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Wondershare Recoverit (Windows)
For recovering deleted files without typing a single command
See the deal- Free version to check your files first
- Preview files before you recover them
- Hard drives, SD cards and USB sticks
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🗓️ Prices checked on October 27, 2026, on the official Recoverit store (recoverit.wondershare.com, Windows version, individual plans, US dollars).
Written by Léo · Reviewed by Inès on 10/27/2026 (prices, links and availability checked) — our editorial pen names
The short answer: a deleted file isn’t erased right away: until something overwrites it, you can get it back. Check the Recycle Bin and your backups first, then the free tools. Recoverit is worth paying for when you want a simple app that previews files before recovery: $64.99 for one month (checked October 27, 2026).
Our pick: Recoverit, starting with its free version to check that your files are intact, then the 1-month license at $64.99 for a one-time rescue, because it costs $70 less than the perpetual license (checked October 27, 2026).
In plain English: what is Recoverit for?
The problem: you deleted photos or an important folder by mistake, the Recycle Bin is empty, and the free recovery tools expect you to type commands.
The solution: Recoverit searches your drive, USB stick or SD card and finds deleted files, in simple windows you click through. It shows a preview, so you can see whether a photo opens before recovering it. Its free version lets you check that your files are intact.
Contents
Deleted a file by mistake: what should you do first?
When you delete a file, Windows doesn’t wipe it: it marks its space as free. The file stays readable until a new file takes that space. Hence the rule Microsoft spells out: use the computer as little as possible after the loss, don’t install anything on the affected drive, and always recover to a different drive (a USB stick or an external drive). Microsoft also notes that free space can be overwritten, especially on an SSD: on a recent PC, every hour counts. This guide is part of our Security & Privacy section.
The 4 free fixes, in order
- 1. The Recycle Bin. Right-click the file, then “Restore.” That solves most deletions made with the keyboard or mouse. On a Mac, check the Trash.
- 2. Your backup. If Windows Backup, File History or OneDrive was turned on before the loss, you can get your folders and their previous versions back from there (Time Machine does the same on a Mac). Turned on after, it won’t catch anything.
- 3. Windows File Recovery (free, from Microsoft). Available in the Microsoft Store, it recovers files the Recycle Bin can no longer restore, from an internal drive, an external drive or a USB device. It’s a command-line app (
winfr), with a regular mode for recent deletions and an extensive mode for older, formatted or SD-card files. It can’t recover from cloud storage or network shares. - 4. PhotoRec or Recuva (free). PhotoRec, open-source software from CGSecurity, finds photos, videos and documents even on a damaged memory card, but its interface is bare-bones. Recuva has a free version that’s easier to use.
If one of these tools finds your files, you don’t need to pay anything. Recoverit earns its place when the command line stops you, when you want to see your photos before recovering them, or when there are lots of files.
Free tools or Recoverit: the table
| Windows File Recovery | PhotoRec | Recoverit (Windows) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 | $0 (open source) | Free version (recovery cap), then $64.99 for a month, $74.99 for a year or $134.99 perpetual |
| Interface | Command line | Text-based | Point-and-click windows, with file preview |
| Internal and external drives, USB sticks | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SD cards | Yes (extensive mode) | Yes | Yes |
| PC that won’t boot | No | Yes, from boot media | Yes, by creating a bootable USB drive |
| Who it’s for | Comfortable typing a command | Patient, ready to sort results | You want to see and choose, no commands |
Prices checked on October 27, 2026 on the official Recoverit store for Windows; Windows File Recovery features from Microsoft Support, and PhotoRec’s from CGSecurity’s official documentation.
If the free tools aren’t enough
Recoverit for Windows: a free version to scan your drive and recover a first batch of files, then a 1-month license at $64.99 (checked October 27, 2026), for 2 Windows PCs. Wondershare offers a refund within 7 days if no solution to your problem can be found.
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See Recoverit plans →What Recoverit does that the free tools don’t
Recoverit is made by Wondershare, the company behind Filmora and PDFelement (see our guide on how to sign a PDF without printing). You pick the drive or card, it scans, then it lists the files it found with a preview: you can see whether a photo opens before you recover it. Wondershare advertises more than 1,000 file formats, recovery from a crashed PC with a bootable USB drive and, in the paid plans, repair of corrupted videos, photos and documents. Those are the brand’s claims.
