Are you searching for ways to recover deleted files from USB? Looking for a potential step-by-step USB data recovery guide? You will never want to miss this article. Read more.


USB is one of the most commonly used storage devices that we use to either transfer or store data. The compact size of the USB makes it more popular among users from across the globe. It is a fact that the chances for USBs to get broken are less compared to hard drives and other storage devices. Still, your USB data does not remain fully secure.

When you frequently connect your USB to different computers or laptops, it may get corrupted. As a result, you will lose your data stored on that USB flash drive. If you’re experiencing a similar problem, don’t be concerned, as recover files from USB is also possible these days like hard drive recovery. This article presents effective and efficient ways to recover files from USB.

Part 1. The Leading Reasons Behind Losing Your Data from USB

Getting familiar with how to recover deleted files from USB is important, but it is crucial to dig into this subject for more details and learn about the leading reasons behind this problem.

1. Hardware Issues

The USB drivers are fragile and small. They are very sensitive to damage. As a result, you will lose the data on your USB. The good news is that you can now recover slightly damaged USB drivers easily.

2. Virus Attacks

Virus or malware attacks are very common these days, and they are one of the biggest reasons that cause USB data loss. Cyber-criminals are constantly working to develop more dangerous virus infections.

3. Driver Failure

If your USB driver is faulty, it may cause random “read/write” problems, resulting in severe file corruption. Hence, the data stored on the USB flash drive becomes inaccessible.

4. Partitioning Mistake

Creating partitions on your USB is not as simple as many of us think it is. Therefore, it is common that make mistakes while partitioning. And that results in USB data loss too.

5. File System Errors

Remember, you can’t rely on every file system. This is true when you have to connect your USB to computers having different operating systems. This problem may also lead to data loss.

6. Connection Problem

If the USB connector you often use is not working properly, problems like file corruption are likely to happen. In such cases, you may not be able to access your data.

Part 2. What to Do If I’ve Lost the Data from USB?

The very first thing you must keep in mind when you lose your data from USB is not to store new stuff on it. Don’t forget to eject it safely from your computer. If you store anything new, it will overwrite the deleted files, and they will become inaccessible permanently. Read more to get familiar with how to recover files from USB.

Part 3. How to Recover Deleted Files from USB Using a Data Recovery Tool?

Now, you know the leading reasons behind USB data loss and what to do if your data gets deleted or lost on USB drives. In this section, you will see an incredible method to recover USB drives efficiently.

WondershareRecoverit Data Recovery can be the best choice to get your lost or deleted USB data back within a few minutes. Whether you need to recover photos, videos, audio, emails, or documents, you can do everything with this software.

With more than 500 data recovery scenarios, Recoverit supports 2000+ storage devices. At the same time, this tool offers great support for 1000+ file formats. Plus, it has successfully maintained a 95% data recovery rate, which sets it apart from all other traditional data recovery utilities. Moreover, Recoverit is operating in 160+ countries with 35+ registered patents. 24/7 technical support and a one-week money-back guarantee make Recoverit a top data recovery choice for millions of users from across the world.

A Step-By-Step Guide to Recovering Deleted Files from USB

Before moving towards the steps to recover the USB drive, make sure you have WondershareRecoveritData Recovery installed on your device. If your system does not have this software installed, download it from the official website at first.

Step 1: After you download and install this data recovery utility, the next thing is to select the drive where you lost data. For this, open the software and tap on “Hardware Drives and Locations.” Then, choose a specific disk. Before that, you need to connect the USB to your computer and ensure that it can be recognized successfully.

usb data recovery with wondersharerecoverit

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Step 2: Now, Recoverit will initiate the scanning process to find the data lost from your USB. You can monitor the progress displayed on the bottom, as shown below. You are free to stop the scanning process if you find what you wish to get back. It will help you save time.

search for the lost data on usb

Step 3: Once Recoverit finds the lost files on your USB, you can preview the files before saving them on your system. Hit the “Preview” button to confirm if it is the right file.

preview usb data with recoverit

Step 4:Now, you can tap on the “Recover” button to get it back. It will ask you to select a specific location on your device to save the recovered data.

This is how WondershareRecoverithelps you get the lost USB data back.

Part 4. Recover the USB Drive without Downloading Any Software

Are you still looking for ways to recover deleted files from USB? Below is a list of 3 efficient methods to recover USB drives in no time.

1. Use CMD to Recover the USB Drive

You can use CMD to restore corrupted, deleted, lost, or formatted data. Apart from that, using CMD to recover files from USB is often recommended because you don’t have to pay even a single penny to run recovery commands. It does not ask you to enable any security feature or download a 3rd party application. Follow these steps to recover the USB using the command prompt.

Step 1: Connect your USB to your laptop or computer.

Step 2: Now, open CMD on your Windows operating system. For this, type “cmd” in the search bar of your Windows and click on it.

use-cmd-to-recover-files-from-usb

Alt Text: recover usb drive with cmd

Step 3: Put the “chkdsk E: /f” command on CMD and press “Enter” from your computer.

Step 4: Now, enter “ATTRIB -H -R -S /S /D “E”:*.*” and go ahead.

Note: Don’t forget to replace “E” in the above command with the letter of your USB flash drive.

usb-drive-recovery-with-cmd

Now, wait for a few minutes until the data recovery process is finished. Once it is completed, you will see a new folder containing all the recovered data on your USB drive.

2. Restore Your Data from Previous Versions

File History is a great backup feature that comes with Windows. It works pretty similar to Time Machine in macOS. With File History, you can recover your USB data easily by restoring a previous version. If you want to use this method to recover USB drives, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Connect your computer and USB.

Step 2: Now, type “This PC” in the search menu of your Windows and open it.

Step 3: It is time to right-click on the USB and choose the “Properties” option.

Step 4: Enter the tab “Previous Versions.”

recover your usb data by restoring a previous version

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Step 5: Now, choose the previous version you want. Hit the “Restore” button to get your lost or deleted USB data back. It will ask you to select a new path to save the recovered data.

3. Hire USB Data Recovery Services

If your USB is damaged physically, recovering it will surely be a challenging job that requires solid technical skills and advanced equipment. This is where USB data recovery services come in handy. The cost of these services is usually high compared to other USB data recovery methods.

Part 5. How to Stay Away from Losing USB Data in the Future?

  1. The best way to avoid future data loss is to always keep a copy of your important data. In other words, creating a backup of your data always keeps your stuff protected in case of data loss. Hundreds of backup tools are available in the market. You can also benefit from cloud services for this purpose, like OneDrive or Google Drive.
  • Another potential way to reduce the chances of data loss from your USB flash drive is to keep updated USB drivers. Plus, make sure you have a credible anti-virus tool installed on your device. It will keep a close eye on all suspicious activities that can potentially cause USB data loss.

Following these tips will greatly reduce the chances of losing your data from the USB drive. Make sure you take care of these things.

Final Words

To perform 100% safe and effective USB data recovery, give WondershareRecoverit Data Recovery a try. With the highest data recovery rate in the market, it will be worth your money for sure. However, you can use its free trial in the beginning to better understand how this software works.

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