Personal Users:

Trial version	Recover up to 1 GB data
Personal Monthly Subscription	$69.00
Personal Annual Subscription	$89.00
Personal Ultimate	$99.00

For Business Users:

Business Standard	$119.00
Business Deluxe	$199.00
Business Enterprise	$399.00
Business Technician	$499.00

Limitations on the free/trial version: The free version can recover only 1 GB of data.

Supported operating systems: Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7.

5. Hetman Recovery

Hetman Partition Recovery is another known data recovery application that boasts not only file recovery, but entire partition recovery. It boldly claims that it can recover absolutely any type of file from both internal and external drives.

Once you download and open the application, you’ll immediately be presented with a Wizard that guides you through the recovery process. If you’d prefer to handle everything yourself, you can choose to close this and do it yourself.

Added benefits include recovery from virtual hard drives, encryption removal from ransomware, and the option of previewing files before recovery. These features alone help justify the price, but there are other options available that include these features, plus more, for a similar price.

Free Download

Pros:

Portable version available
Preview files before recovery
Runs on Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP

Cons:

Confusing interface that mimics the Windows Explorer
No added features for data protection

Supported file systems: FAT, FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, HFS+, Ext4/3/2/ReiserFS, XFS/UFS.

Fix partition table: No.

Price:

Trial version	Only preview
Home version	$97.95
Office version	$237.95
Business version	$397.95

Limitations on the free/trial version: You can only search for recoverable files, not recover them.

Supported operating systems: Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP.

6. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is a popular data recovery application with partition recovery capabilities. You can use it when partitions get lost, deleted, RAW, or become inaccessible. Its modern user interface makes it inviting and intuitive, and its support for more than 1,000 file formats allows you to recover all types of files, including documents, images, videos, audio, emails, and file archives.

Partition recovery with EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is a matter of three simple steps, and the tool even gives you the option to initiate, pause, or resume a data recovery scanning process at any time, which may come in handy when you need to use your computer to do other things.

Free Download

Pros:

Modern user interface
Can export/import recovery sessions
Three-step recovery process

Cons:

Expensive
Lists irrecoverable files as recoverable

Supported file systems: FAT12/16/32, exFAT, NTFS, NTFS5, ext2/3, HFS+, ReFS.

Fix partition table: No.

Price:

Free trial	Can recover up to 2GB of data
Monthly subscription	$69.95
Annual subscription	$99.95
Lifetime Upgrades	$149.95

Limitations on the free/trial version: The free version can recovery 2 GB of data.

Supported operating systems: Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP.

7. Active@ Partition Recovery

Active Partition Recovery is a freeware tool that allows you to recover lost, deleted, or damaged logical drives and partitions. It features three scanning methods: QuickScan, SuperScan, and Last Chance - each type being deeper than the last.

Its key features include recovery of partitions and disks to a working state, the ability to fix damaged partition tables, and the option to rollback partitioning changes if anything goes wrong.

Active@ has other tools that would work hand-in-hand with Partition Recovery, such as their UNDELETE and File Recovery tools. Instead, each tool requires an independent license, which can drive up the price if you want to use multiple.

Free Download

Pros:

Simple interface
Ability to repair partition tables
Supports many different file systems

Cons:

Limited use with the free version

Supported file systems: FAT, FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, HFS+, UFS, Ext4/3/2.

Fix partition table: Yes.

Price:

Free version	Only preview for lost or formatted partitions
Standard license	$39.95
Professional license	$49.99
Ultimate license	$69.99

Limitations on the free/trial version: The free version only allows you to search for lost or formatted partitions. Recovery is included only with a paid subscription.

Supported operating systems: Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP.

