XRecovery 3.1.6 is Windows data recovery software for disks, partitions, and external storage that Windows recognizes. This support hub defines the current operating boundaries and the safe workflow shared by device-specific recovery guides.
Confirm that software recovery fits the case
Windows must expose a stable source as a disk, partition, or external device. A missing drive letter does not always prevent scanning, but a device absent from Windows, repeatedly disconnecting, reporting an implausible capacity, overheating, or showing mechanical symptoms may not be a safe software case.
XRecovery runs only on Windows. It can scan supported Mac or Linux file systems when the disk is removed or attached as external media to a Windows computer and Windows recognizes the device. It does not run natively on macOS or Linux.
Preserve the source before scanning
Do not install XRecovery on the partition where files were lost. Do not format, initialize, repair, or write test files to that source. Prepare a separate physical destination for exported data.
XRecovery reads the selected source without changing it. It warns against using that source as the recovery destination and blocks the choice by default, although a user can override the warning. Do not override it when the data matters because exported files can overwrite other recoverable content.
For a readable but deteriorating device, XRecovery supports direct disk byte copying and partition byte copying. It can load an image for scanning and save or restore scan sessions. Bad or unreadable regions can time out and be skipped so scanning continues; skipped bytes remain unavailable.
Scan and review
Start a scan by double-clicking a source or selecting it and using the scan button. Quick scan runs first and deep scan starts automatically afterward. Camera Enhancement is a separate algorithm path: it runs automatically when the enhancement entry is selected and is not part of an ordinary partition scan. The underlying SD card or camera media is still selected as a normal Windows-recognized storage device.
File-system results can preserve names and folders when metadata survives. Signature-based results can locate supported content after metadata is damaged but may lose the original path or name. Preview availability depends on the file format and recovered content. A missing preview does not alone prove that an export will fail, and a successful preview does not validate every byte of a large file.
Recover and validate
Recover a representative sample to another physical device. Open documents, extract archives, inspect full-resolution photos, and play videos through multiple points with audio. Keep the source unchanged until the needed files have been verified and backed up.
XRecovery supports common photo, video, and document formats rather than every possible format. The free allowance is 2 GB in total. Recovery results depend on overwrite, TRIM, encryption, file fragmentation, file-system damage, unreadable sectors, and device stability; the software cannot guarantee a result.
Activation and offline use
The offline XRecovery computer can remain offline. Use the supplied activation tool to export machine metadata from offline computer B, transfer it to internet-connected computer A, create the activation response, and return that response to B. The operator must be able to exchange files safely between the two computers.
Use the linked Help documents for the full recovery workflow, offline activation, current system boundary, and file/preview support. Use the safety Technology page for read-only scanning, imaging, and destination choices.
Related recovery guidance
- XRecovery Recovery Workflow on Windows
- How to Activate XRecovery on an Offline Windows Computer
- XRecovery 3.1.6 System and Storage Requirements
- XRecovery Supported File Systems, File Types, and Preview
- How to Evaluate Data Recovery Software Before Paying
- Read-Only Scanning, Imaging, and Recovery Destination Safety