[Free] How to Recover Files from Formatted Hard Drive

Help! Can I recover files from formatted hard drive?

Formatting a hard drive that stores important files can be very frustrating, you can not access to it and want to recover files from formatted hard drives. Here are 2 common ways to recover formatted hard drive, including professional data recovery software and restoring from backup.

But first? There are a few things you need to know.

• You need to stop using this drive, for example, don’t add new items to the formatted hard disk, otherwise, your files will be overwritten.
• The data recovery difficulty varies from disk types (HDDs and SSDs) and formatting types (Quick or Full format).

HDDs keep physical memories of your data when you format a disk, so you can easily recover files from it. However, SSDs lose all data if you format it. It uses a TRIM command to decide and it will wipe all the data blocks completely.

The Quick Format simply deletes files from the drive and does not overwrite it, so you can easily recover files. But the Full Format method not only deletes files but also overwrites them with zeros. If you use this method, you cannot recover data from it.

How to recover files from formatted hard drive without backup

This part offers 2 methods to recover data from formatted drive without backup, including MyRecover and  Windows File Recovery.

▶ Method 1. Formatted data recovery through MyRecover 

MyRecover is a professional data recovery software to recover deleted files without backup from formatted hard drives in Windows PC and Windows Server.

Step 1. Click the Scan.

Install and run MyRecover first. Then, locate the target hard drive and click Scan.

Step 2. Find the files you need to recover.

The program runs the scanning process automatically to find files on the formatted drive or you can try Filter to locate the files quickly. 

Step 3. Click Recover xxx files.

Select the files or the folders you want to recover from the formatted hard disk and click "Recover files" to recover files from the formatted hard drive partition. It will display the number of files and the total file size.

★Highlighs:

 Recover data from formatted hard drives (eg: restore permanently deleted files from HDD), USB drives, SD cards, etc. 

 Automatically start a quick scan and deep scan to find all files in the accidentally formatted hard drive.

 Recover lost Word documents, Excel files, photos, videos, audio, emails, and more than 200 file types.

 Keep the original file name, format, and path after recovery.

 Recover data from formatted hard disk with a high success rate and fast speed

 Also supports to recover deleted files in Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022, etc.

▶ Method 2. Recover files from formatted hard drive free with Windows File Recovery

Windows File Recovery is a command-line app to help users recover files from local storage devices like hard drives, external hard drives, USB flash drives, and memory cards. It requires users to learn its syntax, recovery mode, and switches.

The syntax:

winfr source-drive: destination-drive: [/mode] [/switches]

The recovery mode corresponding to different file system and scenarios:

File system	Scenarios	mode
NTFS	Deleted recently	Regular
NTFS	Deleted for a while	Extensive
NTFS	Formatted disk	Extensive
NTFS	corrupted disk	Extensive
FATandexFAT	Any	Extensive

The switches of winfr:

Switches	Meaning	Supported mode(s)
/n	Filter the scan range: scans for a specific file with its file name/path/type, etc.	All
/y:	Recovers specific extension groups.	Signature
/k	Recovers system files.	NTFS Segment​​​​​
/segment	Segment mode; recoversfiles under NTFS drives using file recordsegments.	Segment
/signature	Signature mode; recoversfiles under all file system types using fileheaders.	Signature
/u	Recovers undeleted files, for example, from the Recycle Bin.	NTFS Segment

For details, go to how to use Windows File Recovery.

Besides, you still need to check the file system of the formatted hard drive. Because different file system has different modes to use. It’s advised to choose extensive for the NTFS file system after formatting the disk.​

Right-click the hard drive and select “Properties”. Then, locate the file system option and confirm it is NTFS or FAT32.

Step 1. Get Windows File Recovery from the Microsoft Store. Type “Windows File Recovery” in the Search box and select “Run as administrator”.

Step 2. Type a command based on the example and press “Enter” to recover files. To recover the folder “Test” from the formatted F: drive (NTFS) to E: drive, type:

winfr F: E: /extensive /n \Test\

Notes:✎...

 The source and target drives must not be the same.

 The tool supports only Windows 10, version 2004 and above.

 You can try Windows File Recovery, but it may not retrieve your deleted files every time. And you may encounter errors during the file recovery process, such as, “Winfr.exe is not recognized as an internal or external command”, “WinFR requires admin privileges to run”, etc.

How to recover files after format with Backup [Windows & Mac]

Here's how to retrieve data using different backup methods on Mac and Windows.

▶ Method 1. Recover files after format with File History

If you have enabled File History on your computer, then you can recover data from the backup package.

• Go to Control Panel > System and Security > Find File History > Choose Restore personal files.

• Find the folders or files you want to recover > Click the Restore option.

• Wait for the process. It may take a few moments to restore the selected files.

▶ Method 2. Recover formatted hard drive from Mac

Time Machine will generate backups on an hourly, daily, and weekly basis. Such as a backup of the past 24 hours, daily backups for the preceding month, and weekly backups for all prior months.

