Having a video file deleted can be incredibly frustrating, especially if it was an important video that you wanted to keep. Fortunately, with the right software, it is often possible to recover deleted video files, as long as you act quickly and do not overwrite the data. In this article, we will explore some of the best software options for recovering deleted video files.
Can You Recover Deleted Videos?
In most cases, yes, it is possible to recover deleted video files, provided the right recovery software is used. When a video file is deleted from your computer or storage device, it is not immediately erased. Instead, the reference to the file’s data on the drive is removed so that the space can be considered free and overwritten. However, the actual video file contents remain on the drive until they are overwritten by new data.
Video recovery software is designed to scan storage devices and find video files that have been deleted but not yet overwritten. By restoring the index linking to the video data, the video can be recovered and accessed again. However, it is crucial to use video recovery software as soon as possible, before the deleted video data is replaced with new data.
Factors That Affect Video File Recovery
There are several key factors that can impact the success of recovering deleted video files:
- Time elapsed since deletion – The less time between when the file was deleted and when you run recovery software, the higher the chance of full recovery.
- Overwrite activity – If new data has been saved to the drive where the video file was deleted, it may have overwritten the deleted video data.
- Drive format – Solid state drives and flash media make video recovery more difficult than traditional hard disk drives.
- File system – The file system the drive uses can affect recovery success rates.
Best Software for Video File Recovery
If you need to restore accidentally deleted video files, these programs provide the best chance of getting your videos back:
1. Disk Drill
Disk Drill is a top recommendation for recovering lost videos. It features powerful scanning algorithms that search every sector of a drive to find recoverable video files. Disk Drill can recover videos from hard drives, external drives, memory cards, and more. Both Windows and Mac versions are available.
Key features:
- Recovers videos from hard drives and storage media
- Scans with multiple algorithms for best recovery rate
- Previews found videos before recovery
- Retrieves videos deleted from Recycle Bin or Trash
- Allows recovery of multiple file types
2. Stellar Data Recovery
Stellar Data Recovery performs comprehensive scans to find recoverable video files. It can recover from hard drives, RAID arrays, memory cards, flash drives, and optical media. The software works with Windows and Mac operating systems.
Key features:
- Deep scanning capability for in-depth video recovery
- Recovers videos after accidental or intentional deletion
- Restores videos lost due to virus attacks, power outages, or system crashes
- Supports all major file systems for drives and media
- Previews videos before recovery
3. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is a popular Windows-based recovery tool that can restore video files erased from your computer or external storage devices. It offers a simple interface and fast scanning process to find deleted videos.
Key features:
- Wizard interface guides you through video recovery process
- Restores videos deleted accidentally or due to viruses, crashes, etc.
- Supports recovery from hard drives, SSDs, RAID, external drives
- Previews found video files before recovery
- Free version available to recover limited data
4. Remo Recover
Remo Recover is a good choice for recovering videos from Windows computers as well as external drives and memory cards. The software performs deep scanning to locate video data even in badly corrupted drives.
Key features:
- Performs basic and advanced video recovery scans
- Recovers videos after accidental or intentional deletion
- Restores video data lost due to formatting, corruption, or crashes
- Supports all major memory cards and drive file systems
- Preview function to selectively choose videos
5. Recuva
Developed by Piriform, Recuva is free Windows recovery software with the ability to restore deleted videos from hard drives and portable media. It offers deep scanning capabilities beyond standard recovery.
Key features:
- Free video recovery option for Windows PCs
- Wizard-based interface for simplified operation
- Restores accidentally deleted video files
- Recovers videos from damaged or formatted drives
- Capable of deep scan when quick scan fails
Choosing the Right Video Recovery Software
With so many options for video recovery software, it can be tricky to decide which one is right for your needs. Here are some tips for choosing the best software for recovering your deleted videos:
- Supported devices – Make sure the software works with the storage device or media where your video was deleted.
- File systems – The software should be compatible with the file system (ex: NTFS, HFS+, FAT32) of the drive.
- Scan capabilities – Look for features like deep scanning and multiple scan algorithms for better recovery rates.
- Ease of use – Choose user-friendly software with features like previews and wizards if you have minimal technical skill.
- Success rate – Read reviews and compare recovery success rates when evaluating software.
- Customer support – Strong technical support can provide assistance if you encounter issues.
