More advanced tools are available with higher-end plans. New file types can be added if necessary, and safe mode can be activated if you’re concerned about security. For example, you can specify exactly what file extensions you’re looking for.

Meanwhile, there are numerous advanced options that can be tweaked to optimize performance. In fact, we noticed it was strikingly similar to the interface of another tool we reviewed: Ontrack EasyRecovery. The layout is extremely clear and intuitive. You can also select what drive and location you want to search, further streamlining the process. This is useful if you’re looking for a specific file or file type. On the initial user dashboard, you can select what sort of files (photo, video, etc.) you would like to retrieve. The installer itself weighs in at less than 5MB and it then downloads the remaining files it needs.

Installing Stellar Data Recovery in Windows 11 only took us a couple of minutes.