/ How to

How to Recover and Restore Deleted USB Flash Drive Files

Losing important files from a USB flash drive can be frustrating. Whether the files were accidentally deleted or the drive was formatted, data recovery is often possible with the right tools and techniques. This comprehensive guide will explain the common causes of USB file deletion and walk through various data recovery methods to help restore your lost documents, photos, videos, and other personal files stored on a flash drive.

Common Causes of Accidental USB File Deletion

There are a few common ways files can be accidentally deleted from a USB flash drive:

  • Accidentally hitting “Delete”: It’s easy to select files on a flash drive and hit “Delete” without thinking. This bypasses the Recycle Bin, immediately removing files.
  • Formatting the flash drive: Formatting completely erases all files on a drive and prepares it for reuse. This often happens if the drive is reformatted to work with another device.
  • Corruption or failure: USB drives can experience corruption or physical failure, causing data loss. Signs include the drive not being detected, displaying incorrect storage capacity, or files that can’t be opened.
  • Unplugging the drive prematurely: If a flash drive is disconnected from a computer before file transfer is complete, data loss can occur. This is especially risky with very large files.

Data Recovery Software

Specialized data recovery software provides the best chance of restoring deleted files from USB flash drives. These tools can “undelete” files that were accidentally deleted and retrieve data even after a format. Here are some top options:

  • Stellar Data Recovery: Works on both Windows and Mac to recover photos, videos, documents from USB drives and other storage media. Has a free trial so you can preview recoverable files.
  • EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard: Allows you to scan a USB drive and preview found files before paying to activate the software and restore data. Supports Windows OS.
  • Disk Drill: Mac-based recovery software with powerful scanning to find lost files. Has extra tools like duplicate file finder and disk health checks.

When choosing data recovery software, opt for a tool that lets you preview found files before paying to ensure it works with your specific USB drive and file types.

Step-by-Step File Recovery Process

If you’ve accidentally deleted files or lost a flash drive’s data, follow these steps to attempt restoration:

  1. Don’t save anything new to the drive. Immediately stop saving files to the affected USB drive. Overwriting old data makes it harder to recover.
  2. Try file recovery software. Install and scan the USB drive with data recovery software like the options mentioned above. This will find deleted files.
  3. Preview and restore files. The software will show files it can recover – preview them to ensure they are intact. Purchase the software (if needed) to fully restore files.
  4. Export files to a safe location. Choose a new storage location like your computer hard drive or another USB drive to save the restored files.

Tips to Avoid File Loss

Along with the above recovery steps, implementing these USB drive usage tips can help prevent file deletion in the first place:

  • Eject drives safely: Always use the “Eject” option before disconnecting a USB drive from your computer.
  • Create backups: Keep an extra copy of your most important USB drive files saved in cloud storage or external hard drives.
  • Check file transfers: After moving files to or from a flash drive, open folders to verify files copied properly before deleting originals.
  • Avoid drive corruption: Don’t remove flash drives while files are still transferring. Also avoid getting drives wet or exposing them to extreme heat which can damage data.

When File Recovery Fails

Data recovery software and methods can restore lost files in many cases. However, file recovery is never guaranteed, especially if:

  • Drives have severe physical damage or corruption.
  • Drives have been formatted multiple times since deletion.
  • New data has been overwritten in the same storage sectors.

If you exhaust all options without success, the files may be unrecoverable. At that point it is best to reformat the USB drive and start fresh. Just be sure to implement preventative measures going forward.

Conclusion

Related Posts