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Free Data Recovery Software

Scan and preview deleted files before recovery on Windows and macOS.

Refindo helps you start data recovery without guessing. Scan supported drives for free, preview recoverable files, and recover up to 500 MB before choosing a paid plan. Use it for deleted files, quick formats, RAW devices, USB drives, SD cards, and external disks that are still readable by the operating system.

Refindo device list for choosing a drive before free data recovery scan

What This Covers

  • Free scan and preview before recovery
  • Recover up to 500 MB free
  • Works on Windows 10/11 (64-bit) and macOS 12+
  • Supports NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, and APFS when readable by the OS
  • Scan internal drives, external disks, USB drives, and SD cards
  • Quick Scan for recent deletion and Deep Scan for formatted or RAW devices

Recovery Workflow

  1. Stop using the source drive to reduce overwrite risk.
  2. Open Refindo and select the drive, USB device, SD card, or volume.
  3. Run Quick Scan first to check recently deleted files and remaining folders.
  4. Run Deep Scan if the source was formatted, turned RAW, or key files are missing.
  5. Preview important files to verify recoverability.
  6. Recover selected files to another disk or safe folder.

Best Practices

  • Do not install or save recovered files onto the source drive.
  • Cancel format, initialize, or repair prompts until after scanning.
  • Use preview and file size checks before recovering large batches.
  • Recover the most important files first when the source device is unstable.
  • Avoid repeated repair attempts on RAW or unreadable drives.
  • Stop software recovery if a drive disconnects repeatedly or reports the wrong capacity.

What to Know Before You Scan

What the free workflow includes

Free data recovery should help you verify whether recovery is realistic before you commit time or money. Refindo is built around scan, preview, and selective recovery rather than blind restore.

  • Scan supported drives without writing recovery data back to the source.
  • Preview common photos, documents, PDFs, and text files before recovery.
  • Recover up to 500 MB free when the files you need are visible.
  • Upgrade only when you need to recover more data.

When recovery is realistic

Software recovery works best when the source device is detectable and the missing data has not been overwritten or cleared by SSD maintenance.

  • Recently deleted files often have better odds than old deletions on active drives.
  • Quick formats are usually more recoverable than full overwrites.
  • RAW or unmounted drives can still be scanned when capacity is reported correctly.
  • Physical failure, repeated disconnects, and SSD TRIM can limit software recovery.

Free File Recovery Guidance

Start with preview, not assumptions

A recovery result is useful only if the files open correctly. Use preview to check important photos, documents, PDFs, and other supported files before recovering everything.

Use Quick Scan and Deep Scan for different problems

Quick Scan is best for recent deletion and remaining folders. Deep Scan is better when a drive was formatted, became RAW, or no longer shows the original directory structure.

Recover to a separate destination

Saving recovered files back to the source can overwrite data that has not been restored yet. Choose another internal drive, external disk, or safe local folder.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Refindo free data recovery software?

Refindo lets you scan and preview recoverable files for free, with up to 500 MB of recovery included before you need a paid plan.

Can I preview files before paying?

Yes. Preview is part of the recovery workflow so you can check whether important files are visible and usable before recovering them.

What devices can the free scan check?

Refindo can scan supported internal drives, external hard drives, SSDs, USB drives, and SD cards when the device is readable by Windows or macOS.

Can free recovery restore files after formatting?

A quick-formatted drive may still contain recoverable files if it has not been reused heavily. Scan first, preview results, and recover to another disk.

Where should recovered files be saved?

Always save recovered files to a different disk or folder, not back to the same source drive being scanned.

Does free data recovery work on SSDs?

SSD recovery depends on overwrite activity and TRIM behavior. If TRIM has cleared deleted blocks, software may not be able to recover those files.

When should I stop using software recovery?

Stop if the drive disconnects repeatedly, reports the wrong capacity, makes unusual noises, or contains irreplaceable data on failing hardware.

Related Recovery Guides

Windows Data RecoveryMac Data RecoveryFormatted Drive RecoveryUSB Drive RecoverySD Card RecoveryPhoto Recovery

Start with a Free Scan

Check recoverable files first, then decide whether to proceed with recovery.

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