Retrieve files you thought were gone for good with one of these freeware data recovery tools. These apps recover documents, videos, pictures, music, and more from your hard drive, USB drive, media card, etc. I recommend every computer owner install a file recovery program, preferably as soon as possible (such as right after you get a computer or install the operating system).

I ranked these programs based on how easy they were for me to use and how useful their features are. Start at the top for our top recommendations, then move down the list if you're looking for something different.

Recuva is without a doubt the best free data recovery software tool out there. It is very easy to use but also has many optional advanced features. It is always my first recommendation for anyone who wants one of these tools.

It can recover files from hard drives, external drives (USB drives, etc.), BD/DVD/CD discs and memory cards. This program can even recover files from your iPod!