Does Quick Format Delete Files? How to Recover After Loss?

Does a quick format erase all data?

Disk formatting is one of the approaches to managing the disk. For a new hard drive, it set the file system to this drive, facilitating the file storing and organizing.

For a used hard disk, it wipes all the data on it and then generates a new file system. Using different format methods (quick format or full format), you get different results you will receive.

Users might have met a corrupted hard drive, have accidentally formatted external hard drive or a local drive, or the drive prompted that it needs to be formatted.

And many of them don’t know the difference between quick format & full format, does quick format delete files, and how to recover them if so.

If you have the same question and want to know how to recover data from formatted hard drives, this article would be worth reading.

Quick format vs. full format

Disk formatting has 2 means: quick format & full format, also known as high-level format and low-level format.

Quick format	The process that removes all the content on the drive and generates a new file system for future use.
Full format	The process that not only wipes all data but also writes zeros to the drive, making it impossible to recover any data.

The difference between a quick and a full format is the possibility of data recovery.

Can data be recovered after formatting drive?

As mentioned above, a quick format only builds a file system and deletes the data;

So it is still possible for users to recover data from it because the data deleted won’t be removed and damaged immediately.

As long as you stop using the hard drive, the data is still recoverable.

But if you have fully formatted the hard drive, all the data will be overwritten and irreversible.

With the question “Does quick format delete files” has been solved, now you can follow the guide to recover data from formatted hard drives much more straightforwardly.

How to recover files after quick format?

Simply put, you could not literally unformat hard drive or undo/recall/revoke the format operation, but you could rely on backups or professional data recovery tools to get back your precious data.

Solution 1. Recover files after quick format easily without backup

How to recover files after quick format without backups? Unluckily, not all users are prudent and foresighted enough to have backups available to them.

So there is a great demand for an easier method to recover data from formatted hard drives without backups.

Instead, an efficient data recovery tool for Windows is much preferable for convenience and efficiency.

MyRecover is the best choice among the eligible apps. It facilitates all users, even those without any expertise, to operate.

Now download this efficient app to undo quick format readily.

Step 1. Install and run the software > Hover the mouse over the drive and click Scan to scan.

Step 2. During scanning, you could search the wanted files by extension, Type, Size, Date modified, etc.

• Type: include all file types, such as images, videos, documents, emails, webpages, compressed files, etc.
• Data Modified: support today, yesterday, last 7 days, last 30 days, and custom.
• Size: filter file size from less than 128KB to 128KB ~1MB to 1MB ~ 512MB and above, or custom.

Step 3. Go to Other missing files >select the data you want, for instance, Images > click Recover x files. And remember to choose a new location to save recoverable files, avoiding data overwriting.

With the help of this powerful app, you could also achieve Seagate data recovery and other types of external hard drive data recovery.

Solution 2. Recover data from formatted hard drives via Windows backups

The Backup and Restore, a backup feature provided by Windows, is helpful. It supports data backup of any preferred local hard drive. With this tool, you can restore files from backup in Windows 10.

Step 1. Start Control Panel > System and Security > Backup and Restore (Windows 7).

Step 2. Click Restore my files.

Step 3. Click Browse for files/folders >choose the files you want > Next. E.g., you can click Browse for folders to recover deleted folders that are not in the Recycle Bin.

Step 4. Select a destination as you wish > click Restore.

Backups would always be helpful.

Conclusion

If your hard drive is formatted and you want to get your files back, MyRecover can help you a lot. With its powerful recovery features, user-friendly interface, high recovery rate and speed, your deleted files will be found successfully.

FAQ

The question “Does quick format delete files” has been answered with detailed info. In addition, to help you learn how to recover files after quick format easily, methods are prepared as well.

More related info is ready to help you in case you need it.