Best Partition Recovery Software for Windows 7/8/10

Are you struggling to pick the best partition recovery software for Windows 7, 8, or 10? 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 in July 2021

1. Disk Drill

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.


Disk Drill partition recovery

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 7 SP1 and newer.


Pros:

  • Easy to use
  • Power data recovery algorithms
  • Support for all common file systems and file formats
  • Extra disk tools
  • Free 500 MB file recovery

Cons:

  • Phone customer support isn’t available

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


Price: $0 for Disk Drill Basic, $89 for Disk Drill PRO, $499.00 for Disk Drill Enterprise.


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


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

2. DiskInternals Partition Recovery

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.


Pros:

  • Can open unreadable partition in File Explorer
  • Step-by-step recovery wizard
  • Support for many file systems

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.


Price: $139.95 for the Personal version and $219.95 for the Business version.


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


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

3. MiniTool Power Data Recovery

MiniTool Power Data Recovery

MiniTool Power Data Recovery is a versatile lost partition recovery tool compatible with Windows 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.


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.


Price: $69.00 a month for the monthly subscription, $89.00 a year for the yearly subscription, or $129.00 for a lifetime license.


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


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

4. TestDisk

TestDisk restore partition

TestDisk is the most popular free partition recovery software tool. It runs under Windows 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.


Pros:

  • Can make non-booting disks bootable again
  • Completely free and open-source
  • Runs on Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP

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.


Price: Free.


Limitations on the free/trial version: None.


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

5. Hetman Recovery

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.


Pros:

  • Portable version available
  • Preview files before recovery
  • Runs on Windows 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.


Price: $97.95 for the Home version, $237.95 for the Office version, $397.95 for the Business version.


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


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

6. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

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.


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.


Price: $0 for the Basic version, $69.95 for the Pro version, and $129.90 for the Pro+Bootable Media version.


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


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

7. Active@ Partition Recovery

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.


Pros:

  • Simple interface
  • Ability to repair partition tables

Cons:

  • Limited use with the free version

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


Price: $39.95 for the Standard license, $49.99 for the Professional license, $69.99 for the Ultimate license.


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 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.

How to Recover Deleted Partition?

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

Step 1. Download and Install Disk Drill

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

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. Of course, not all partition recovery tools are this straightforward, so be ready to improvise.
partition recovery software

Step 3. Recover Lost Data

Finally, select the deleted partition to see all recoverable files. You can then choose which files you wan 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.
free partition recovery

How to Increase Chances of Successful Partition Recovery?

Any attempt to recover a formatted or deleted partition may fail to deliver the desired results. That’s because partition recovery is a complex process whose outcome depends on a number of different variables, some of which are easier to control than others.


Here are some things that you CAN do to increase chances of successful partition recovery:


  • ⌚ Start as soon as possible: Data from formatted or deleted partitions can be recovered only until it becomes overwritten by new data, so it’s paramount to start the recovery process as soon as possible.
  • 🛑 Stop writing data to the storage device: By writing new data to the storage device on which the formatted or deleted partition was located, you risk overwriting the data you want to recover. That’s why you need to stop writing data to the storage device until you finish recovering the partition.
  • ✔️ Choose the best tool available: The best partition recovery software tools give you the highest chance of successful data recovery. The good news is that the best performance doesn’t always mean the steepest price.

These three simple tips can go a long way in helping you restore data from formatted or deleted partitions.

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.
  • /f - This command checks the disk for identifiable errors.
  • /r - This command locates bad sectors and attempts to recover readable information from them.
  • /x - If necessary, this forces the volume to dismount first.

To implement the fix, go through these steps below:


  1. Click the start menu, and search for cmd.
  2. Right-click Command Prompt then Run as administrator.
  3. Run the command chkdsk *: /f /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.

How to Fix a Corrupted Partition

Frequently Asked Questions

Updated on by Disk Drill Team

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.

  1. Download and install Disk Drill. Open it.
  2. Select the drive that has the RAW partition. Click Search for lost data.
  3. When the scan has finished, click Review found items.
  4. Select the data you’d like to recover, then click Recover.
  5. Choose a safe recovery location, then click OK.
Once all the data is recovered, you can format the partition with a new file system.

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

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

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.


  1. Download and install Disk Drill. Open it.
  2. Select the drive that the partition was previously on. On the right, change the dropdown from All recovery methods to Search for lost partitions.
  3. Click Search for lost data.
  4. When the lost partition appears, select it and click Search for lost data.
  5. When the scan is complete, click Review found items.
  6. Select the data you’d like to recover, then click Recover.
  7. Choose a safe recovery location, then click OK.
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