Recovering BAK files on Windows and Mac
Best 5 data recovery software for BAK, Backup File
Summary review
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Our Windows version | Windows 11 |
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How long we tested | 1 week |
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Number of tested tools | 20 |
3 essential factors to consider when choosing BAK recovery software
A lot of data recovery solutions out there offer a free trial that only gets you as far as previewing recoverable files. Once you attempt to retrieve them, you’ll get hit with a message asking you to purchase the full version. Check if the software has a free version that allows actual recovery.
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.
Just like how not all data recovery programs aren’t created equally in terms of retrieval rates, they also differ in the speeds at which they’re able to scan storage media, whether it’s a regular or deep scan. If it’s a big deal to you, you should look into how quickly the program can get through a recovery session.
Simple steps to recover deleted BAK, Backup File on Windows & Mac
Install the program on any macOS or Windows computer
Start the app and choose the disk that contained the deleted files
Hit Recover to scan the selected disk for files that can be restored
Preview the files that can be restored and click Recover to retrieve the data
How can BAK loss be prevented - 3 tips
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.
FAQ
Backups are the easiest way to recover BAK files that were saved over. Windows machines also have a built-in feature that allows you to retrieve older versions of X files, as long as you enabled the tool before the overwriting occurred. Mac has a similar feature called Time Machine. Alternatively, you can use Windows System Restore to return your PC to a previous point in time, but you’d need to have created a backup prior.
Data recovery software often saves recovered files in a specified directory which you can then access through Windows File Explorer. Disk Drill, for example, is one of the best data recovery programs around and includes a button at the end of the retrieval process that will open the folder where your recovered BAK files are located.
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 BAK extension and you can easily filter out the results by typing the extension into the search bar at the results screen.