To some of us, nothing may be as heartrending as losing data or files that had previously been safely stored on a device – be it our PC, smartphone or memory card. The reason for this can be traceable to the saying that ‘information is power’. However, when that valuable information gets missing, we are left helpless or made to go through the stress of gathering a fresh one from different sources.

But provided the gadget that once had the files is not lost then there is still a glimmer of hope that you can recover the lost files. Thanks to technology and software developers that have been working round the clock to make available apps that can help to retrieve ‘lost’ or deleted files. Five (5) of these apps shall henceforth be discussed in this article.

  • Recuva: This is a very popular and effective app for recovering lost files on flash drives, memory cards, system’s hard drives and some other portable storage devices. It is specifically compatible on file systems with either FAT or NTFS architecture. It is quite easy to use as you only have to select the files to be recovered from the list of recoverables presented [after scanning has been completed]. It is however important to state that the earlier you trigger the recovery process, the brighter your chances of having the (deleted) files restored. So, whatever you accidentally deleted those important files of yours, do not hesitate to undelete them with Recuva.

  • DiskDigger: Here is another one for undeleting and recovering different types of files from photos to documents, music and videos. It works on Windows and Linux operating systems, and it is capable of digging deep into a variety of storage mediums to bring back to you that (file) which was once lost. And even more interesting is the fact that there is a version for Android devices.

  • EaseUS: EaseUS recovery app is a highly revered tool that has proven its effectiveness over and again. This can help to recover lost or deleted files or even the files that have been damaged from hard drives or external hard disk drive. There are versions available for Windows and Mac O. Furthermore, there exist the free and paid versions. However, while it is possible to recover data of any size with the paid version, the free version can only retrieve data with a cumulative size of 2GB.

  • Undelete 360: Have you just unintentionally deleted some documents, photos or music files from your device – smartphone, hard drives, camera – you name it. If so, you do not have to worry, just undelete them with this app, and experience a 360o turn-around – from carrying a sad face to putting some smile on again. Undelete 360 is fast, efficient and very easy to use but it is only compatible with Windows.

  • PhotoRec: Do not be deceived by the name, PhotoRec is not solely for recovering pictures; it can help to retrieve other (lost) data like videos and documents from different storage mediums. Plus, it can run on a wide range of operating systems – Windows, Linux, Mac OS X amongst others.

This is all we can take for now but it is worth noting that the list of recovery apps is really expansive and a search through the internet will surely let you discover more valuable apps that can be of use to you.