How We Selected Top Partition Recovery Software

When we tested these tools, we measured them against criteria that we think would directly benefit those who will use it:

⚙️ Performance - Not all recovery tools can recover all types of files. And, not all can recover files from external storage. Because of this, we look for tools that are able to recover a wide range of files from different types of storage media.
🤗 User-Friendliness - A good recovery solution can be used by both newcomers and enthusiasts alike. This is why we’ve picked tools that are either easy to use right off the bat, or have some easy-to-learn basics that can get you started.
💲 Price - Of course, price is always a factor when it comes to anything. We’ve handpicked tools that we think are competitive in terms of pricing so you don’t have to break the bank to recover your data.
🔩 Compatibility - Not everyone uses the same operating system, file system, storage media, or device, so we tried to pick tools that can be used in any type of configuration.

Quick Comparison of the Best Partition Recovery Tools

Software Name	Price	Supported File Systems	Latest Update
Disk Drill Partition Recovery	$89 lifetime license (Windows + macOS)	FAT/FAT32/exFAT, NTFS, HFS & HFS+, APFS, EXT3/EXT4 and any RAW disk	July 14, 2023 (Version 5.3.1310)
TestDisk	Free	BeFS, CramFS, FAT12/16/32, FATX, exFAT, HFS, HFS+, HFSX, JFS, btrfs, ext2/3/4, GFS2, LUKS encrypted partition, Linux RAID md 0.9/1.0/1.1/1.2, RAID 1/4/5/6, Linux Swap, LVM, LVM2, NSS, NTFS, ReiserFS 3.5, 3.6 and 4, Sun Solaris i386 disklabel, UFS, UFS2, XFS, SGI's Journaled File System, Wii WBFS, Sun ZFS	July 10, 2019 (Version 7.1)
DiskInternals	$139.95 and more	FAT, ReFS, UFS, HFS, NTFS, ReiserFS, APFS(reader mode), RomFS(reader mode), Reiser4, XFS, ext2/3/4	March 11, 2023 (Version 8.10)
MiniTool	$69.00 for monthly subscription	FAT12/16/32, exFAT, NTFS, NTFS5, ext2/3/4, HFS+, ISO9660, Joliet, UDF	July 15, 2023 (Version 11.6)
Hetman	$97.95 and more	FAT, FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, HFS+, Ext4/3/2/ReiserFS, XFS/UFS	August 28, 2023 (Version 4.9)
EaseUS	$69.95 for monthly subscription	FAT12/16/32, exFAT, NTFS, NTFS5, ext2/3, HFS+, ReFS	September 4, 2023 (Version 16.2.0)
Active@	$39.95 and more	FAT, FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, HFS+, UFS, Ext4/3/2	Febryary 4, 2023 (Version 23)

Quick Partition Recovery Tips

💽 Backup data before editing partition structure. While making a backup is important when performing any action with your data, it’s especially important if you’re making adjustments to your partition structure. If something goes wrong during the process, you could end up losing an entire partition’s worth of data. Keeping a backup allows for easy recovery if needed.
⌛ Act quickly after data loss. Once your data is deleted, there is a window of opportunity for recovery. If you’re actively writing new data to your disk, your recoverable data will eventually be overwritten. If you want to recover your lost or deleted files, refrain from using the disk until you’re ready to attempt recovery.
🙅‍♂️ Don't edit the partition where the data had been lost. Making any changes to the partition that once stored the data can be detrimental to the recovery process. Avoid shrinking or extending the partition before you’ve recovered your data as you run the risk of marking the space where your files were located as available, allowing Windows to overwrite them.

More Information About Partition Recovery

Each partition recovery tool is different, but many share a very similar recovery process. Let’s illustrate how to recover deleted data from a partition using Disk Drill for Windows.

Step 1. Download and Install Disk Drill

First, download and install Disk Drill. You should install it on a completely different storage device than the one which the deleted partition was located on to maximize your recovery chances.

Step 2. Scan Your Storage Device

Disk Drill makes it easy to find deleted partitions since all you need to do is select your storage device and click Search for lost data.

Step 3. Recover Lost Data

Finally, select the deleted partition to see all recoverable files. You can then choose which files you want to recover and which you want to leave behind. Once you’ve made your selection, you can click the Recover button and specify a safe recovery directory.

How to Fix a Corrupted Partition

You can repair a corrupted partition from within Windows, usually without the need for additional software. We can do this using the Command Prompt.