Notes:✎...

Before using this tool, you have to possess a backup in Time Machine. 

You don't need to launch a window if the files you've lost were previously stored on the desktop. 

To let Time Machine be shown on the desktop, go to the Apple menu > click System Preferences > Time Machine > Show Time Machine in menu bar.

Step 1. Open the window where you lost files.

Step 2. Click the Launchpad icon in the Dock, find Time Machine, and click Enter Time Machine.

Step 3. Use the up and down arrows to locate the files.

Step 4. Click Restore to recover your needed files, then your lost data will come back to the previous location.

Classification of hard drive formatting 

In general, formatting is divided into low-level and high-level formatting. To securely format disks, you need to know them and their usage.

Low-level formatting is to reset a drive to its factory settings, just like erase a disk, and create new sectors and tracks on it. You need to use it when your drive is badly damaged, or it’s infected by viruses, etc. Here are 3 ways to perform it:

• CMOS of motherboards. It is usually embedded in the HDD Low-Level option.
• Tools from hard drive manufacturer.
• Third-party software.

High-level formatting is also called quick formatting in layman’s terms and is used to reset a used disk or set up a new hard drive, such as, initialize disk, change file system, partition size, formatting inaccessible drive, etc. It will remove data on the disk and mark bad sectors to fix them. Here are 3 ways to perform it:

• The Format options in File Explorer or Disk Management.
• The format command line.
• Third-party software.

Why do you need to format hard drive?

Formatting is a process to delete the data currently on your hard drive, specify a file system compatible with your devices, assign drive letters, etc, and therefore readies it for storing new data. In most cases, it causes more harm than good, but that’s not really the case. Sometimes, You need to format your hard drive for reuse. Below are some common situations:

• Use this drive on different devices, especially those with different operating systems, it may have specific file system requirements.
• You are selling or getting rid of your hard drive. It helps prevent anyone from accessing your data or sensitive information on it.
• You upgrade the old disk to a new one and format the old one as an extra storage device.
• Your drive has problems, such as performance issues, file access errors, bad sectors, virus infection, etc.
• Your drive is corrupted due to overheating, fluctuating power supply, mechanical failure, file corruption, firmware problems, etc. In this case, you can only format it to make it behave functionally.

How to securely format disk in Windows 10 or 11

Formatting a hard disk without data loss is tricky, but not impossible. You might need to format it if you cannot access data on it because of the incorrect file system. Here are ways to securely format disk in Windows 10 or 11.

But first... You need to create a copy of your files on the disk to prevent data loss. The best way is to use file backup software like Backup and Restore (Windows 7), File History, or third-party software, such as AOMEI Backupper Standard. Usually, the last one is easier, more flexible, and has rich features.

Then, you could follow one of the methods below to format a disk without data loss.

★ Quick Format

Step 1. Connect the disk you want to format. Go to “File Explore”, locate and right-click it, select “Format”.

Step 2. Check the capacity, file system and be sure the “Quick Format” option is checked. Click Start to format your disk.

★ Disk Management

Step 1. Connect the disk you want to format. Type “diskmgmt.msc” in the search box and press “Enter” to open Disk Management.

Step 2. Right-click the newly connected drive and select “Format”.

Step 3. Confirm the file system and be sure you check the “Perform a quick format” option. Click “OK”.

After formatting, if you find you delete important files on it, please stop using this drive and recover files with data recovery software or backup images immediately.

How to prevent data loss on a hard disk

• Take sufficient time before formatting to verify the disk types, format method, and level.
• Create a copy of your files automatically. Note single backup only includes data currently on the disk, to include changes made later, you’d better create a scheduled backup task. AOMEI Backupper Standard is a great option.
• Avoid browsing suspicious websites or downloading files on them.
• After formatting, please stop using the drive to lose data and don’t add new items to it. These operations will make it difficult to recover files from formatted hard drives.
• Monitor the status of your disk and move your files before it’s damaged.

FAQ about formatted hard drive recovery

✦ Can you undo a format?

Unlike deleting a file, the formatting process cannot be undone. However, you can recover files from a formatted disk if you don’t reformat the drive or add new data to it.

✦ Does quick format erase data?

In some ways, yes. It deletes file system metadata, making this storage available for overwriting. You can undo quick format with MyRecover easily.

✦ Is it possible to recover a formatted partition?

Yes, you need a data recovery tool to get files back. But it's hard to recover all formatted files if you have fully formatted partitions in most cases.

✦ When data is not recoverable?

Your data is not recoverable if your hard disk is a TRIM-enabled SSD, or it is physical damage, or you use a secure erase method to wipe a disk.

✦ How to recover files from formatted hard drive on Mac?

If you do not select "secure erase," your old data will remain on your drive until it is overwritten. So formatting a hard drive on a Mac is still possible. You can restore formatted files easily if you have made regular backup via Time Machine. Otherwise, you'll need a reliable Mac data recovery tool to recover files from a formatted Mac hard drive.