Dr.Fone, EaseUS or Recuva: which one to choose

All three run on a computer, but each one works best in a different type of situation.

Which one suits your situation

All of them run a free scan and show you what they found before asking for payment.

The difference lies in the device and the type of file each one handles best.

1Photos from a memory card or USB flash drive

Recuva is free for Windows and is usually enough. Use a card reader on your computer.

2Photos and messages from your phone

Dr.Fone reads Android phones and iPhones connected by cable. Full recovery is paid.

3Computer drive or formatted disk

EaseUS works on Windows and Mac and has a free version with a data limit.

4Just your phone, no computer

DiskDigger runs directly on Android. Without root, it usually finds thumbnails and smaller copies.

Check the preview of the files found. If the photo doesn't show up in full in the preview, it's unlikely to come back.

WhatsApp messages rarely come back with these programs. A backup is the safest route.

1. Dr.Fone

Recovers photos and chats from Android phones and iPhones via your computer.

Shows a free preview; full recovery requires a license.

2. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

Good for disks, cards and formatted drives, on Windows and Mac.

The free version recovers a limited amount of data.

3. Recuva

A lightweight, free program for Windows.

Works best with memory cards and USB flash drives.

4. DiskDigger

Google Play

Searches directly on Android, no computer needed.

Save whatever you find to the cloud, away from your phone's memory.

Which one is free?

Recuva has a free version for basic use. EaseUS and Dr.Fone let you scan and preview, but charge to recover everything.

Do they work on Mac?

EaseUS and Dr.Fone have a Mac version. Recuva is Windows only.

Can any of them recover WhatsApp messages?

Sometimes, but there's no guarantee. If you have a backup on Google Drive or iCloud, restore from that first.