Lost photos on your Seagate external hard drive? Learn how to recover them – with or without backups – plus fixes for when the drive isn't detected.
Yes, recovery may be possible if the photo data has not been overwritten and the drive is functioning properly. Your chances depend on the cause of the loss, the condition of the drive, and whether you have a backup.
To improve your chances, stop saving new files to the affected drive. Avoid formatting it or running repair utilities before recovering important data. If the drive makes unusual clicking sounds, repeatedly disconnects, or appears physically damaged, stop using it and consider professional data recovery.
You can try the following two methods, depending on whether you have a backup of your photos.
If you do not have a backup, data recovery software may help you find deleted photos that remain recoverable on the drive. AOMEI FastRecovery is a Windows data recovery tool that can scan supported internal and external storage devices for deleted or missing files.
👉 Steps to recover photos with AOMEI FastRecovery
Before you begin, connect the Seagate external hard drive to your computer and make sure it is detected. Install AOMEI FastRecovery on your computer's internal drive or another storage device, not on the Seagate drive containing the lost photos.
Step 1. Launch AOMEI FastRecovery and select Deleted Files Recovery from the main interface.
Step 2. Locate the Seagate external hard drive or the partition where the deleted photos were stored. Check its drive letter and capacity to make sure you select the correct device, then click Scan.
Step 3. After scanning finishes, use Type, Search, and Filter to narrow down the results. For example, you can:
💡 Notes:
Step 4. Select the photos you want to recover and click Recover. Then choose a different destination, such as your computer's internal drive or another external drive, to save the recovered photos.
Step 5. After recovery, open several photos to check that they are intact. Keep another copy of important pictures on separate storage.
As Seagate hard drive backup software - Seagate Toolkit only backs up local computer folders, not folders on the Seagate external hard drive, you may need third-party backup software to backup your Seagate hard drive.
The best free backup software - AOMEI Backupper Standard comes to help.
If you previously backed up your photos on Seagate external hard drive to another location, restoring a backup is usually the first option to try.
👉 Steps to restore photos using AOMEI Backupper:
Step 1. Launch AOMEI Backupper and go to Home > Restore.
Step 2. Select the backup task that contains your Seagate external hard drive photos. Click Next.
Step 3. Choose the appropriate backup version, then select the photos or folders you want to restore. Click Next to continue.
Step 4. Check Restore to a new location. Then choose a destination folder on your computer and click Start Restore to begin restoring the selected files.
💡 Note: If you are sure your Seagate external hard drive is healthy, you can connect it to your computer and choose Restore to original location.
Step 5. After the process finishes, open the destination folder and check whether your photos are accessible.
If the Seagate drive does not appear in File Explorer, first determine whether the problem is caused by the connection or the drive itself.
If Windows detects the drive but it has a missing drive letter, an unsupported file system, or a RAW status, avoid making changes until you have considered data recovery. Repairing the file system or formatting the drive may complicate the recovery process.
1. Can I recover data from a formatted Seagate external hard drive?
Yes, recovery may be possible after a quick format if the original data has not been overwritten. Avoid saving new files to the drive, and scan it with suitable data recovery software. If the drive underwent a full format or has been used extensively afterward, the chances of recovery may be lower.
2. Can I recover data from a Seagate external hard drive that is not detected?
It depends on the cause. If the problem is related to the cable, port, or connection, resolving it may allow Windows to recognize the drive. If the drive is detected in Disk Management but its files are inaccessible, recovery software may help. If the drive makes clicking noises, repeatedly disconnects, or appears physically damaged, stop using it and consider professional data recovery.
3. Does Seagate Toolkit recover permanently deleted files?
Seagate Toolkit may help restore files included in a backup created before the data loss. However, it does not automatically recover every permanently deleted file from the original drive. If no suitable backup is available, you can try compatible data recovery software.
4. How can I prevent data loss on a Seagate external hard drive?
Back up important files regularly and keep at least one additional copy on a separate storage device or in reliable cloud storage. Verify that your backups are accessible, safely eject the drive before disconnecting it, and avoid formatting or modifying the drive when files go missing or errors appear.
Now you know how to recover deleted photos from Seagate external hard drive. If no backup exists, AOMEI FastRecovery can help scan the drive for deleted or missing photos. If you have a good habit of backing up, restoring deleted photos from a backup is the preferred solution.
You must know that no recovery tool can guarantee a 100% recovery rate. Your chances of success depend on whether the data remains recoverable and whether the drive is functioning properly. For a physically damaged drive or irreplaceable pictures, professional data recovery may be the safest option.