Free | How to Recover Files from Formatted USB/Flash Drive

Overview of Formatting USB/Flash Drive Data Recovery

There are a few instances where you might accidentally format your USB drive, or find that you have to format it in order to use the device. These include:

• System corruption
• Original file system
• USB drive, pen drive, or hard disk not formatted error
• The volume does not contain a recognized file system issue or other errors

Formatting a USB drive usually results in the loss of most, if not all, of the data it stores. Or so it seems. In reality, the information can remain on the drive as long as you don't use it and write new files to it.

However, unless you use specialized recovery software or don't mind typing command-line code, retrieving that data isn't easy. Here are two methods:

【Two Free Solutions to Recover Data from Formatted USB/Flash Drive】

Method 1: Recover Data from Formatted USB Drive Using Data Recovery Software

If data recovery is needed, the Data Recovery Wizard tool should be your first choice, as it's not only an easy-to-use data recovery solution but also free, thus involving no financial risk.

Apart from USB flash drives, it lets you retrieve files from formatted computer hard drive, external hard drive, SD cards, memory sticks, and other PC-compatible storage devices. Here are the reasons why we recommend this tool:

• Recover data from formatted USB drives in just 3 simple steps.
• Restore data from deleted, hidden, lost, or RAW partitions.
• Supports preview of recoverable files.
• Offers two scanning modes: Quick Scan and Deep Scan.
• 100% safe for use on Windows PCs and Mac computers.

Download the Data Recovery Wizard for free. Then, you can learn how to use it easily by watching the video tutorial or following the detailed steps below:

Step 1. Connect the USB drive to your computer. Launch the Data Recovery Wizard. Select the formatted SD card, USB flash drive, or Pen Drive from where you want to recover lost files and click “Scan”.

Step 2: After the scan, all found files will be displayed on the interface. You can use the "Filter" or "File Type" feature to locate the files you want to recover.

Step 3. Select the files you wish to recover from the formatted external drive and click on “Recover.” A new window will appear, where you need to choose a new location to save your files. Click “OK” to confirm.

As you can see, file recovery tool software allows you to restore all data lost due to formatting. To recover formatted USB, all you need to do is select the location of the lost data and the files you wish to retrieve. It's also popular among users who need to restore files after emptying the recycle bin, retrieve lost data following a system crash, and many more. Data loss occurs daily due to various reasons, so it's wise to have it equipped on your computer to maximize the chances of recovering all your lost files.

As you can see, file recovery software is a painless way to retrieve files you thought were lost after formatting the drive. But that's not the only scenario it can help with, as it's also popular among users who need to recover files after emptying the recycle bin, or when they've lost data due to a system crash, and so on.

Data Recovery Service

Contact our experts for a free evaluation.

One-on-one manual recovery service with our Data Recovery Wizard. After a free diagnosis, we can offer the following services:

• Repair damaged RAID structures, unbootable Windows OS, and corrupted virtual disk files (e.g., .vmdk, .vhd, .vhdx)
• Recover/repair lost partitions and repartitioned drives
• Unformat hard drives and fix RAW drives (including BitLocker encrypted drives)
• Repair disks turned into GPT protected partitions

Method 2: Recover Data from Formatted USB Using CMD

Some clues would lead you to believe that you can use CMD to recover formatted USB drive, whereas in reality, the Command Prompt only helps unhide hidden files. If your USB data has been permanently deleted, you can only retrieve it with the Data Recovery Wizard tool.

For the benefit of those users who might be wondering how to show hidden files using CMD, we will provide a detailed procedure.

Step 1: Connect the USB flash drive to your computer.

Step 2. Check the letter assigned to your USB drive under This PC.

Step 3: Click on the search icon in the taskbar, type “cmd,” right-click “Command Prompt,” and select “Run as administrator.”

Step 4: Type chkdsk F: /f at the command prompt. (Replace F: with the letter assigned to your formatted USB drive.)

Step 5: Type Y, and then type the letter of your flash drive.

