USB flash drive vitality of files is more likely to be lost than many users anticipate. It could be an accidental deletion, instant formatting, virus assault, or unsafe dismount—USB drives are extremely susceptible to information loss in comparison with even inner hard drives. However, the good news is that the flash drive recovery for PC has improved and is now more quicker, safer, and precise than at any previous time.
This guide is the review of the best flash drive file recovery software for PC in 2026 according to the criteria of reliability, recovery success rate, and reality of the use.
Is USB Flash Data Recovery Software Effective?
Yes—when it is done right and at the right time.
How USB Data Recovery Works
Deleting a file in a USB drive does not make it get erased immediately. The system instead claims that its storage space is available. The USB drive data recovery software searches the drive and identifies these recoverable sectors and reassembles files before they were overwritten.
Possibility Levels of Recovery
High level of success: Recently removed files, sound file systems.
Partial recovery: Formatted disks, small corruption.
Low or impossible: USB physical destroyed or overwritten information.
Resuming a flash drive recovery tool for Windows at the earliest stage is a sure way to get high recovery rates.
Our Testing Methodology (Experience & Trust)
To be able to provide objective recommendations, we tested all the USB data recovery tools Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems. We tried to find a flash drive recovery tool for windows with the help of real-world scenarios. We used fake deletion, fast formatting, ruined file systems, and USB drives with viruses. The tools were tested in scan speed, recovery accuracy, file preview, user interface and stability.
We also compared user comments, long-term performance, and the consistency of the same with recovery among various USB brands (SanDisk, Kingston, Samsung). Real world testing is a guarantee that we can not only base our recommendations on what we have heard, but actual experience.
The 5 Best USB Disk Data Recovery Software in 2026
The problem of storage devices is becoming more popular and the device may fail any moment without any warning. Under these circumstances, it becomes necessary to recover deleted or lost files, irrespective of any type and format of file.
We have created a list of the 5 best data recovery programs that are aimed at assisting you to recover your data effectively whilst ensuring the chances of loss of data are reduced.
- iToolab RecoverGo – Best Overall USB Data Recovery Software
- Handy Recovery Advisor – Beginner-Friendly Tool
- iMyFone D-Back – AI-Powered Software
- Tenorshare UltData – Stable Solution
- Disk Drill – Best Free Software for Windows 10
iToolab RecoverGo – Best Overall USB Data Recovery Software
iToolab RecoverGo Windows Data Recovery is professional data recovery software for USB flash drives on Windows computers. It can accurately recover data lost due to accidental deletion, formatting, corruption, or virus infection.
As of 2026, RecoverGo stands out for its flash-memory-optimized advanced scanning and intuitive interface. It delivers professional-grade data recovery for both beginners and experts—without requiring technical expertise.
Product Features:
- Elaborate deep scan optimized to the USB flash memory.
- Supports 1,000+ file formats.
- Preview of files prior to recovery.
- Windows compatibility: Windows 10 and Windows 11.
- Can recover data from hard drive, SD card, USB flash drive, and more.
- High recovery success rate.
- Quick scanning with precise scans.
- Beginner-friendly interface.
- Recover all files with 99% success rate.
- Can restore all types of data regardless of documents, videos, photos, audios, emails, archives, etc.
- Recovery limits of free version.
User Experience: Overall, users have a favorable experience, primarily due to the software’s ability to deliver results and the reliable support team behind it. Reviews for iToolab RecoverGo are generally positive, with many users highlighting its effectiveness in data recovery, ease of use, and responsive customer service.
Handy Recovery Advisor – Beginner-Friendly USB File Recovery Tool
The Handy Recovery Advisor is a lean Windows data recovery software. Its users are those who desire a direct and easy to follow user-friendly approach to recovering files. It does not confuse users with technical options. Instead, it emphasizes the need to be clear and user-friendly. That’s why it’s useful for the first-time recovery attempt or even for a non-technical user who has accidentally deleted a file.
Product Features:
- Guided recovery advisor.
- Quick scan of USB flash disks.
- Simple file filtering and preview.
- Extremely easy to use.
- Small consumption of system resources.
- Fast for recent deletions.
- Poor deep scan capacity.
- Not suitable for formatted USB drives or corrupted USB drives.
User Experience: In testing, Handy Recovery Advisor was found to be successful with newly deleted files but was found to have problems with format USBs. Direct user reviews of the software’s interface are mixed with general discussions on recovery tools, highlighting features like quick scans, bulk conversion, and mail recovery.
iMyFone D-Back – AI-Powered USB Data Recovery Software
iMyFone D-Back is an effective Windows and iOS data recovery software that recovers files in complicated data loss on USB with the help of AI-assisted scan. It is especially useful with formatted, encrypted, or partially damaged USB flash disks and is therefore popular amongst professionals and advanced users.
Product Features:
- Deep scan technology fuelled by AI.
- Supports formatted USB drives which are encrypted.
- Large file type compatibility.
- Preview of files prior to recovery.
- High accuracy of recovery of formatted USBs.
- Modern, clean interface.
- Superior file repair in the media.
- Deep scans can be slow.
- A paid version is needed to get a full recovery.
