How to Recover Deleted Files from a USB Drive

Stop writes before you scan

Eject the USB drive when convenient and avoid copying new files onto it. Do not format it, run a repair utility, or accept an operating-system prompt to initialize it. Those actions can change the source and make recovery harder. If the operating system still opens the drive, that only means it can read enough of its file system to mount it; it does not guarantee that deleted data is intact.

When you reconnect the device, use it only for the scan. A recovery scan reads available information from the drive and looks for deleted directory records or recognizable file content. It cannot recreate bytes that have already been overwritten, and a scan result is not a guarantee that every listed item will open correctly.

Choose a scan and review the results

Recovatron can scan removable media on Windows and macOS. Connect the USB drive, select it as the source, and start a scan. Depending on the file system and the remaining directory information, results may retain original names and folder paths, or may appear as files identified by type. FAT32 and exFAT recovery engines can use file-system information when it remains available. Raw signature scanning can locate recognizable content without a usable directory entry, but the original name and location may be missing.

Review likely matches before saving. Use file type, displayed name, size, and any available preview to distinguish useful results from incomplete or unrelated data. Recovering a small selection first can help you check whether the files open as expected. No file system can promise a complete result in every deletion case.

Save to another physical drive

Decide on a destination before recovery begins. It should be a different physical drive from the USB source, such as your computer's internal disk or another external disk. A separate folder or another partition on the same physical device is not the same protection: writing recovered files to the source device can overwrite other deleted content you still hope to recover.

Magic Recovery can automatically save recoverable results to a destination you choose. Select that different physical drive before starting automatic recovery. If you want more control, select a few files manually and save those to the safe destination. After saving, open important files from the destination and check their contents. Keep the USB source unchanged until you have confirmed what you need.

When the drive is not behaving normally

If the USB device repeatedly disconnects, becomes unusually hot, makes an unexpected sound, or is not consistently detected, stop repeated attempts. Software cannot fix failing hardware, and each connection may add stress. If the files are irreplaceable, consider a reputable data-recovery professional before further use. If the device is stable but access is denied, Windows may require elevated access; macOS may require Full Disk Access. Follow the operating system's access prompt and retry without changing or repairing the source.

For setup help, visit support. You can also read safe recovery after accidental deletion or recovering an SD card on Windows. See supported downloads at download.

Frequently asked questions

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