Step 6: Type in F:\> attrib -h -r -s /s /d *.*. CMD will display all the hidden files in your flash drive. (In this case, F stands for the letter of your drive or USB.)

Additional Tip: Recover Formatted Files from USB Drive Backup

If you were lucky enough to have backed up the USB drive, then you can simply restore the backup to get your files back. We always recommend backing up data, so check out our guide on the best free backup software to avoid losing any precious documents, images, or other files.

How to recover data from formatted USB/flash drive?

One question users often have is, “How can I recover data from a formatted USB drive?” In this section, we'll quickly explain how a tool like Data Recovery Wizard makes that possible.

Usually, when you format a drive, your deleted files are not completely removed from it; they just become invisible to you. They will not be permanently erased until new data overwrites them, because the system marks the space they occupy as free to use.

Therefore, avoid using the USB drive or any other storage media once you have accidentally formatted it. Doing so might overwrite the data you think is lost and make it irrecoverable.

Data-recovery software knows what to look for when it scans a drive, and so can find files that Windows or macOS no longer considers to be there, allowing you to copy them to a new location.

Conclusion: Why Data Recovery Wizard is Your Best Choice

While all three methods outlined in this guide can recover data considered lost after formatting the hard drive, the easiest to use is the Data Recovery Wizard tool. As a dedicated professional software, it makes finding and retrieving files quick and straightforward, with additional features to cater to other data loss scenarios.

Here are three reasons why you should consider using it:

User-friendly

Data Recovery Wizard is famous for its user-friendliness. To recover files from a formatted USB, you just need to follow a three-step process.

• 100% Secure

It has no viruses, no malware. You can download it with confidence; it will not harm your computer.

• Excellent compatibility

It is compatible with Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP and Windows Server 2019/2016/2012/2008/2003, allowing you to recover files from Windows laptops/desktops as well as external storage devices compatible with Windows. It also lets you restore files from partitions with file systems like FAT, exFAT, NTFS, NTFS5, ext2/ext3, HFS+, and ReFS.

Compared to command-line code or backup files, the Data Recovery Wizard tool offers more flexibility when choosing what to restore, and can help in many cases of data loss. Give it a try.

"Frequently Asked Questions on Formatting and Recovering USB Drives"

This is the last part of the article. If you have more questions on how to recover a formatted USB drive, continue reading.

**1. Does formatting a USB delete everything?**

Does formatting USB delete everything? The answer is yes. When you are prompted to format a USB drive, it could be damaged or having issues. You can perform a quick format so that bad sectors will not be checked. You can also do a full format to format the entire USB drive, which will take longer than a quick format.

If you want to recover all files from a USB drive, you can use the Data Recovery Wizard tool.

**2. Can data on the USB drive be recovered after formatting?**

Yes, files deleted from a USB drive are not permanently erased; they still remain on the USB drive. You can easily recover lost data with the help of user-friendly data recovery software. How to retrieve lost data from a USB drive?

1. Download the tool "Data Recovery Wizard" and launch it on your computer. 2. Scan the USB drive to search for deleted files. 3. Preview the files and then recover them onto the USB drive.

3. What is the best USB recovery software?

We've selected nine reliable USB recovery tools for you:

1. Tool: Dara Recovery Wizard 2. Stellar Data Recovery 3. Recuva 4. Disk Drill Data Recovery 5. SysTools Notebook Drive Recovery 6. Aiseesoft Data Recovery 7. Data Rescue 6 8. DMDE 9. R-Studio

4. How do I format my USB drive correctly?

You can format the USB drive correctly by following these steps:

1. Connect your USB drive to your computer and run the Command Prompt. 2. Type in the following commands one by one, pressing Enter after each: - `diskpart` - `list disk` - `select disk x` (Replace 'x' with the number representing your USB drive) - `list volume` - `select volume x` (Again, replace 'x' with the corresponding volume number) - `format fs=ntfs quick` 3. Alternatively, you can download a USB drive formatting tool to perform the formatting process.