About PhotoRec

PhotoRec is a free, open-source file recovery tool from CGSecurity. It focuses on raw data carving: it ignores file systems (FAT/NTFS/exFAT/ext2/3/4/HFS+) to locate and recover underlying file data. This makes it effective on formatted, corrupted, or damaged partitions where directory structures have been lost. PhotoRec works read‑only against the source media to guarantee drive safety.

Core strengths:

• Ignores the file system to hunt for data and recover files even after formatting.
• Supports 480+ file extensions: photos, videos, documents, archives, and more.
• Read‑only workflow: never writes to the source drive; recover to a different destination.
• Portable and multi‑platform: Windows, macOS, Linux, and DOS.
• Open‑source (GPL): code is transparent, auditable, and community‑maintained.

Who is PhotoRec for?

• Photographers: Recover RAW and JPEG from faulty SD cards and formatted camera storage.
• IT administrators: Restore user data after accidental reformats or file‑system loss.
• Everyday users: Recover documents, videos, and photos deleted from USB drives or disks.

Technical highlights:

• Signature‑based recovery (data carving) for hundreds of formats.
• CLI and QPhotoRec GUI options for different skill levels.
• Works on HDD/SSD, USB drives, memory cards, CD‑ROMs, and disk images.
• Part of the CGSecurity suite; companion to TestDisk for partition recovery.

To download PhotoRec, visit the download page or the main page. For partition recovery, use TestDisk alongside PhotoRec.