Prioritizing these factors will help lead you to video recovery software that gets your deleted files back quickly and effectively.
How to Recover Deleted Videos (Step-by-Step)
Follow these steps to recover deleted videos using recovery software:
- Select recovery software – Choose a program that suits your needs and will scan the media where videos were deleted.
- Install software – Download and install video recovery program on your Windows PC or Mac.
- Connect media – Connect the storage device or insert the media that contained the deleted videos.
- Scan – Run recommended scan. Deep scan if quick scan fails to find videos.
- Preview – Browse and preview the video files found by the software.
- Recover – Select the videos you want to recover and restore them to a safe location.
It is crucial to recover the deleted videos to a different drive than the one they were deleted from to avoid overwriting the data during recovery.
Tips for Improving Video Recovery Success
While recovery software makes it possible to restore deleted videos in many cases, there are some tips that can further improve your chances of getting your lost videos back:
- Avoid using the device where the videos were deleted until recovered, to prevent data overwriting.
- Recover the videos to a different drive than they were deleted from.
- Stop using the device immediately after realizing videos were deleted.
- Try to determine exactly when deletion occurred to narrow recovery time frame.
- If recovery fails, attempt a deep scan for more exhaustive file search.
- Use read-only recovery software that cannot alter source data.
- Contact a data recovery expert if DIY recovery is unsuccessful.
Reasons for Video File Recovery Failure
While video recovery software enables restoration of deleted files in many cases, it does not guarantee success. Some common reasons deleted videos may not be recoverable include:
- Data overwritten – New data saved to the device overwrote the deleted video file contents.
- Drive damage – Physical damage to the storage device made data inaccessible.
- Improper handling – Continued use of a drive after deletion caused further overwriting.
- Formatting – Formatting the drive erased file system data needed for recovery.
- Encryption – Encrypted drives make recovering deleted files far more difficult.
- Insufficient scanning – Quick or incomplete scans failed to locate deleted video data.
Understanding these limitations can help focus efforts on recovery success when vital videos are accidentally erased.
Best Practices to Avoid Needing Video Recovery
Prevention is always preferable to trying to recover deleted videos. Here are some best practices to avoid needing video recovery in the first place:
- Enable Recycle Bin or Trash recovery of deleted files.
- Back up important videos regularly to external drives or cloud storage.
- Use drive mirroring/RAID 1 configurations for built-in redundancy.
- Enable version history and previous versions in cloud storage.
- Use permissions to restrict video folder access to authorized users only.
- Turn on file change notifications to detect unintended modifications.
- Disable auto-emptying of Recycle Bin or Trash folders.
Making backups the cornerstone of your video storage strategy greatly reduces reliance on recovery software.
FAQ
Can you recover permanently deleted videos?
It’s possible to recover some permanently deleted videos using data recovery software as long as the storage space has not been overwritten. However, the sooner scanning is done after deletion, the higher the chance of full recovery. Avoid continuing to use the device to prevent overwriting.
What is the success rate for video recovery software?
Recovery success rates vary widely based on factors like timeframe, overwrite activity, and storage type. Under ideal conditions of quick, read-only scanning on a mechanical drive, recovery rates can exceed 90%. But on flash drives or with significant time delays, success rates may be 50% or much lower.
How long does video recovery take?
Video recovery time depends on variables including storage size, interface speed, and scan type. Quick scans may take minutes, while deep scans on large drives can take many hours. The recovery process also includes the time needed to install software, preview files, and restore them.
Can you recover deleted videos from the cloud?
It depends on the cloud service. Some cloud storage services like Google Drive and Dropbox use file versioning that allows restoring previous copies of deleted videos. On other cloud services without versioning, recovery options are limited once videos are deleted.
Can professionals recover video files if DIY methods fail?
Yes, in some cases video recovery specialists can successfully restore files that consumer software cannot. They use techniques like extracting data at the disk level to recover videos. However, costs are higher and success is not guaranteed.
Key Takeaways
- Specialized video recovery software can often restore accidentally deleted files, if they have not already been overwritten.
- Act quickly after deletion and avoid further drive usage to improve recovery success rates.
- Leading video recovery programs include Disk Drill, Stellar Data Recovery, EaseUS, Remo, and Recuva.
- Preview and selectively recover only the videos you need to prevent data overwriting.
- Preventing deletion through backups is more reliable than recovery software when possible.