Open-source data recovery software for Mac and Windows
The main open-source recovery tools are PhotoRec and TestDisk for carving and partition repair, GNU ddrescue for imaging failing drives, and Retrova for a graphical, cross-platform file-system reader. All are free to use without a cap.
Open source matters for recovery because you can see what the tool does to your drive. The mature options are command-line; Retrova adds a graphical interface for Mac and Windows but is newer and has gaps, listed below.
Why open source for recovery?
Recovery tools run with high privileges and read raw disks. Open source lets you check that nothing is uploaded, that nothing writes to the source, and that the tool will still be around if a company drops it. It also removes the usual free-tier trick: nobody can lock recovery behind a paywall when anyone can compile the code.
The main tools
| Tool | Licence | Platforms | What it does | Interface |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PhotoRec | GPL | Mac, Windows, Linux | Carves files by signature; hundreds of types | Terminal (QPhotoRec on some) |
| TestDisk | GPL | Mac, Windows, Linux | Repairs partitions and boot sectors; undeletes on some file systems | Terminal |
| GNU ddrescue | GPL | Linux, macOS via package managers | Images failing drives with a map file of bad areas, then resumes | Terminal |
| Scalpel / Foremost | Open source | Mostly Linux | Configurable file carving, used in forensics | Terminal |
| The Sleuth Kit / Autopsy | Open source | Windows, Linux, Mac | Forensic analysis of disk images and file systems | Autopsy is graphical |
| Retrova | AGPL-3.0 | Mac, Windows | Reads APFS, Mac OS Extended (HFS+), NTFS, FAT, exFAT, ext2/3/4, XFS, Btrfs; Deep scan; imaging; byte-for-byte verify | Graphical |
Project pages: TestDisk and PhotoRec, GNU ddrescue, The Sleuth Kit and Retrova’s source. Licences and platform support were as listed when we checked in October 2026.
How they fit together
These tools are complementary. A careful workflow for a damaged drive is: image with ddrescue (or Retrova’s ddrescue-style imaging), check the image, try to read it as a file system, and carve only if reading fails. Our guide to imaging a failing drive covers the first step, and TestDisk vs PhotoRec vs Retrova covers choosing between the recovery tools.
What Retrova adds
- A graphical interface on both macOS 11+ and Windows 10/11, with no command line.
- Read-only access through a single code path: the source is never opened for writing, copies are staged as
.partfiles and renamed only when complete, and nothing is overwritten. - Byte-for-byte Verify with SHA-256 manifests and one-click repair, which none of the other tools above provide.
- ddrescue-style imaging with a ddrescue-compatible map file, plus resumable copy, Deep scan and verify jobs, so a disconnected drive does not lose your progress.
- Deleted files with their original names on NTFS, FAT and exFAT, and encrypted drives (BitLocker, LUKS, FileVault) when you have the key.
- Extra tools after the rescue: Space map, Duplicates, Cleanup and Find Text (OCR).
- No account and no telemetry. It only goes online when you click Check for updates.
Because it is AGPL-3.0, anyone can read, build and modify it. The builds on the download page are not signed or notarised yet, which is why you will see a Gatekeeper or SmartScreen prompt on first launch.
What Retrova cannot do
Established tools are ahead in these areas, so choose them if you need them:
- Undelete with names outside NTFS, FAT and exFAT. Retrova lists deleted files with their names and folders on NTFS, FAT12/16/32 and exFAT only. On APFS, ext and other file systems it falls back to deep scan, so names and folders are lost and fragmented files may come back damaged. On NTFS, compressed or encrypted deleted files, and ones whose details span several records, are not listed.
- Encrypted drives without the key. Retrova opens BitLocker (password or 48-digit recovery key), LUKS 1/2 (passphrase) and FileVault or encrypted APFS volumes (password) only when you have the key. It cannot open BitLocker startup-key (.bek) or TPM-only drives, or the startup disk of a T2 or Apple silicon Mac away from that Mac. Decryption runs at about 100 MB/s.
- RAID and NAS volumes, APFS snapshots, bootable media and phones. Not supported.
- Code signing. Builds are not signed or notarised yet, hence the first-launch warning.
- Fragmented file carving. Deep scan finds contiguous files of 72 types, which is fewer than the 400 to 1,000 types some paid tools claim. Names are lost, and files stored in pieces may come back damaged or not at all.
The first-launch warning
Retrova’s builds are not signed or notarised with a paid Apple or Microsoft certificate yet, so the first time you open it you will see a warning. On a Mac, open System Settings > Privacy & Security, scroll down, click Open Anyway and confirm (on macOS 14 or earlier, right-click the app and choose Open). On Windows, when SmartScreen says “Windows protected your PC”, click More info, then Run anyway. You only do this once. The source code is public if you would rather build it yourself or read what it does.
Picking one
- A drive that will not mount and you want names kept: Retrova.
- A formatted card with RAW photos: PhotoRec for maximum coverage, Retrova for a graphical workflow.
- A lost partition: TestDisk.
- A drive that is physically failing: ddrescue, or Retrova’s imaging if you want a graphical tool. See recovering from a failing hard drive.
How we checked
We read each project’s official documentation and licence for the details above. We did not test recovery success rates; Retrova statements refer to version 1.1.1. Competitor details were checked in October 2026 and are dated in the text. Vendor prices and free limits change often and many run permanent sales, so treat every figure here as approximate and confirm on the vendor’s own page before you buy.
Get Retrova
Free and open source for macOS 11+ and Windows 10/11. No account, no recovery limit, and it never writes to the drive you’re rescuing.
Download RetrovaFree for Mac and WindowsQuestions
Is open-source data recovery software as good as commercial?
For many jobs yes, especially carving and imaging. Commercial tools tend to lead on undelete with names across more file systems, wider encrypted-volume support, RAID, interface polish and signed installers.
Which open-source tool is easiest for beginners?
Retrova is the only one in this list built around a point-and-click workflow on both Mac and Windows. PhotoRec and TestDisk are reliable but need careful use of a text menu.
Is open source recovery software safe?
Safer in the sense that you can inspect what it does, but you still need to save to a different drive and avoid write options such as partition repair until your files are copied.
Does Retrova collect any data?
No account and no telemetry. It connects to the internet only when you click Check for updates.