A folder typically contains numerous crucial files. Should you inadvertently delete a folder, all the files within it would be lost.手动恢复这个文件夹几乎是不可能的,这会让你感到非常烦恼。然而,你可以借助五款最佳的文件夹恢复软件来恢复被删除的文件夹。

Why Can Deleted Folders Be Recovered After Emptying the Recycling Bin?

When a folder is deleted from a computer, the files it contains might appear to vanish. However, these files are not instantly erased. Instead, Windows merely marks the hard drive space as available for reuse by altering a single character in the file table, thus preventing the file entry from being displayed in My Computer or through a command line DIR command, among others. The data area remains untouched.

This is the main reason why the deleted folder could be recovered. If you manage to start to undelete files before Windows uses that part of the hard drive to write a new file, all you have to do is to set that flag back to "on," and then you will get the file. The sooner you try to recover the folders, the more successful your recovery will be.

The Fabulous Folder Recovery Software Is Ready For You

To retrieve the deleted folders, you'll need to utilize a data recovery tool. It can be challenging to select the most appropriate software. Therefore, I've tested over 10 data recovery programs, and below, I'm presenting the top 5 most effective folder recovery software options.

    1. Free Folder Recovery Software Tools
    2. Recuva
    3. Wise Data Recovery
    4. Recover My Files
    5. Photo Rec

Top 1. Free Folder Recovery Software (Windows & Mac)

Tools like free data recovery software are the most efficient recovery tools available. They can effectively restore deleted Word, Excel, PowerPoint files, photos, emails, databases, and all document formats and folders in Windows that have been emptied from the Recycle Bin. Apart from recovering deleted folders, this powerful data recovery software can also help you with the following tasks:

01

Formatted Recovery:

You can still recover lost data from your device even after a format. Formatting a disk doesn't actually erase the data, it only removes the address table entries.

02

OS Crash Recovery:

The tool offers a downloadable WinPE bootable media, allowing you to start your computer and recover lost data following a system crash.

 
03

RAW Partition Recovery:

You can still retrieve data if your hard disk or partition suddenly turns RAW, making stored data inaccessible.

04

Virus Attack Recovery:

Virus attacks may lead to data loss, but this tool can safely and promptly restore your data following such an attack.

 

Pros:

    • The effortless 3-step recovery procedure
    • Free from viruses and plugins
    • Supports over 1000 file formats
    • Photo repair and video repair options included

Cons:

  • A free trial with a 2GB recovery limit is available. The Pro version costs $69.95 and has no recovery limits.

Top 2. Recuva - Quickly and Easily Recover Deleted Files (for Windows)

< a href="https://www.ccleaner.com/recuva" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Recuva is another free folder recovery software available. It is entirely free of cost. I have personally tested its deleted file recovery function on my D drive. The software successfully recovered 100 percent of JPG images and the majority of Word, Excel, and PPT files. It guides users through the data recovery process by posing several questions, thus enhancing its user-friendliness.

Recuva Free Folder Recovery Software

Pros:

    • 100% Free Data Recovery Software
    • Deep Scan Mode for Hard-to-Find Files
    • Available in a Portable Version

Cons

    • You cannot preview the result during the scanning
    • No update version for a long time

Top 3. Wise Data Recovery (Windows Only)

I subjected Wise Data Recovery to the same data loss scenarios. It supports the recovery of over 1000 different file types. It can retrieve data from HDD, SSD, external hard disks, floppy disks, USB flash drives, memory cards, digital cameras, and any other storage devices.

Free Folder Recovery Software - Wise Data Recovery

Pros:

    • The data recovery software is free
    • It can easily retrieve all types of files
    • A portable version is available

Cons:

  • Displays messy codes in the preview pane for unsupported formats

Top 4. Recover My Files (Windows Only)

You can recover lost data using the free tool Recover My Files. In my tests, this software was able to recover nearly 80% of deleted data across the four mentioned data loss situations. However, the scanning process for deleted files may take a longer time. Additionally, Recover My Files is exclusive to Windows users; it is not compatible with macOS.

Free Folder Recovery Software - Recover My Files
Free Folder Recovery Software - Recover My Files

Pros:

Permits scanning the backup (image file) of a partition

You can adjust the layout of the items

It is available for advanced file recovery at no cost.

Cons:

The data recovery process is relatively more complex compared to its competitors.

Top 5. PhotoRec (Windows, Mac, and Linux)

I have experimented with PhotoRec using identical data loss situations. It effectively retrieves images from various digital devices. Furthermore, it is compatible with different operating systems such as Windows, macOS, and Linux. Throughout the testing process, it took the longest time to scan for deleted files across all data loss scenarios.

recover folder - photorec

Pro (Professional or in favor of something)

    1. The data recovery software is available at no cost. 2. This software supports a wide range of file formats, not limited to images only.

Cons:

    • It is unable to restore file names and folder structure
    • It is quite technical for users

Recover Deleted Folders with Free Folder Recovery Software

In this article, I have discussed 5 free data recovery software options that you can use to restore lost or deleted files. Here's a guide on how to recover deleted folders using data recovery software: 1. **Select a Data Recovery Tool**: Choose one of the recommended software from the list, such as Recuva, tools Data Recovery Wizard, or Disk Drill. 2. **Download and Install**: Visit the official website of the chosen software and download the free version. Install it on your computer where the deleted files were originally located. 3. **Launch the Software**: Open the data recovery application and you'll typically see an interface with various options like "Deleted Recovery," "Deep Scan," or "Quick Scan." 4. **Select the Drive**: Choose the drive or storage device from which you want to recover the deleted folder. If it was on your computer's internal hard drive, select that drive letter. 5. **Scan the Drive**: Initiate the scanning process by clicking on the "Scan" button. The software will search for any deleted files and folders. 6. **Preview and Select Files**: Once the scan is complete, the software will display a list of recoverable files. You may preview some file types to ensure they are the ones you need. 7. **Recover the Files**: Choose the deleted folder or individual files you wish to recover and click on the "Recover" button. The software will save the recovered files to a new location on your computer. 8. **Avoid Overwriting**: It's crucial not to save the recovered files back to the original location, as this could overwrite other deleted data. Remember that while these tools can be helpful, they might not always guarantee complete recovery. It's best to prevent data loss in the first place by regularly backing up important files.

Step 1. Choose a folder to scan for missing files

Launch the Data Recovery Wizard. Under "Specify a location," choose "Select Folder." Click "Browse" to select the location where you lost the folder, then click "OK" to initiate the scan for the lost folder.

select folder to scan

Step 2. Locate and preview the found files in the lost folder

If you recall the folder name, enter it in the search box to swiftly locate the missing files. Subsequently, open the discovered folder and double-click to preview the scanned files. Alternatively, you can utilize the Filter feature to specifically search for a certain type of files.

choose files to recover

Step 3. Recover and save the lost folder

Lastly, select the folder and files you need, click "Recover" and choose a new & secure location on your PC to save the recovered data.

Restore lost folder data

In summary

Data recovery software enables the effortless retrieval of lost files, images, documents, videos, and more, in instances of deletion, formatting issues, partition loss, system crashes, virus assaults, and various other data loss situations. It is also crucial to adopt preventive measures to avert data loss, such as regularly creating backups and avoiding potential causes of data loss.