Updated 30 May. 2023

Recover your deleted PNG files easily on macOS and Windows

PNG recovery

Best 5 data recovery software for PNG, Portable Network Graphic

Disk Drill
Free version, Pro version $89
Free recovery: Free recovery - 500 MB for Windows
Download
rateDisk Drill
666762
PC Inspector
Freeware
Free recovery: Freeware
Download
ratePC Inspector
10664
Salvagedata
Freeware
Free recovery: Freeware
Download
rateSalvagedata
3463
Leawo
Free Trial, Pro $69.99
Free recovery: Free scan
Download
rateLeawo
27262
Pixel8
Free, Premium $99
Free recovery: Free Trial
Download
ratePixel8
513

Summary review

windows icon Our Windows version Windows 11
time icon How long we tested 2 weeks
exam icon Number of tested tools 10

What should I consider when choosing PNG recovery software

File preview

There’s a good chance that when you attempt to recover files from a particular storage medium, there will be a whole lot of recoverable files to sift through on the results page. That’s why it helps if the program is equipped with a preview feature that allows you to get a glimpse of a file before recovering it.

Scanning Speed

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.

Free version with data recovery

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.

Simple steps to recover deleted PNG, Portable Network Graphic on Windows & Mac

Step 1:

Use your Mac or Windows computer to download and install the app

Step 2:

Launch the app and select the disk on which recovery will be performed

Step 3:

The Recover button starts the scanning process to discover deleted files

Step 4:

Choose the data to be restored from the preview display and click Recover to perform the recovery

Want to prevent PNG files loss? Here's how.

1 Tip

Do routine maintenance on your computer/laptop. Neglecting your computer or laptop can lead to dust build-up, ventilation issues, and other hardware pitfalls. In turn, this could cause your device to abruptly fail, resulting in data loss. So make sure to always perform regular maintenance on your machine to ensure that it stays in tip-top shape.

2 Tip

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.

3 Tip

Install quality antivirus/antimalware software. Viruses and malware can wreak havoc on your computer and storage media and could lead to some serious loss of data. To prevent that, it’s always a good idea to install quality antivirus and antimalware software to counteract any malicious programs trying to infiltrate your machine.

FAQ

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 PNG files are located.

Backups are the easiest way to recover PNG 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.

The best way to recover PNG 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.