Updated 26 May. 2023

Recover Deleted or Lost MP4 files on Windows & Mac

MP4 recovery

Best 5 data recovery software for MP4, MPEG-4 Video File

Disk Drill
Free version, Pro version $89
Free recovery: Free recovery - 500 MB for Windows
Download
rateDisk Drill
666762
Active Undelete
Free, Home User Licenses (Standard $19.99, Professional $44.95, Ultimate $79.95)Corporate Licenses (Ultimate $99.95, Professional $59.95, Standard $29.95)
Free recovery: Free recovery - 1Mb
Download
rateActive Undelete
3520
Ontrack
Free, Home $79.00, Professional $139, Premium $159, Technician $499
Free recovery: Free recovery - 1GB
Download
rateOntrack
102486
Recovery Explorer
Standard €39.95 , Raid €79.95, Professional €179.95
Free recovery: Free scan & preview
Download
rateRecovery Explorer
341
Cisdem
Free, 1 Mac $49.99, 2 Macs - $74.99, 3-5 Macs - $137.99
Free recovery: Free scan & preview
Download
rateCisdem
56726

Summary review

windows icon Our Windows version Windows 10
time icon How long we tested 2 weeks
exam icon Number of tested tools 13

3 essential factors to consider when choosing MP4 recovery software

Wide file type support

Whether it’s pictures, documents, audio, or file types, it’s a good idea to select a recovery program that supports the retrieval of a wide range of file extensions. Once you’re done recovering your files this time around, you may need to use the program again in the future for a different file type.

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.

Ease of use

Not everybody is tech-savvy and knows their way around a command prompt or advanced menus. Choose a data recovery program that has a user interface and flow that fits your technical expertise. That way, you’ll be able to recover your files with minimal hassle. Some apps are even designed to accommodate both novice and expert users.

Simple steps to recover deleted MP4, MPEG-4 Video File on Windows & Mac

Step 1:

Install the software on a Windows or Mac computer

Step 2:

Fire up the application and point it at the disk where the files were lost

Step 3:

The Recover button starts the scanning process to discover deleted files

Step 4:

Preview the files that can be restored and click Recover to retrieve the data

Want to prevent MP4 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

Keep food and drink away from your work computer. This one goes without saying, but you’d be surprised by the number of people who keep food and drinks dangerously close to their laptop or computer. No matter how careful you are, uncontrollable circumstances may occur that could cause a spill onto your machine, potentially compromising your data.

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 MP4 files are located.

For MP4 files that were accidentally deleted using the Delete key or right-click > Delete command, they should be available for restoration from the Windows Recycle Bin tool. Other forms of data loss may be recovered using the File History feature, provided it was enabled beforehand. Otherwise, you’ll need a quality data recovery program.

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 MP4 extension and you can easily filter out the results by typing the extension into the search bar at the results screen.