The free version gives you the basic features with a cap on how much you can recover: Recoverit’s free-version page states up to 500 MB on Windows. The store’s FAQ also answers the question everyone asks: a file deleted long ago can be recovered “as long as the original lost data has not been overwritten by new data.” In other words, what matters isn’t how old the file is, it’s what you’ve done with the drive since.
One month, one year or perpetual: the math
With the US prices checked on October 27, 2026 (before any sales tax, which the checkout adds depending on your state):
- Free version: $0, with a recovery cap. At roughly 4 MB per phone photo, 500 MB is about 125 photos: enough to confirm the important ones are recoverable before you pay.
- 1-month license: $64.99 (crossed-out price shown: $105.99). It renews automatically: cancel it right after your rescue.
- 1-year license: $74.99 (crossed-out price shown: $119.99). Only $10 more than the month: worth it if you manage the whole family’s photos across several cards.
- Perpetual license: $134.99 (crossed-out price shown: $169.99), paid once. It covers the major version you buy and its minor updates, not future major versions.
Bottom line: for a one-time accident, the free version first, then the $64.99 month, canceled right away; for a photographer or a family juggling SD cards, the year; the perpetual license only if you know you’ll use it for several years.
What no software can undo
- An overwritten file. If new files have taken its place, no tool, free or paid, can rebuild it in full.
- An SSD that has already cleaned up. Microsoft points out that free space on an SSD can be overwritten quickly: your odds drop fast after deletion.
- A drive making noise. A hard drive that clicks or is no longer recognized needs a professional data recovery lab, not software: every new scan can make the damage worse.
- Auto-renewal on the 1-month and 1-year licenses: note the date as soon as you buy.
The real protection is still a backup: our pCloud Lifetime vs Google One vs iCloud comparison helps you choose where to keep a copy of your photos.
Our method
How Tooli picks
Method: we did not test this software in-house. This comparison is based on the official Recoverit store and free-version page, Microsoft Support, and the official PhotoRec and Recuva pages, checked on October 27, 2026. Tooli starts from your situation (Recycle Bin, backup, drive, SD card) and what you’ll actually pay.
FAQ
Can you recover a file deleted from the Recycle Bin?
Yes, as long as nothing has been written in its place. Stop using the drive, then try Windows File Recovery, which is free, or PhotoRec. Recoverit has a free version that scans the drive and recovers a first batch of files.
Is Recoverit free?
Partly: the free version for Windows scans your drive and recovers files up to a cap, listed at 500 MB on Recoverit’s free-version page. Beyond that, you need a license: $64.99 for a month, $74.99 for a year or $134.99 perpetual, prices checked on October 27, 2026.
What free software can recover deleted files?
Windows File Recovery, Microsoft’s free tool, runs from the command line. PhotoRec, open-source software, finds photos and documents even on an SD card, and Recuva has a free version that’s easier to use.
How long can a deleted file be recovered?
There’s no fixed deadline: a file can be recovered until new data overwrites it. On an SSD, that space can be overwritten fast, which is why you should act right away and not install anything on the affected drive.
Our verdict
- You just deleted the file: Recycle Bin, then your Windows backup, File History or OneDrive. Don’t buy anything.
- The Recycle Bin is empty and you’re fine with a command line: Windows File Recovery or PhotoRec, both free.
- You want to see your photos before recovering them, with no commands: Recoverit, free version first, then the 1-month license at $64.99 if everything is there. It’s the fastest, least stressful way to get your files back.
- You manage lots of SD cards or several PCs: the 1-year license at $74.99, or perpetual at $134.99.
Our other picks, always with dated prices, are on our recommended tools page. For year-end promotions, see our Black Friday 2026 software deals page with the prices to beat.
Sources: Recoverit store for Windows (plans, FAQ) · Recoverit Free · Microsoft Support, Windows File Recovery · Microsoft Support, back up and restore with Windows Backup · CGSecurity, PhotoRec · CCleaner, Recuva — all accessed October 27, 2026.