PhotoRec vs Windows Backup

PhotoRec is a free file recovery program for retrieving lost videos, documents, archives, and pictures from storage media and disk images. It searches the underlying data instead of relying on the file system, which can help after file-system damage or reformatting. It recognizes more than 480 file extensions across about 300 file families, and listed file systems include FAT, NTFS, exFAT, ext2/ext3/ext4, and HFS+.

Supported sources include hard disks, CD-ROMs, memory cards, USB drives, raw disk images, and EnCase E01 images. PhotoRec runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, DOS, several BSD systems, Solaris, and other Unix systems. It accesses the recovery drive or card in read-only mode; recovered files should go to a different partition. The portable download runs after extracting its archive, without an installer. QPhotoRec provides a graphical interface, while PhotoRec can also run from scripts or batch files with command-line options. The maker says it usually cannot recover original filenames and does not work well with ReiserFS.

Windows Backup is a file backup and restore utility included with Windows PCs. It can back up files, themes, settings, installed apps, and Wi-Fi information to help move items to a new PC. Users can sync Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos, and Music folders to OneDrive, and choose settings such as accessibility, accounts, personalization, and language preferences. During setup of a new PC or reinstalled Windows, signing in with the same Microsoft account lets users choose a backup to restore. Microsoft Store apps can be restored from their pins; apps not available in the Store link to a web download. The app is intended for personal Microsoft accounts, not work or school accounts. A free Microsoft account includes 5 GB of OneDrive storage, and more can be purchased. Personalization preferences require OneDrive sign-in and available storage. Windows Backup supports Windows 10 and Windows 11; Windows 10 support ended October 14, 2025. The plan costs nothing.