You Can Recover Deleted Files From USB Drives – Here’s How – BGR

The price of storage has dropped dramatically over the last decade. Everyday consumers now have access to big USB drives with terabytes of storage in a small form factor. But just because you can load up a flash drive with a bunch of files does not mean you necessarily should.

USB drives can deteriorate over time, potentially resulting in files becoming harder to read. This is unavoidable in storage due to the way write cycles work, but USB drives are often rated for fewer write cycles than external SSDs, making them more suited for functions that aren’t long-term storage. The life expectancy of a USB drive can vary, with more expensive drives tending to last longer due to their higher-quality NAND flash memory.

If you find yourself in a situation where one or more files on your drive have been deleted by you or otherwise, there is still hope for you. This guide shows you how to potentially recover your missing files, starting with the easiest measures and progressing to the most extreme solutions.

There is a chance that your files aren’t gone but simply hidden. Hidden files are no different than regular files, except they do not show up in your File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (macOS) by default. Both operating systems let you hide and unhide files.

Here’s how to uncover hidden files on your drive on Windows 11:

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Select your drive.
3. Click View in the toolbar.
4. Select Show.
5. Check the Hidden Items option.

Alternatively, you can run the command “attrib -h -r -s /s /d E:*.*” in the console. Replace E: with your USB drive’s path if it is something else.

Below are instructions on how to reveal hidden files on macOS.

1. Open Finder.
2. Navigate to your USB drive (listed under /Volumes/ by default).
3. Press Command+Shift+.

Both Windows and Mac can revert folders to previous versions with File History and Time Machine, respectively. And if the folder contained a file in it at the last backup, it can be restored. This doesn’t always apply to a USB drive, though.

Windows and macOS do not automatically back up files saved on a USB drive, but there is an exception. You may be able to recover the data if you included the USB drive folders specifically in File History or Time Machine for a backup. You may have done this and forgotten, so it is a good idea to check just in case.

Here’s how to do it on Windows:

1. Open the Drive.
2. Right-click the folder you want to restore.
3. Select Properties.
4. Click the Previous Versions tab.
5. Choose a restore point.
6. Click restore.
7. Accept in the confirmation window.

If the Previous Versions tab doesn’t exist, that means the folder was not backed up by File Restore.

Here’s how to restore a folder on macOS:

1. Open Finder.
2. Navigate to your USB drive.
3. Click the Time Machine icon on the Apple Menu Bar.
4. Select Enter Time Machine.
5. Click the restore point to recover.
6. Press Restore.

If no restore points exist, you likely didn’t back up the file or folder. If the Time Machine icon doesn’t show up, you can go to Apple menu > System Settings > Control Centre. Then, scroll down to Menu Bar Only, where you can spot the Time Machine and click the right-hand menu to change it to “Show in Menu Bar”.

Sometimes you can’t do it all on your own. Third-party software is there to provide more advanced recovery methods for your files. These methods may not work for everyone, as numerous factors determine whether you can recover your files. However, if you are desperate, it’s worth trying. Many customers have had success with Disk Drill, which is often touted as an all-rounder in the space, supporting many file formats, including NTFS, FAT32, and exFAT. The program can notably recover files from drives that were reformatted with a Deep Scan. It’s not all free, though. After you recover 500 MB of data, you will need to upgrade to a Pro subscription to recover more.

Recuva is another option that often comes up on web forums when someone mentions accidentally deleting a file on an external drive. Like Disk Drill, this program can recover files from drives that have been completely wiped when reformatted. Unlike Disk Drill, however, this program does not have a data cap. There is also no macOS version or the ability to recover more uncommon file types, unlike Disk Drill.

If no third-party programs are yielding you the results that you like, your next step is to take the USB drive to a professional data retriever. With their expertise and advanced tools, they will be your best option for recovering your data after all other options have been exhausted.