?

Let’s break down each part of the syntax so you’re aware of what it does and how it can help:

Chkdsk - Check Disk is a utility made by Microsoft that allows you to scan your drive for errors and fix them using additional functions.
/r - This command locates bad sectors and attempts to recover readable information from them. Additionaly it checks the disk for identifiable errors.
/x - If necessary, this forces the volume to dismount first.

To implement the fix, go through these steps below:

Click the start menu, and search for cmd.
Right-click Command Prompt then Run as administrator.
Run the command chkdsk *: /r /x. Replace the * with the drive letter that contains the corrupted partition.

When run, it will begin scanning your drive. This can take some time, depending on how much there is to scan. If successful, your corrupted partition should be fixed.

More Information About Partition Data Recovery

Frequently Asked Questions

Updated on Nov 1, 2023 by 7 Data Recovery Team

How to recover data from a deleted partition?

If you delete your partition, the data will still physically remain on the disk. However, it will be inaccessible, and the hard drive will see that space as free to store new data.

You can recover data from a deleted partition using a partition recovery tool. However, you must begin the recovery process before the data on the deleted partition is overwritten. If data is overwritten, recovery becomes next to impossible without the use of a professional recovery service.

Download and install Disk Drill. Open it.
Select the drive that the partition was previously on. On the right, click Search for lost data.
When the lost partition appears, click Review found items.
Select the data you’d like to recover, then click Recover.
Choose a safe recovery location, then click OK.

How to recover a RAW partition?

A RAW partition is a partition without any file system. Sometimes partitions with a NTFS or FAT32 file system can become RAW in the event of sudden power failure, failed formating, or a virus attack. When this happens, the data on that partition will become inaccessible.

Such a partition can be recovered using partition recovery software capable of scanning entire storage devices and not just individual partitions, such as Disk Drill.

Download and install Disk Drill. Open it.
Select the drive that has the RAW partition. Click Search for lost data.
When the scan has finished, click Review found items.
Select the data you’d like to recover, then click Recover.
Choose a safe recovery location, then click OK.

Once all the data is recovered, you can format the partition with a new file system.

How to recover a deleted partition using CMD?

In some cases, partitions can be recovered using a command-line tool called diskmgmt.msc:

Open the Command Prompt as administrator.
Type diskpart and hit Enter.
Type list disk to see available storage devices.
Type select disk # (replace # with the number assigned to your storage device).
Type list volume to see available volumes.
Type select volume # (replace # with the number assigned to the partition you’re trying to recover).
Type assign letter=X (replace X with an available drive letter, such as the letter g).

Why is my hard drive partition missing in Windows 7?

There are various reasons why your hard drive partition may be missing in Windows 7. These include more common reasons such as partition table issues, disk failures or errors, operating system errors, virus infection, and accidental deletion or formatting of partitions, among others.

How can I recover my lost partition for free?

You can recover your lost partition for free by rewriting the partition table or formatting your drive and redefining the partition. However, these methods can potentially lead to data loss. To minimize the risk, it is recommended to install reputable data recovery software like Recuva or Disk Drill to recover your data before attempting any partition recovery.

Can a deleted partition be recovered?

Yes, a deleted partition and its contents can be recovered using powerful partition recovery software such as Disk Drill. These software tools support various file systems, including NTFS, NTFS5, APFS, HFS, HFS+, HFSX, FAT, FAT32, exFAT, EXT3, EXT4, and more.

What is the best disk partition recovery software for Windows 10?

There really is no single “best” disk partition recovery software for the Windows 10 operating system, as it really depends on the features and specifications you’re looking for. Lazesoft Data Recovery, for example, offers a free home edition that doesn’t put a cap on the amount of data you can recover, making it a good option for users who aren’t willing to spend.

But if you’re looking for a data recovery program that excels in performance, includes lots of extra features, and sports a catchy user interface, Disk Drill is the way to go. The best thing to do is install the free version of any data recovery program – assuming it has one – and try it out for yourself.