How to Recover Data from USB Drive [USB Data Recovery]

Applies to USB data recovery on USB flash drives, USB pen drives, and external USB drives with USB 4.0/3.0/2.0 ports.

Is there any way to recover files from USB flash drive? This page covers everything that you need to know about USB data recovery. Follow our guide to learn how to recover USB data safely.

We explain four ways to retrieve files from USB flash drives. Choose the most effective plan for your situation.

💚USB recovery tool	Up to 99.7% recovery rates whether the USB data is lost due to deletion, formatting, or device corruption
⭕Backup files	High recovery rate if you have a backup created in advance
🔂Previous versions	As with restoring from a backup file, if you have the most recent backup, you can effectively retrieve lost data
🔅Recover USB in CMD	Low recovery rate. This method can only recover hidden files, not truly deleted files

USB Data Recovery Preparation

What to do when you lose USB files?

USB drives are widely used to transfer and save files as they're portable while also fast at reading and writing data. However, what should you do if you experience data loss on your USB drive due to improper operations or unexpected errors?

❗1. Immediately stop using the USB drive on which the files were lost

1. 1. Don't use the USB drive that held the lost files, as they are likely to be still stored there even though you can't see them. But there is a good chance they could be overwritten if you continue using the drive.
2. 2. Instead, use one of the 4 USB data recovery solutions outlined below. 

✅2. Four ways to get back lost files on a USB drive

1. Method 1. Use USB Data Recovery Software - 97% Success Rate
2. Method 2. Use USB File Backup - 50% Success Rate
3. Method 3. Use Previous Versions - 50% Success Rate
4. Method 4. Use CMD Attrib Command - Lower Success Rate

For beginners, we recommend using the USB recovery software option explained in Method 1, as this is the easiest and most straightforward way to recover your files.

Method 1. Recover Data from USB Flash Drive with USB File Recovery Tool

Applies to all levels of Windows and USB drive users.

The simplest and most reliable way to get your files back is to use dedicated data recovery software. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is an excellent option due to its powerful tools and easy-to-understand interface.

See What EaseUS USB Data Recovery Software Can Do for You

Download this 100% secure software suite and follow the tutorial below to start using the USB file recovery features. It only takes a few simple clicks.

Detailed Guide: 3 Steps to Recover Data from USB

Step 1. Choose the USB drive to scan

Launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard and choose your USB drive where you lost important files. Click "Scan" to start.

Step 2. Check and preview USB drive data

When the scanning is finished, you can quickly locate a specific type of file by using the Filter feature as well as the Search option.

Step 3. Restore flash drive data

After checking and finding lost USB drive files, click "Recover" to restore them. You shall save the found files to a safe location on your PC rather than to your USB drive.

Note: After the recovery is complete, remember to save the restored files to another location and apply a reliable USB formatter to format the USB drive to make it safe to use once more.

Video Tutorial: Recover Files from USB Flash Drive with EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

You can also follow this video and run EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard to perform SD card recovery, recover files from external hard drive, hardware RAID, SD cards, memory cards, etc.

This article is a great resource for anyone who wants to learn how to recover a USB flash drive. Share it to help others!

Method 2. Recover Files from USB Flash Drive with Backup

Applies to: Recover deleted files from USB without software from previously created backup.

If you have a backup of the lost data, you use it to recover the files, usually with a 100% success rate. Here are the steps:

Step 1. Find your USB data backup on your computer or external storage device.

Step 2. Locate and select your lost data from the backup.

Step 3. Copy and save the data back to your USB drive.

If you don't have a backup, then your best option is to return to Method 1 and use the EaseUS Data Recovery software.

Method 3. Recover Data from USB Flash Drive from Previous Versions

Applies to: Recover USB data from the previous version on Windows. 

Windows has a useful feature called Previous Versions, which acts as a kind of system backup for files. It doesn't work all the time but is well worth trying.

Here are the steps:

Step 1. Connect the USB drive to your computer.

Step 2. Open This PC and right-click your USB drive, select "Properties". 

Step 3. Go to the Previous Versions tab, select an available previous version, and click "Restore".

Note: This feature may not show up on the latest version of Windows 10 for some files. It also requires that File History is enabled before the data loss occurs. Microsoft offers the complete steps for restoring files from previous versions. Read the guides if you need them.

Method 4. USB Data Recovery Using Command Prompt

Applies to advanced Windows users who know how to use the CMD command very well.

Another method you can try is using the Command Prompt. This can recover data from a USB drive but does require a more hands-on approach. One limitation is that it only works on hidden files.

Step 1. Connect the USB flash drive to your computer.

Step 2. Run Command Prompt as an administrator.

Step 3. Type attrib -h -r -s /s /d e:\*.* and hit "Enter".

Note: Replace e: with the drive letter of your USB flash drive or USB external hard drive.

After the steps above, the hidden files on your USB will be visible again.

Causes of USB Data Loss

If you've successfully restored lost data from your USB flash drive or external hard drive, congratulations. Almost everyone has suffered from data loss at one time or another.

To prevent any future problems, it's a good idea to understand what can cause data loss issues. Here's a list of the most common culprits:

• Accidental deletion
• Careless formatting
• Invalid file system error
• Virus or malware infection
• Hardware failure
• Connection issue

So, if you want to keep your data safe on USB drives, follow the tip in the next section.

The Bottom Line

In this article, we've covered four reliable USB data recovery methods that should help you salvage files that you thought may be lost forever.

If you want the most reliable solution that's fast and simple to use, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is an unmissable choice, as it outperforms its rivals thanks to its excellent performance. With it, you can recover data from various kinds of storage devices in different kinds of data loss situations.

If your data is precious, then protect it in the best way possible by adding EaseUS Data Recovery to your device.

We can reduce the chance of data loss, but we cannot eliminate the possibility of losing data. Thus, both the backup software and data recovery software are necessary to ensure data security.

If you find this article offers perspectives on USB data recovery, share it with others.

USB Data Recovery FAQs

This part will show you more information about USB data recovery by offering some frequently asked questions:

1. Can I recover corrupted files from a USB drive?

You can recover corrupted files from a USB flash drive with a USB recovery program called EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard.

1. 1. Install and launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard. Scan your connected USB flash drive to find corrupted files.
2. 2. This software will locate the files you want by using the Filter option. You can also search for the file names to get your files quickly.
3. 3. After selecting the files, you can click the Recover button to recover and save these files.

2. Is USB data recovery available for a damaged USB drive?

Yes, you can use a data recovery tool, such as EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, to recover data from a damaged USB. But you should understand that if your USB drive is physically damaged, it is hard to retrieve data from it, and you should find an expert to help you fix and rescue data from your USB drive.

3. What is the best USB recovery tool?

You can choose the following USB recovery tools to help you recover data from your USB drive:

1. 1. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard
2. 2. Disk Drill
3. 3. Recuva
4. 4. R-Studio
5. 5. Remo Recover
6. 6. TestDisk
7. 7. Puran Data Recovery

4. Can I fix a USB flash drive on my computer?

Yes, you can download a USB repair tool, find a repair service, or use the CMD. Using the CMD can be a basic solution:

1. 1. Connect your USB flash drive to your Computer/Laptop.
2. 2. Open the Start menu and search for Command Prompt.
3. 3. Run CMD as administrator and type in the CHKDSK command to check and repair your USB drive.