CGSecurity· Software

PhotoRec

A free, open-source file carver: it ignores the file system and finds files by their content, so it works even after formatting or heavy damage.

Price: Free (open source, GPL)
Used for: Pen drive and memory card tools Recovery software
Facts checked: 24 October 2026

Visit the official website ↗

Runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, BSD
Licence Free, open source (GPL)
File types More than 480
Method File carving

What it does

Scans the disk block by block for known file signatures
Works out the cluster size by itself
Trims files to the size in their header and drops broken pieces
Opens the source read-only and saves files to another drive

File carving brings back the files but usually not their names or folders.

What it supports

Media: Hard disks
SSDs
USB drives
CompactFlash
SD
Memory Stick
DD and E01 images
Works over: FAT
NTFS
exFAT
ext2 / 3 / 4
HFS+
File types: 480+ extensions (about 300 families)
Runs on: Windows
Linux
macOS
FreeBSD
NetBSD
OpenBSD
Solaris

Editions and prices

PhotoRec

Free and open source (GPL v2+), comes with TestDisk
Latest stable

7.2 (22 February 2024); 7.3 in testing

From the maker's website on 24 October 2026. Prices change; confirm with the maker.

For labs & IT service providers

Your Customer. Our Expertise. One Trusted Partnership.

Partner with DataCare Labs for complex data recovery cases that go beyond your in-house capabilities.

Complex recovery cases? We've got your back.

When firmware repair isn't enough, rely on our specialized recovery lab for advanced cases involving head replacement, platter damage, service-area issues and RAID recovery.

With 20,000+ donor drives, specialized recovery tools and a professional lab in Pune, India, we help you serve your customers with confidence.

Typical turnaround: 24–48 hours for many approved cases, depending on the fault and parts availability.

No Data, No Charge policy
Free pickup across the globe
Free analysis in 25–30 min
Certified Class 100 clean room
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
ISO 27001:2022 Certified
SOC-2 controls
Incorporated company (India)

Become a partner

Sources: the maker's official pages

https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec

Checked on 24 October 2026.

Before you buy

Check the maker's supported list for your exact drives or chips.
Prices and features change; ask the maker or its official reseller.
Never use cracked copies: they break drives and carry malware.

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