For SD card users in the USA, a free download is only the beginning of a recovery attempt. The card must be detected reliably, and recovered photographs or videos must work outside the recovery program. Stop recording to the card as soon as you notice missing footage.
Handle camera footage separately from ordinary files
Remove the card from the camera or drone and use a compatible reader. Cancel format prompts while the missing files are still needed. Note whether the problem followed deletion, formatting or an interrupted recording: those events do not all leave the same recoverable information.
Large video files can require more than identifying a filename or file header. Test recovered clips from beginning to end, including audio and seeking. XRecovery has a separate camera-enhancement entry; an ordinary partition scan does not automatically include that algorithm. Neither the mode nor a 4K or 8K label guarantees a complete playable video.
Evaluate XRecovery before exporting everything
XRecovery 3.1.6 runs on Windows and can scan partitions, disks and external devices that Windows recognises. The ordinary scan starts with a quick scan and then proceeds automatically to a deep scan. Preview is available for some mainstream file formats; it is not a complete compatibility test for every result.
The confirmed free recovery allowance is 2GB in total. Use it to check representative files before deciding whether more recovery is worthwhile. File names, thumbnails and scan counts alone are not proof of complete recovery.
Scan, save and verify
- Preserve the source and prepare a different physical device for recovered files. Check backups first, and avoid formatting or repair writes while the missing files are needed.
- Select the intended source by its capacity and identity. Stop if it becomes unstable; scanning software cannot fix physical damage.
- Review available results and previews. Save selected files to the separate destination, then open them with their usual applications and check the important contents.
XRecovery scanning is read-only, but exporting writes data to the destination. Its default warning against saving to the scanned partition can be overridden, so keep the destination separate yourself. No software can guarantee recovery of data that is no longer readable.
Is a visible video preview enough to approve recovery?
No. Export a sample to another drive and check playback across the whole recording. A visible opening frame does not prove that the middle or end survived.
Before choosing a download or licence
Use the official product information to check the current package, requirements and terms. For users in the USA, also check that the available interface and support arrangements fit your needs; this article does not establish a separate local edition or local service coverage.