Lost files on a Western Digital drive? Start here
You deleted a folder from your WD My Passport, or Windows suddenly says the drive is not formatted, and the files you needed are gone. The most important step is to stop writing to the drive straight away, because new data can overwrite what you want back. Recover WD is a scanning tool built for this situation. It reads the drive without changing it and lists what can still be saved.
Quick facts
- Platforms: Windows and Mac OS (separate versions)
- Made for: Western Digital internal and external hard drives
- File types: up to 50 different types
- File systems: FAT, FAT16, FAT32, ExFAT, NTFS5, HFS
- Trial: a demo version is available to try before buying
Key features
Get back files from lost or deleted partitions
If you removed the wrong partition while reinstalling the OS, or a partition table got damaged, the Partition Recovery option scans the drive and lists the partitions it finds. You pick one and the software searches it for recoverable files.
Browse results in two views and preview before saving
Found files are shown in a Data Type view and a File Type view. You can preview a file first and then save it to an internal drive, an external drive or CD/DVD.
Recover from drives with bad sectors and file system damage
The vendor says the tool can recover data from a hard drive with bad sectors. It also covers loss caused by virus infection, corrupted partition tables and accidental formatting.
Find files deleted from the command line or with shortcut keys
It can restore files removed through Command or Terminal and with Shift-style shortcut deletion. It can also find files by their unique signatures.
Works beyond one drive model
The vendor lists WD My Book, WD Passport and WD portable drives. It also lists SanDisk and Kingston media. The tool is read-only, so it does not write to the drive it scans.
How recovery works
- If the drive is failing, connect it to a healthy computer and install the software there.
- Choose Partition Recovery on the main screen.
- Select your WD drive, then the partition you want to scan.
- Review the recoverable files, preview them, and save them to a different location.
Who it's for
It suits you if you use a Western Digital internal or external drive and have lost photos, documents, video, audio or archives. It also suits you if the problem is a lost partition or a drive that reports as not formatted. It is aimed at home users who want a guided, step-by-step scan rather than a technician's toolkit.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Handles deleted files, formatted drives and lost partitions
- Preview before you save
- Read-only scanning
- Windows and Mac versions
- Covers common file systems, including NTFS5, ExFAT and HFS
Cons
- Recovery is not guaranteed if the data has already been overwritten
- The vendor describes only the recovery workflow and gives no hardware-level repair for physically dead drives
- You must install it on a working computer, and save recovered files to a different drive
FAQs
Can it recover a deleted partition?
Yes. The Partition Recovery option scans the drive and lists the partitions it finds so you can choose one to search.
Does it work on a Mac?
Yes. The vendor offers a separate Mac version for Mac OS X.
Will it work on non-WD drives?
The vendor says it can also undelete files from other brands such as SanDisk and Kingston.
What should I do right after losing files?
Stop using the drive immediately. Further writing can overwrite the data and lower your chances of getting it back.
Can I try it first?
A demo version is offered so you can see what it finds before you buy the full version.
System requirements
The software runs on Windows and Mac OS. Save recovered files to a separate drive from the one you are scanning.