User Experience: iMyFone D-Back user reviews are mixed, praising its user-friendly interface, recovering certain data like messages or photos, especially from backups or less severe data loss scenarios. However, some users find its recovery success limited for deeply deleted files, mention its trial version restricts features, and some Reddit users report security concerns about password prompts or issues with auto-renewal, leading to a “love-hate” relationship with the tool.
Tenorshare UltData – Stable and Balanced USB Recovery Solution
Tenorshare UltData is a reliable USB disk data recovery tool due to its strong usability and deep recovery capabilities. It is compatible with a variety of scan modes. Moreover, it is generally reliable in a variety of common data loss situations, such as accidental data deletion and fast formatting.
Product Features:
- Quick scan and deep scan mode.
- Filtering of files and preview.
- USB and disk drive.
- Windows 10 and 11 compatibility.
- Predictable recovery behavior.
- Appreciable document and media support.
- Stable scanning process.
- Outdated interface design.
- Minimal ability to recover freely.
User Experience: Many users praise its ease of use, fast speeds, preview feature, and ability to recover various lost files like photos, videos, and messages, especially for iPhone data without a backup. However, some find its effectiveness inconsistent, with corrupted files or incomplete recoveries.
Disk Drill – Best Free Data Recovery Software for Windows 10 Users
Disk Drill is among the most favored ones for free data recovery. Users should use Windows, particularly the USB flash drives. It has a generous free recovery limit and inbuilt data protection capabilities. Moreover, it is a recovery tool and also a preventative data loss tool in the future.
- Free recovery up to 500MB.
- Quick scan and deep scan mode.
- Recovery Vault protection.
- Detailed file preview.
- Among the finest free Windows 10 data recovery programs.
- Very good preview capability.
- Other disk health characteristics.
- Slower scans on formatted USBs.
- Premium functions are reserved in the paid version.
User Experience: Many praise its user-friendly interface, effective scanning, and ability to recover various file types, calling it a lifesaver for accidental deletions. However, negative reviews often cite frustration with the “freemium” model, where the free version only scans and previews, requiring costly upgrades for actual recovery.
How to Recover Deleted Files from a Flash Drive
In case you do not wish to work with complex and resource-intensive applications, we can strongly recommend iToolab RecoverGo Windows Data Recovery. It is fast, light in weight and its success rate is 99 percentile which is why it stands out among the other file recovery software available in PC.
Step by Step Guide to Use iToolab RecoverGo
Here’s how to recover data from a USB using RecoverGo Windows Data Recovery:
Step 1 Select a Location
Install iToolab RecoverGo and choose the USB drive or flash that you lost your files. It is the quickest way of enabling the software to accurately determine the point of a rescue mission.
Step 2 Scan Your Device
The tool searches drive sectors to uncover hidden data and scans deleted files.
Step 3 Recover Your Data
Check up files and make sure they are clean. You merely need to press the Recover button and everything comes back to a safe place when you are ready.
Pro Tips to Recover USB Data More Often
The data recovery rate through USB requires rapid and cautious response to its failure to recover data. These best practices will go a long way in ensuring that you are successful in restoring the lost files.
Protect USB Drive by Immediately Stopping Writing
After the data is lost, immediately cease using the USB drive. Any further use of the disk including duplicating files, formatting or even trying to overwrite data. When this occurs, even the sophisticated file recovery software of a PC might not be able to recover the lost files.
Do Not Save Saved Files Into the Same USB
At no moment should the files be rewritten to the damaged flash disk. This could also overwrite other data that has not yet been scanned and can be recovered. It is always advisable to save files in your PC or any other external storage device to save data left.
Deep Scan for Formatted or Corrupted Drives
Quick scans are not always enough in case the USB drive is modified or corrupted. Deep Scan mode reads every drive sector. This allows the software to find file signatures that quick scans miss. It is more successful but it takes more time.
Keep Frequent Backups
Even the most effective USB drive recovery software cannot ensure 100 percent recovery at all times. Extensive frequent backups to the cloud storage or external drives are the surest means of safeguarding valuable information or minimizing the use of recovery programs.
FAQ
How do you retrieve data on a flash drive that is not recognized?
When a USB flash disk cannot be read, then first, check to connect it to another USB port or computer as well as to verify that your USB drivers are updated. You can also examine the Disk Management to know whether the drive is acknowledged yet inaccessible. There may be files that cannot be accessed; in this case, data recovery must be tried before any actions such as repair or formatting.
How to salvage data in a USB without formatting?
In order to recover data without formatting, a USB flash data recovery software should be used immediately when you realize you have lost some files. Do not use disk repair command or format the disk drive—such operations can cause the possible data to be permanently deleted.
How to retrieve data in a USB flash drive that is not readable by Windows?
In case Windows fails to recognize the USB drive in the File Explorer but the drive is shown in the Disk Management, the drive can still be recognized and scanned using advanced recovery software, such as RecoverGo. These are tools that are used to restore data on RAW or unallocated USB drives.
Conclusion
USB lost data do not necessarily have to be lost. Using contemporary USB flash drive recovery software on the PC, data can be restored. There are a large number of instances where the flash drive has been corrupted, formatted, as well as made inaccessible, and can be recovered successfully.
iToolab RecoverGo Windows Data Recovery can be listed among the most trusted flash drive data recovery software in the year 2026 after a solid test. Whether you are using a paid tool or a free flash drive recovery tool—it is important to choose the right tool at the right time. Recover smarter, not harder.