PhotoRec
Developed by CGSecurityFree, open-source tool that recovers hundreds of file types even from formatted or RAW media.
Links open the official website of CGSecurity. Data Recovery Mumbai is not the developer of this software.
What is PhotoRec?
PhotoRec comes in the same free package as TestDisk. It ignores the file system and searches the raw data for known file signatures, so it can recover photos, videos, documents and archives even after a format or when the drive shows as RAW.
The trade-off: recovered files get new names and are not put back into their original folders, so be ready to sort them afterwards.
Best for
- Formatted memory cards
- RAW or corrupted drives
- Photos and videos from cameras
Quick facts
- Developer
- CGSecurity
- Category
- Data Recovery
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Licence
- 100% Free
- Website
- cgsecurity.org
What PhotoRec can do
File carving
Recovers 480+ file formats by their signatures.
Works on RAW media
Does not need a working file system.
Read-only
Never writes to the drive being scanned.
File type selection
Choose only the formats you need.
Cross-platform
Windows, macOS and Linux.
Using it in 3 steps
-
1
Select the drive
Choose the disk, partition or folder where the files were lost.
-
2
Scan
Run a quick scan first, then a deep scan for formatted or RAW drives.
-
3
Save safely
Save the found files to a DIFFERENT drive, never the one you are recovering.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Free and open source
- Works when other tools fail
- Safe read-only scanning
Cons
- Loses file names and folders
- Many results to sort through
System requirements
- Runs on: Windows, macOS, Linux
- A separate drive with enough free space to save the recovered files
- Check the official website for the latest version and full system requirements
Professional recovery in our Class 100 clean-room lab
| DIY software | Data Recovery Mumbai | |
|---|---|---|
| Deleted / formatted files | ||
| Clicking / dead hard disk | ||
| Burnt PCB / firmware fault | ||
| Dead SSD / RAID / server | ||
| Free diagnosis, no data – no charge | — |
PhotoRec FAQ
Questions we often hear from customers who tried this software first.
PhotoRec is a product of CGSecurity. Data Recovery Mumbai is an independent data recovery lab and is not affiliated with the developer. All trademarks belong to their owners. Information is for guidance; check the official website for current features and prices.