The best partition recovery software depends on what you need back. Compare what they restore, what's free, and how much you need to verify before making changes to the disk.
A drive letter disappears from File Explorer, and the folders you used yesterday are suddenly out of reach. Before downloading anything, decide what you need back.
If Disk Management shows Unallocated where the old volume used to be, leave it untouched. Creating a new volume or formatting the disk can overwrite recoverable data in it.
Compare what each tool can restore and what you can complete for free below:
| 🔧 Tool | ♻️ What it recovers | 🎁 What's free |
|---|---|---|
| AOMEI FastRecovery | Restores missing partitions or pulls files from them | Scan for lost partition or missing files, preview thumbnails, recover up to 500 MB |
| TestDisk | Update the partition table for partition recoveryb | Search for and restore lost partitions. Free and open source. |
| DMDE | Restores deleted partitions or exports files from them | Restore partitions and up to 4,000 files per directory, per operation. |
| MiniTool Partition Wizard | Restores partitions or recovers files separately | Basic partition management. Check trial and license terms for recovery. |
👍 Best for: Restoring a missing data partition through a graphical wizard.
AOMEI FastRecovery is a reliable Windows partition recovery tool that can recover a deleted partition along with the data on it. It has two scan modes: Fast Search finds lost partitions quickly, while Full Search is more thorough but takes longer.
A free and reliable Windows data recovery software that easily recovers deleted or lost partitions or data.
If the partition itself doesn’t matter and you only want the files, choose Partition Lost Recovery. It uses Deep Scan to look for recoverable files from a lost partition. Save the files you select to a different, healthy drive. Another folder or partition on the source disk can still put the remaining data at risk.
✅ Pros
❌ Cons
AOMEI FastRecovery makes it easy to start with just what you need back. Partition Recovery lets you recover a deleted partition along with its data, while Partition Lost Recovery is for individual files. The free edition can recover up to 500 MB of data without restoring the volume first.
👍 Best for: Free partition recovery for users comfortable with a text interface.
TestDisk is a free, open-source tool for finding missing partitions and can write a corrected partition table. Its search results help you identify the old volume, and for supported file systems, you can list files from the partition you're considering before deciding whether to apply the changes.
✅ Pros
❌ Cons
TestDisk is a solid free option, but only if you can confirm which partitions belong in the proposed layout. If the results conflict or the expected folders are missing, don't write the changes yet. Step back and reassess your recovery options.
👍 Best for: Examining found volumes and deciding whether to restore a partition or export files.
DMDE displays existing and found volumes along with details about their structure. You can open a found volume to look for files, or use its partition manager to restore a deleted partition. The free allowance is measured in files per operation rather than total megabytes.
✅ Pros
❌ Cons
DMDE is a good fit if you want to see what survived before making changes. If you find the files you need, export them to a separate physical drive and check that they open before considering a partition recovery.
👍 Best for: Windows users who want easy, graphical recovery tools plus everyday partition management.
MiniTool Partition Wizard provides separate Partition Recovery and Data Recovery features. The first searches for lost volumes so you can restore the partition layout. The second scans for individual files and lets you save them elsewhere.
✅ Pros
❌ Cons
If you want partition recovery plus partition management in one tool, MiniTool Partition Wizard is a good pick. Before you buy, just make sure it actually does what you need.
Open Disk Management and find the physical disk by capacity and layout. What Windows shows there can change which tool you need:
If deleted partition now won't boot, first determine whether a system partition was involved. You may need to create a bootable USB to start Windows.
Here's how to recover a lost partition with AOMEI FastRecovery:
Step 1. Open AOMEI FastRecovery after installing, click Disk Data Recovery > Partition Recovery.
Step 2. Select the physical disk that contained the missing partition. Check its disk number, model, capacity, and current layout before clicking Next.
Step 3. Select Fast Search, and click Next to find missing partitions quickly. If nothing turns up, click Back and try Full Search. It examines the disk more thoroughly, though it takes longer.
Step 4. Compare the capacity, file system, start and end sectors, and disk type against the original partition to identify the missing one.
Step 5. Select the missing partition and click Proceed.
After recovery finishes, check if the volume appears in Windows and opens. Test important files individually. For example, open a document and check its last page, or play a video past its opening seconds.
Can I recover a deleted partition for free?
TestDisk can restore a supported partition for free if it finds a usable match and you can verify the proposed layout. When comparing the best partition recovery software on a budget, look at what the free version actually lets you finish. A free scan, limited export, and full partition recovery are very different outcomes.
Can I recover files without restoring the partition?
Yes, if a file recovery tool can locate the lost files on the disk. Copy them to another physical drive, then open the files you care about to check that they’re complete.
Should I format unallocated space before recovery?
Leave it unallocated. Creating or formatting a volume can overwrite information from the old partition. Check the existing disk layout first, then choose a tool based on whether you need the volume back or just the files.