|
Our Windows version | Windows 11 |
|
How long we tested | 1 week |
|
Number of tested tools | 19 |
While there are a few genuinely free data recovery programs out there and some with a decent trial version, they’re often either overly complex, ineffective, or have recovery limits. So if you’re willing to invest, you should find a program that fits your price range. Also, consider whether you’d prefer a program with subscriptions or a one-time payment.
There’s no point in investing time, effort, and maybe even money into a data recovery program with mediocre chances of success. Make sure to do your research and choose one with a proven track record, making it all the more likely for you to get your lost files back.
While a data recovery program’s retrieval capabilities are certainly its most important aspect, the extra features it brings to the table certainly add a lot of value. For example, some apps come with a drive backup feature while others allow the repair of compromised/damaged files, both of which can come in very handy.
Install the program on your Windows or macOS computer
Start the app up and choose a disk that will be used to search for lost files
Use the Recover button to start searching for lost data
Choose the data you want to undelete and click the Recover button to perform the restore
Do not mess with unfamiliar files. Operating systems include lots of important files that may not seem familiar to you. These files could be vital to running the platform and tweaking or deleting them could lead to the OS becoming unstable and may cause you to incur data loss. That’s why it’s best to leave unfamiliar system files alone.
Password protect your machine. If you live in a household with multiple people, then it’s a good idea to put a strong password on your computer or laptop. You never know when a child or another unauthorized person might try to make their way into your machine and fiddle with your files. Better safe than sorry.
Create an image at the first sign of storage failure. If you notice that your storage device is starting to fail, you should immediately create a backup image of the medium so that you can attempt data recovery later. That way, you can preserve whatever information is currently on the drive before it incurs further data loss.
For Windows, if you deleted the 3DS file using the Delete key or right-click > Delete command, then you should be able to find it in the Recycle Bin. On Mac, deleted X files are moved to the Trash before being deleted permanently. If your file is not present in either of these tools, you’ll need to utilize a free data recovery program.
The best way to recover 3DS files from a memory card is to leverage a top-notch data recovery program, as it’s the most flexible and accessible retrieval method around. It’s worth noting, however, that this is ineffective if you used a “full” format on the card or it has become heavily damaged/compromised. For that, you’ll need to seek out a data recovery service.
A quality data recovery program should allow for the retrieval of a wide range of different file types, whether they’re documents, images, audio clips, and others. Disk Drill is an excellent option that is capable of recovering 3DS extension and you can easily filter out the results by typing the extension into the search bar at the results screen.