How to Recover Formatted USB Flash Drive [With or Without Backup]

Accidental formatting happens all too often, and in a split second, all the data on your device can disappear, which can feel like the end of the world. Whether it's due to a misclick, system error, or hardware malfunction, dealing with data loss can be incredibly stressful.

Or perhaps you recently formatted your pen drive and are now vying to find the best way to recover data from it. Is it possible to recover formatted USB drive? Don't worry. In this blog post, we'll disclose 3 reliable methods, from built-in backup tools to specialized software, that can help you recover files from a formatted USB drive. Let's get going!

Can You Really Recover a Formatted USB Flash Drive?

Well, the good news is that it's often possible to recover data from a formatted USB drive. A quick format just replaces your data with 0s and 1s instead of wiping everything on the disk. If you haven't used the pen drive since formatting, there's a good chance you can reunite with your files. However, if you performed a full format, that's a different story.

Before discussing how to recover a formatted USB drive, there are a few steps you can take to increase the chances of successful recovery. These include:

• Stop Using the Thumb Drive - If you continue to use the flash drive, there's a high chance that the old data will be overwritten, making recovery impossible.
• Create a Disk Image - If possible, create a disk image of your USB drive using dedicated tools. This preserves the current state of the drive and allows you to perform recovery attempts on the image instead of the original drive.
• Check Backup Options - Check your backup solutions (like cloud services or local backups) to see if the files are stored elsewhere.

Methods to Recover Files from a Formatted USB Drive

Option A: Unformat USB Drive using 4DDiG

For non-tech-savvy users, data recovery software is the easiest and most reliable method to recover a formatted USB drive. In this guide, the tool we will use is Tenorshare 4DDiG, as it is not only easy to navigate but also has an impressive success rate.

Besides accidental formatting, 4DDiG also handles other common data loss issues well, such as system crashes, virus attacks, and hardware failures. Moreover, 4DDiG is fully compatible with both older and the latest versions of Windows. Here's more information about this tool:

• Regains data from a wide range of storage devices, such as USBs, SD cards, HDDs, SSDs, and more.
• Retrieves more than 2000 data types from different file systems.
• Offers both quick and deep scan options.
• Offers a free trial for Windows users.
• No technical knowledge is required.

Now, we'll show you how to perform data recovery from a formatted pen drive with the help of 4DDiG:

Step 1. Run the 4DDiG data recovery tool and attach your formatted thumb drive. Once recognized, you'll see the disk appear on the main interface of 4DDiG. Next, select it and click on 'Scan.'

Step 2. 4DDiG allows you to preview recoverable files found while scanning. If you want to recover deleted documents from your USB drive, simply switch to the 'Type' option on the left panel and click 'Document'.

Step 3. Once you find your desired files, you'll need to tick the boxes next to them and then hit 'Recover' at the bottom. 4DDiG will prompt you to restore them to a local disk or cloud storage.

Option B: Unformat USB Drive by Windows Backup

If you're thinking, "how to recover formatted USB flash drive for free," the answer is backup. Both File History and Backup & Restore (Windows 7) are highly reliable backup solutions. However, these built-in tools do not automatically detect or back up external storage devices. Basically, they cannot help you if you want to recover files from a formatted USB drive.

If you've previously backed up your thumb drive with either of these tools, congratulations! Follow the steps below to get your data back:

Step 1: Insert the formatted flash drive into your Windows machine. Then, locate the USB drive, right-click on it, and pick 'Properties.'

Step 2: Click on the 'Previous Versions' tab to see if there is a backup.

Step 3: Select the version before the drive is formatted. Finally, click on 'Restore.'

Option C: Reach Out to Professionals

Professional data recovery services often work wonders when all else fails to recover files from a formatted pen drive. Many people, including ourselves, complain about the high costs of these services, but there's no denying that their success rates are much higher than those of software solutions. So, if your USB drive holds crucial data, it's always right to contact a local data recovery center. Here are some reliable data recovery services in the US:

• Drive Savers Data Recovery
• Ontrack Data Recovery
• Secure Data Recovery Services
• SalvageData Recovery

USB data recovery services typically cost between $150 and $400, depending on the size of your USB drive. Plus, many companies offer a "no data, no fee" guarantee, so you only pay if they successfully retrieve your files.

Bonus: Is It Possible to Recover a Formatted USB Drive Using CMD?

If you search for how to recover a formatted USB drive for free, you'll run into some misleading and outdated blog posts. Many of them claim that you can recover a formatted pen drive by running the CHKDSK and ATTRIB commands in CMD, but that's not the case.

Typically, the CHKDSK command is used to check for file system errors and fix minor corruption, while ATTRIB is used to change file attributes like hidden or read-only. Although these commands are valuable, data recovery from a formatted pen drive is not among them.

How to Avoid Data Loss on Your USB Drive?

No storage device is immune to data loss. After learning how to recover data from a formatted USB drive, we've put together some practical tips to help you better protect your data in the future. Here they are:

• Use Automatic Backup Tools: Tools like Windows File History or Time Machine for macOS can automatically back up files to a designated location, reducing the chance of losing data.
• Use Antivirus Software: Malware and viruses can corrupt the files stored on your USB drive, so it's a good idea to regularly scan it with reliable antivirus software.
• Avoid Overloading Your USB Drive: USB drives often perform better and last longer when they're not close to full capacity. Keep at least 10-20% of your USB drive's storage free for optimal performance.
• Enable Write Protection: Your USB drive might come with a physical write protection switch. If so, enable it to prevent data loss caused by unintended file modifications or deletions.

Conclusion

So, there you have it, that's everything related to how to recover a formatted USB flash drive. Some people might believe that USB data recovery is a complex and impossible process, but that's not true. Tools like Tenorshare 4DDiG offer an all-in-one data recovery solution. With just a few clicks, you can recover files from a formatted USB drive in the blink of an eye.

No matter which method you choose, it's crucial to take action before the old data gets overwritten. Once that happens, even the best recovery service in the world won't be able to help. Plus, to avoid data loss, you should always understand the importance of backups.